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The Lawanopo Fault, central Sulawesi, East Indonesia

Conference Paper · April 2015

DOI: 10.1063/1.4915009

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 The Lawanopo Fault, central Sulawesi, East Indonesia
Danny Hilman Natawidjaja and Mudrik R. Daryono

Citation: AIP Conference Proceedings 1658, 030001 (2015); doi: 10.1063/1.4915009

View online: http://dx.doi.org/10.1063/1.4915009
View Table of Contents: http://scitation.aip.org/content/aip/proceeding/aipcp/1658?ver=pdfcov
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 The Lawanopo Fault, Central Sulawesi, East Indonesia
Danny Hilman Natawidjaja1, a) and Mudrik R. Daryono1, 2, b)

1
LabEarth-RC Geotechnology, Indonesian Institute of Sciences (LIPI), Jl. Sangkuriang 40132 Bandung, Indonesia
2
Graduate Research in Earthquake and Active Tectonics (GREAT), Institute of Technology Bandung (ITB),
Jl.Ganesha 1, 40132 Bandung, Indonesia
a)
danny.hilman@gmail.com
b)
van_mudrik@yahoo.com

Abstract. The dominant tectonic-force factor in the Sulawesi Island is the westward Bangga-Sula microplate tectonic
intrusion, driven by the 12 mm/year westward motion of the Pacific Plate relative to Eurasia. This tectonic intrusion are
accommodated by a series of major left-lateral strike-slip fault zones including Sorong Fault, Sula-Sorong Fault, Matano
Fault, Palukoro Fault, and Lawanopo Fault zones. The Lawanopo fault has been considered as an active left-lateral
strike-slip fault . The natural exposures of the Lawanopo Fault are clear, marked by the breaks and liniemants of
topography along the fault line, and also it serves as a tectonic boundary between the different rock assemblages.
Inpections of IFSAR 5m-grid DEM and field checks show that the fault traces are visible by lineaments of
topographical slope breaks, linear ridges and stream valleys, ridge neckings, and they are also associated with
hydrothermal deposits and hot springs. These are characteristics of young fault, so their morphological expressions can
be seen still. However, fault scarps and other morpho-tectonic features appear to have been diffused by erosions and
young sediment depositions. No fresh fault scarps, stream deflections or offsets, or any influences of fault movements on
recent landscapes are observed associated with fault traces. Hence, the faults do not show any evidence of recent
activity. This is consistent with lack of seismicity on the fault.

Keywords: East Indonesia tectonics, active fault, Lawanopo, Sulawesi, seismic hazard, paleoseismology, ground
penetration radar.

INTRODUCTION
Sulawesi Island sits in the middle on the triple junction area of the three major plates: the India-Australian
plates, the Philippine-Pacific plates, and the Eurasian plate (REF). The Pacific Plate moves 12 cm/year eastward
and the Australian continental plate moves 7 cm/year northward relative to Eurasian. At present time, the most
dominant tectonic-force factor in the site region is the westward tectonic intrusion, driven by the westward relative
motion of the Pacific Plate. This tectonic movement is accommodated by a series of major left-lateral strike-slip
fault zones, which includes Sorong Fault, Sula-Sorong Fault, Matano Fault, Palukoro Fault, and presumably
Lawanopo Fault zones. The Lawanopo fault is considered an active left-lateral strike-slip fault in the new Indonesia
Probabilistic Seismic Hazard map of the SNI 2012 [1, 2].
The Lawanopo Fault is clear is delineated by breaks and lineaments of topography along the fault line, and also
a tectonic boundary between the different rock assemblages, namely the pompangeo-Schist complex in the south
side and the ultramafic-mafic rock complex in the north side (Fig.2)[3]. The geological offsets along the
Lawanopo-Matano-Palukoro Fault zones altogether are roughly estimated in a range of 120 to 250 km [4].
Considering the measured sliprates on the Matano-Palukoro is about 3-4 cm/year , then these fault zones have
moved for 3 to 8 million years. However, we can only verify about 40-km geological offset on the Matano-
Palukoro Fault zones [3]; Thus their existences might only be in the past 1 million year, much younger than the
Lawanopo fault zone. This is probably true considering that the morpho-tectonic landscapes of the Matano-

4th International Symposium on Earthquake and Disaster Mitigation 2014 (ISEDM 2014)
AIP Conf. Proc. 1658, 030001-1–030001-23; doi: 10.1063/1.4915009
© 2015 AIP Publishing LLC 978-0-7354-1300-9/$30.00

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 Palukoro fault zones are fresher compare to those of the Lawanopo fault, as it will be discussed in details in the
following sections.
The Lawanopo fault is a major prominent fault, and considered active in RSNI-1722 2012 Indonesian Seismic
Hazard Map. However, it is lack of seismicity for the past 100 years, and no major historical earthquake has been
written associated with Lawanopo fault. Thus, it is a prime important to determine whether the Lawanopo Fault is
still an active fault that is accomodating movements of recent tectonic field stresses or whether it is only a
‘remnant’ of Palukoro-Matano-like structure in previous phases of tectonic evolution during the arc rotation and
northward-westward intrusions of many microplates that formed the Sulawesi Island as we see today [8]. This will
be the goal of this study.

FIGURE 1. Simplified Geological Map of Sulawesi.

METHOD
General

A fault is a plane of discontinuity or fracture on the earth crust that shows relative movements of the two
separated blocks of rock assemblages. It is often illuminated by topography/landscape or bathymetric expressions,
generally as structural lineaments, fault scraps, stream offsets, morphological or geological offsets and others
morpho-tectonic evidences as well as may serve as a (tectonic) boundary between two different rock formations.
In geological perspective, a fault is considered active if it shows evidence of movements or seismic activities in
Holocene-historical-instrumentally recorded period, or in the past 11,000 years [9]. Although for an extremely
high-risk project, such as a Nuclear-power site, ‘a potentially’-active fault that shows any geomorphic-geologic
evidences since (late) Pleistocene may be taken into considerations and thus be subjected to more intensive studies.
From seismological perspective, discrete displacements or slips on active fault movements produce earthquake
events. Thus, fault activities or movements are represented by earthquake occurrences or their seismicity, though
not all movements are seismic, they are also ‘aseismic’ fault slips. Hence, by plotting locations of earthquake
events helps us identify locations of faults. Small earthquake events are produced by small slips, and large events
are produced by larger slips along bigger fault rupture. Productivity or activity of active faults may also be
indicated by frequencies and magnitudes of related earthquakes for certain period of time. Bear in mind, however,

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 since historical data and instrumental seismic record are often too short compare to major seismic cycles, then
sometimes ‘a quiescence period of seismicity’ may means ‘a seismic gap’ not because they are inactive.
Mapping Active Fault

We identify and map active fault traces as they morpho-tectonic evidences [10], as follow:

• cut young geological deposits, such as Quartenary volcanic deposits or young aluvium.
• fresh fault scarps, linear ridges and valleys, associated morpho-tectonic features such as anticlines,
synclines, pressure ridges, hanging valleys,
• Indication of Quaternary-Recent movements from offsets or deflections of geological or morphological
elements such as streams, terraces or human-made features.

Identification of active fault location is, however, not always easy. For example, in all old-rocks environment,
sometime it is hard to determine whether the identified fault line is active or not since there is no young geological
deposits involved. Morphological signatures may also be invisible if the rate of deformations is less than the rate of
erosions and depositions. The fault zones may still be seen, even the slip rates are low if they bound two different
rocks with contrast hardness, so differential erosion rates will highlight the fault. An accuracy of an active fault
mapping is also limited by a scale of the used base map. Larger scale enable mapping smaller morpho-tectonic
features.
In this study, for general mapping of active faults on-land in the wide region, including Palukoro, Matano, and
Lawanopo fault systems, we use Shuttle Radar Topography Mission (SRTM) with 30m grid resolutions. For
mapping active fault in the ocean like Tolo Thrust, we use General Bathymetric Chart of the Oceans (GEBCO)
2009 bathymetri data and some higher resolution bathymetry near the coasts from local surveys. For the Lawanopo
Fault zone, we use Interferometric Synthetic Aperture Radar (IFSAR) Digital Surface Map (DSM) with grid data
of 5 meter spacing. We use all necessary techniques in Geographical Information System (GIS) analysis for
identifications of active fauts, including use different colour spectrums for changes in elevations, hillshades, and
perform contouring analysis for inspecting more detail relief map.
Ground Penetration Radar Survey

To further investigate fault structures underground and their relations to geological strata, we conduct Ground
Penetration Radar (GPR) surveys in selected locations of fault lines that have been identified from SRTM-30m and
IFSAR-5m inspections.
We use SIR-3000 GSSI GPR system using the Multiple Low-Frequency (MLF) antenna with multi frequency
options range from 100 MHz to 15 MHz that can penetrate several tens of meters underground. We also use the
shielded antenna with 270 MHz frequency for selected targets that needs to be scanned in much higher resolutions
penetrating few meters under the ground surface.

Detailed Survey, Drilling, and Trenching

In a selected site, we conduct more detailed geodetic survey using a total-station to further investigate smaller-
scale topography and landscape in relations to suspected fault lines. We also conduct hand drilling and sample
corings to analyse soil and rock strata related to faultings. Last, we conduct trenching to see a possibility of fault
traces cutting near-surface young deposits.

RESULT
Mapping Major Active Fault Around The Study Area

The well known major faults around the project site are the Palukoro-Matano fault system and Lawanopo fault.
The Palukoro-Matano fault system is a very active faults associated with high seismicity and seeral large historical
earthquakes. Previous geodetic-GPS measurements on sliprates yielded about 30 to 40 mm/yr along the Palukoro-
Matano faults. There is no previous detail mapping of the Palukoro-Matano faults. All past studies only depicted
very large-scale or regional fault maps. Using methods and tools, described above, we mapped major active fault

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 zones in the study area. The result is shown in Fig.2. Notice that we identified two new fault systems: Towuti
Fault and Kendari Fault, which are not known before this study (Fig.2).

FIGURE 2. Results of regional fault mapping in this study, based on morphotectonic analysis.

Lawanopo fault

In regional scale, the Lawanopo Fault is obviously seen as a major structural lineament marked by breaks in
topography (Fig.3). The high topography in the southern part represents schist-rock complex and the low
topography in the north represent mafic and ultra-mafic rock complex (Fig.1). We examine the natures of the fault
traces in larger scale, described in the following sections.

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 FIGURE 3. Lawanopo fault map and index map of observation sites, referred in this paper.

The lawanopo fault traces are visible in landscape and topography, marked by slope breaks, linear ridges, ridge
necking, linear stream valleys (Figs.4,5,6) and depressions associated with normal faultings or transtensional zone
(Fig.8),). In few parts, they are associated with hot springs (Fig.4). These are characteristics of fault zones that are
relatively young or not so old, so their topographic expressions still can be seen [10].
However, we did not observe any fresh fault scarps along the fault zone. We could not see also active
influences of fault movements to recent geomorphological process and their landscapes. Particularly, no streams
are seen to be deflected or offset by the fault. In fact, here, morphotectonic or morphology features formed by fault
movements seems to have been diffused by erosions and young depositions. In other world, it does not show any
evidence of recent activity.

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 FIGURE 4. Nature of Lawanopo Fault strands on IFSAR DSM map with 10-m contour elevation around Site 15-16.
Transtensional zone possibly associated with hydrothermal activities.

FIGURE 5 Nature of Lawanopo Fault strands on IFSAR DSM map with 10-m contour elevation around Site 6. Lineaments
marked by slope breaks.

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 FIGURE 6. Nature of Lawanopo Fault strands on IFSAR DSM map with 20-m contour elevation around Site 1 & 2. A complex
fault segmentations.

FIGURE 7. Nature of Lawanopo Fault strands on IFSAR DSM and SRTM map with 10-m contour elevation around Site 2. A
Transtensional zone between two fault segments.

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 Site 7

The fault trace is still marked by a structural lineament and topographic neckings, but it dissapears to the east on
the young Holocene beach deposit. Site 7 is near the beach, where the fault line dissapeared beneath the young
Holocene deposits north of Molowae near the beach. The GPR survey line is selected to cross the inferred fault
trace (Fig.8).

FIGURE 8. Index map of Site 7 at Lawanopo fault zone.

The radargram on Site 7 shows nicely the Lawanopo fault structures, buried beneath the Holocene beach soils
(Fig.10). It illuminates possible buried old-fault scarp features. The fault does not cut the Quaternary deposits on
top. So, this evidence confirms the existence of the Lawanopo fault but it also indicates that the fault have not
moved in Holocene and even late Quaternary period.

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 FIGURE 9 Result of GPR survey (radargram) at Site-7.

Site 9

Site 9 is located in the thick aluvial-colovial plain in the Asere town (Fig. 10). The GPR survey was conducted
along the main road in the center of the town. All the features that are observed to have disturbed GPR signals are
noted, so we can identify noises along the section (Fig.11). As shown, electric poles, electric cables crossing the
survey line, metal roofs of houses, and stoom walls (heavy-equipment vehicle) perturb the GPR waves.
The radargram shows typical horizontal layerings of Quaternary alluvial-collovial beds, such as: stream cannel
and layer wedgings (onlap/offlap layers). No fault line is observed along the section. Apparently, the Lawanopo
fault does not cut these Quaternary layers, or alternatively, we may missed the fault strand in this spot.

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 FIGURE 10. Index map of Site 9a and 9b.

FIGURE 11. GPR profiles aling the Line-9a Section in the alluvial-collovial plane in the Asere town. The migration,
convolutions, and background filter have been applied to the radargram.

Site 10

Site 10 is located north of Town of Asere along the main-provincial road. We have GPR survey that crosses the
northern branch of Lawanopo fault (Fig.12). As a standard, we take notes of all possible noises from the

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 surounding survey line. For example, we notice that an electrical transformator on the pole at 110m gave a large
noise to the radargram.
The radargram illuminate possible burried fault scarps and subsurface fault structures represented by several
lines of discontinuities/faults (Fig.13.). It does not show that faultings deformed or cut young deposits and recent
morphology features. Hence, the faut seems to have been inactive for quite a while and buried.

FIGURE 12. Index map of Site-10.

FIGURE 13. Radargram of Site 10. The migration and convolutions have been applied to the radargram.
Site 11B

Site-11B is on the main road between Asere town and Iwoi Mokula on the way to Kendari. Based on
morphotectonic analysis, this site is inferred to be on the principal Lawanopo fault zone (Figs.14). The GPR survey
reveals the subsurface fault structures buried under Holocene-soil layer (Fig.15). It shows that the middle section,
where the survey line on the ground surface went up slope shallowly, underlies by possible buried fault scarp with a
height of about 15 meters. We did not see any evidence of fresh fault scarps on the ground surface, however. Thus,

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 we conclude that the fault and its associated big fault scarp had not moved for long time and continuously been
buried by younger deposits.

FIGURE 14. Index map of Site-11, Site-12, and Site-14.

FIGURE 15. Radargram from GPR survey at Site-11B.

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 Site 12

Site-12 is location of big hot spring with hydrothermal deposits that formed travertine terraces, called Iwoi
Mokula (Fig.16). Travertine is carbonate deposits commonly formed by precipitations from near by hydrothermal
hot springs. The Iwoi Mokula is located just right near the Lawanopo fault zone. Hence, the hot-spring and
travertine terraces are probably formed by hydrothermal fluids through fracture zones related to the Lawanopo
Fault. We conduct a 700-m long GPR survey from the main road (=Line 12A), where it is inferred to be the
location of the main fault zone, down to the hot spring near the beach. The GPR-radargram reveals the fault lines
as well as hydrothermal raising fluid through fractures and comes to surface as active hot springs (Fig.19). Then,
minerals brought by hotsprings were precipated as travertine deposits.
Additional short GPR survey line was conducted close to the starting point of the 12A line accross the main
aspalt road down to the back yard of the school (Fig.18). This is to confirm the existence of the major fault strand
bounding high and low topography (Fig.20).
The result shows that like in the previous cases, the fault lines do not seem to cut young Quaternary-Holocene-
soil layer near surface. We can conclude that the fault had been inactive but not so long time ago, hence its
fractures have not been healed or still open, hence still becomes media for hydrothermal fluids to come to the
surfaces. Thus, perhaps, the fault movements eased during early to late Pleistocene.

(a)

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 (b)

FIGURE 16. Index map of detailed survey by geodetic total station measurements at Site-14 and Site-12 area. (a) Plotted at
Google map, (b) Results of detail contour elevations of the survey (blue lines) plotted on STRM-30’s contour elevations 10m.

FIGURE 17. GPR Survey at Active hotspring – Iwoi Mokula.

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 FIGURE 18. Locations of Line 12A and Line 12B on the main road between Asere town and Kendari.

FIGURE 19. Radargram from the 700m-GPR-survey line at Site12A

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 FIGURE 20. Radargram of Site-12B line survey.

Site 13

Site 13 is inferred to be on the principle fault zone where it bend anticlockwise eastward from trending south-
east ward to more eastward. There is also indications of another fault zone trending west-east that merges with the
Lawanopo fault zone at this location. We conduct a 400-m-line GPR survey starting from the main road near the
big clock-wise turn to the road branch going south to villages (Fig.21).
The results of the survey reveal two main fault zone underneath. The first one, beneath 40m distance from the
start, appears to cut the lower part of the strata up to about 10m depth (Fig.22). The second fault strand, at distance
160m, interestingly cut through geological strata up to about 5 meter depth and possibly even to a shallower level.
It may be part of the Lawanopo fault or more likely to be part of the west-east trending fault that merge with the
Lawanopo fault zone. Nonetheless, we did not find any evidence of fresh fault scarps or other morphotectonic
features on the ground surface.

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 FIGURE 21. Index map of Site 13. Red lines are inferred fault strands.

FIGURE 22. Radargram from GPR survey at Site-13.

Detailed Survey, Boring, Trenching (Site 14 – Site 12)

Site 14 is located in the main Lawanopo fault zone, next to Site 12 in the Iwoi Mokula hotspring area (Fig.16).
Break in topographic relief and suspected fault scarps marked the inferred fault zone. The result of the GPR survey
along the Site-12A line confirms the existence of the fault strands, associated with raising hydrothermal fluids
through fracture zones up to ground surfaces. We conducted detailed surface mapping by geodetic total station,
more comprehensive GPR surveys, handbores, and trenching in the Site 14 – Site 12 area.

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 (a)

FIGURE 23. Detail map of Site 14 (see Fig.16)

We selected Site 14 around the spot where there is an apparent offset of a stream nearby, which is suspected as
related to the fault movements (Figs 23). Along the line G5, where it is predicted to cross the suspected fault, we
conducted GPR survey with two resolutions; One with the MLF 40 Mhz antenna that can penetrate to 35 meter
depth, and the other with the shielded 270 MHz antenna that penetrate only about 3.5 meter but with much greater
resolution. We, then, conducted borehole sampling along the G5 line to explore the rock-soil stratigraphy. Finally,
we dig a trench (Fig.24) to further explore the existence of possible active fault strands. The results of the detailed
survey are described in the following paragraphs

FIGURE 24. Trenching at Site-14 (TR-1).

The analysis of handbore core sampling and log trenching shows that the present landscape underlies by about a
meter-thick unconsolidated, horizontal sandy-silt bed (yellow bed in Figs.25, 26). The upper part of sandy-silt bed
are weathered forming several tens of centimeter present soil horizon (grey layer in Figs.25,26). This sandy-slit bed

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 rest on undulated-top gravelly coarse sands. We did not find any evidence of faultings or tectonic deformations on
the excavated trench.

FIGURE 25.Results of handbore logs along G5 GPR-line survey.

FIGURE 26. Logs of TR1 trench walls

The geodetic-total station mapping gives a very detail topographic map as shown in Figs 16 & 23. The detailed
landscape-topographic expression does not support the existence of suspected active fault. It clearly indicates that
the inferred fault line and the suspected stream offset is not associated with evidence of any morphotectonic
feature of active fault, such as fault scarps or lineament of geomorphic features.
On the contrary, the deep-penetration GPR survey with MLF 40 MHz does reveal the suspected fault strands
cutting the deeper parts of the stratigraphic layers (Fig.27). However, the fault trace dissapeared upward. In other
word, the fault does not cut at least the upper 5 meter thick of fluvial sediments, which is consisted of the silty-sand
and the gravelly-sand beds revealed on the boreholes and trenching. The high-resolution GPR survey using 270
Mhz antenna reveals more details of the near-surface underground structures. It clearly delineate the irregular-
undulated top of gravelly coarse sand (Fig.28). We do not find any indication of fault strands cutting this uuper part
of the stratigraphy. Thus, it is consistent with the results of MLF-40MHz survey that the fault only cut the
stratigraphy below the gravelly-sand bed (Fig.27).

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 FIGURE 27. Result of GPR survey with MLF 40 MHz Antenna along the G5-Line after Convolution and migration.

FIGURE 28. Radargram from GPR survey with 270 Mhz shielded antenna along the G5-line.
Thus, based on the detailed surface mapping, boreholes, trenching, and GPR surveys, we conclude that the
Lawanopo fault has been inactive before the deposition of the gravelly-sand bed. Probably not so ancient ago since
the hydrothermal hot-fluids are still flowing through open fracture zones associated with the fault zone. In
otherword, the healing processes of the open ‘wound’ fault/fracture zones are still going on through these
hydrothermal activities.
Carbon Dating

We collected charcoal and carbon-rich soil many samples from handbore holes and trenching in order to
determine the age of the sandy-silt bed by radiocarbon analysis. The selected samples were then sent to BETA
ANALYTIC USA for the analysis with the AMS method. BETA has an international reputation and their results
are accredited to ISO-17025 standards.
Radiocarbon analysis of charcoal sample WW4 taken from handbore WW4 at 125-cm depth (Fig. 26) yielded a
conventional radiocarbon age of 1220 ± 30 years BP or Cal AD 690 to 885. Charcoal sample taken from the
Trench at about 80-cm depth in the sandy-silty bed on the west-side wall of the trench yielded a conventional
radiocarbon age of 1980 ± 30 years BP or Cal BC 45 to AD 75.

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 FIGURE 29. Result of carbon dating of Sample WW-4.
These samples are taken from middle parts of the 100-150-m-thick sandy-silt bed, the youngest geological layer
that formed the present natural landscape. Assuming linear rates of sedimentations, we can estimate that the onset
of sandy silt bed depositions was about 4000 years BP or around Mid Holocene time. The sandy-silt bed lies on the
5-m-thick gravel-sand bed, which sits on the unconformity surface of the Tertiary metamorphic rocks. We do not
have samples from the gravel-sand bed, but assuming its rate of sedimentations about twice as much as the sandy-
slit bed, and then the onset of the gravel-sand sedimentations was about 12,000 years BP or the beginning of the
Holocene (end of Pleistocene).
Thus, since the fault strands revealed by the GPR survey do not deformed the sandy-silt and gravel-sand beds as
well as the present landscape, then we can conclude that the Lawanopo fault had no activity or movement at least
since the end of Pleistocene (~11,500 years ago).

DISCUSSION
[11] divided Sulawesi into four tectonics blocks; Makassar Block (MB), East Sula Block (ESB), North Sula
Block (NSB) and Manado Block (ND) [11]. Lawanopo fault is located between MB and ESB. GPS data inversion
suggests that MB rotates anticlockwise around a pole located near its southwestern tip. The Euler rotation vector for
ESB is near 7.90S, 1150E with anticlockwise rotation rate of 2.20/Myr. They posed a hypothesis that this movement
yields about 25 mm/yr of left lateral motion strike slip on the Lawanopo and 24 mm/yr of right lateral motion along

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 the Tomini gulf boundary [11]. On the contrary, [6] taking into account the much higher level of seismicity in
Matano fault compared with Lawanopo fault, thus, choose Matano Fault as a tectonic-block boundary model. This
model yields the slip rate along the Matano fault about 15 to 34 mm/yr [6].
Apparently, both Socquet and Sarsito tectonic-geodetic models are weak since they are constraint by limited
GPS observation network. In this study, we modeled that both Matano and Lawanopo faults as the block
boundaries. The results shows that the slip rate of Matano fault is about 10- 22mm/yr twice as much as that of the
Lawanopo fault, which is about 5-11mm/yr. These three plausible geodetic models clearly indicate that the
available GPS data is simply not sufficient to distinguish movements on each Matano and Lawanopo fault system
separately.
The regional seismicity data, based on NEIC-USGS PDE (1900-2014), EHB Catalog (1960-2008). and the new
BMKG catalog shows almost no seismic activities along the Lawanopo Fault Zone. In Figure 30 we plot
microseismicity of the BMKG catalog (2009-2014) on the new active fault map developed in this study to show
spatial relations between the two. It is clear that most of seismicity is located along the Matano fault system.
Significantly less seismic activity toward south are recorded around the newly identified Towuti fault. And much
less seismic activity is recorded around the Lawanopo fault, or only a few earthquakes with magnitude less than 4
are recorded here in the past 5 years. Quite interestingly, there is a cluster of seismicity around the Kendary City to
the south, which is in close spatial relationships with the newly mapped Kendari Fault (Fig.30).
Thus, seismological and geological are all consistent to conclude that the Lawanopo Fault can be considered as
non-active fault.

FIGURE 30. BMKG Relocated Catalog (2009-2014) of earthquake with local magnitude less than 5.5.

CONCLUSION
Results of IFSAR 5m-grid DEM and field inspections show that the lawanopo fault traces are visible by
lineaments of topographical slope breaks, linear ridges and stream valleys, ridge neckings, and its associations with
hydrothermal deposits and hot springs. These are characteristics of fault zones that are relatively young or not so
old, so their morpho-tectonic expressions still can be seen. However, no fresh fault scarps, stream deflections or
offsets, or any influences of fault movements on recent geomorphological process and their landscapes are observed
associated with inferred fault traces. On a contrary, fault scarps and other morpho-tectonic features appear to have
been diffused by erosions and young sediment depositions.
The GPR surveys in several sites revealed the subsurface fault strands and suspected ancient fault scarps burried
under but not cut young Pleistocene-Holocene deposits. This confirms the conclusion of morphotectonic analysis.
In other word, the Lawanopo fault does not show any movements or activity that affects young deposits and present
landscapes.

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 Detailed topographic surveys using geodetic total station on a suspected morpho-tectonic terrain yields that
fresh-active fault scarps are inexistence. The trenching that is conducted on suspected fault strand also shows
negative evidence on any active fault strands cutting through young Holocene deposits or soils.
. These lack of evidences of recent movements along the fault is consistent with lack of seismicity on the fault.
Regional seismicity data, based on NEIC-USGS PDE (1900-2014), EHB Catalog (1960-2008), and BMKG catalog
(2009-2014) shows almost no seismic activities along the Lawanopo Fault Zone, except only a few earthquake with
magnitude less than 4 are recorded in the past 5 years.
In conclusion, the Lawanopo fault zone does not show any evidence of recent activity. Hence, it had probably
been inactive for quite some time, at least since the end of Pleistocene.
The case of the Lawanopo fault is somewhat similar with the case of the Batee Fault in the north Sumatra, which
is also known as prominent major faults – often considered active-but shows no indication of recent activity, thus is
interpreted to had been not active since about 100,000 years ago [12].

ACKNOWLEDGMENTS
This study has been conducted in collaboration with the GREAT (Graduate Research in Earthquake and Active
Tectonics) ITB (Institute of Technology Bandung) and LAPI ITB.

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