scholarly journals Τhe February-March 2019 Seismic Swarm Offshore North Lefkada Island, Greece: Microseismicity Analysis and Geodynamic Implications

2020 ◽  
Vol 10 (13) ◽  
pp. 4491
Author(s):  
Anastasios Kostoglou ◽  
Vasileios Karakostas ◽  
Polyzois Bountzis ◽  
Eleftheria Papadimitriou

A quite energetic seismic excitation consisting of one main and three additional distinctive earthquake clusters that occurred in the transition area between the Kefalonia Transform Fault Zone (KTFZ) and the continental collision between the Adriatic and Aegean microplates is thoroughly studied after the high-precision aftershocks’ relocation. The activated fault segments are in an area where historical and instrumental data have never claimed the occurrence of a catastrophic (M ≥ 6.0) earthquake. The relocated seismicity initially defines an activated structure extending from the northern segment of the Lefkada branch of KTFZ with the same NNE–SSW orientation and dextral strike slip faulting, and then keeping the same sense of motion, its strike becomes NE–SW and its dip direction NW. This provides unprecedented information on the link between the KTFZ and the collision front and sheds more light on the regional geodynamics. The earthquake catalog, which was especially compiled for this study, starts one year before the occurrence of the Mw5.4 main shock, and adequately provides the proper data source for investigating the temporal variation in the b value, which might be used for discriminating foreshock and aftershock behavior.

Author(s):  
Anastasios Kostoglou ◽  
Vassilios Karakostas ◽  
Polyzois Bountzis ◽  
Eleftheria Papadimitriou

A quite energetic seismic excitation consisting of one main and additional three distinctive earthquake clusters that occurred in the transition area between the Kefalonia Transform Fault Zone (KTFZ) and the continental collision between Adriatic and Aegean microplates, is thoroughly studied after high–precision aftershocks’ relocation. The activated fault segments are in an area where historical and instrumental data have never claimed the occurrence of a catastrophic (M>6.0) earthquake. The relocated seismicity initially defines an activated structure extending from the northern segment of the Lefkada branch of KTFZ with the same NNE–SSW orientation and dextral strike-slip faulting and then keeping the same sense of motion its strike becomes NE–SW and its dip direction NW. This provides unprecedented information on the link between the KTFZ and the Collision front and sheds more light on the regional geodynamics. The earthquake catalog, which is specially compiled for this study, starts one year before the occurrence of the Mw5.4 mainshock and adequately provides the proper data source for investigating the temporal variation of the b–value, which might be used for discriminating foreshock and aftershock behavior.


Author(s):  
Nicolas D. DeSalvio ◽  
Maxwell L. Rudolph

Abstract Earthquake precursors have long been sought as a means to predict earthquakes with very limited success. Recently, it has been suggested that a decrease in the Gutenberg–Richter b-value after a magnitude 6 earthquake is predictive of an imminent mainshock of larger magnitude, and a three-level traffic-light system has been proposed. However, this method is dependent on parameters that must be chosen by an expert. We systematically explore the parameter space to find an optimal set of parameters based on the Matthews correlation coefficient. For each parameter combination, we analyze the temporal changes in the frequency–magnitude distribution for every M ≥ 6 earthquake sequence in the U.S. Geological Survey Comprehensive Earthquake Catalog for western North America. We then consider smaller events, those with a foreshock magnitude as small as 5, and repeat the analysis to assess its performance for events that modify stresses over smaller spatial regions. We analyze 25 M ≥ 6 events and 88 M 5–6 events. We find that no perfect parameter combination exists. Although the method generates correct retrodictions for some M 5 events, the predictions are dependent on the retrospectively selected parameters. About 80%–95% of magnitude 5–6 events have too little data to generate a result. Predictions are time dependent and have large uncertainties. Without a precise definition of precursory b-value changes, this and similar prediction schemes are incompatible with the IASPEI criteria for evaluating earthquake precursors. If limitations on measuring precursory changes in seismicity and relating them to the state of stress in the crust can be overcome, real-time forecasting of mainshocks could reduce the loss of lives.


2020 ◽  
Vol 9 (3) ◽  
pp. 87-90
Author(s):  
elin Ertürk Gürkan

This study was carried out to reveal how the aquaculture activities, located near the stream bed, effect the length-weight relations of native freshwater fish. Fish samples were collected on monthly for one year on the Kocabaş Stream (Çanakkale), a trout farm constructed next to stream. Fish specimens were collected from up and down sections of the trout farm and control station selected from another branch of the stream by electrofishing between August 2015-July 2016. The growth type sign; b value in length-weight relationship indicates that both species are in positive allometry at the down station and isometric growth at the upper station. Fish farm might affect the growth type of both species positively due to contribution of extra food resources originated from the farm via discharge of waste water of trout farm at the down section. However, this hypothesis should be tested by proper growth parameters of the fish species.


2019 ◽  
Vol 109 (6) ◽  
pp. 2340-2355 ◽  
Author(s):  
Ziyao Xiong ◽  
Jiancang Zhuang ◽  
Shiyong Zhou

Abstract In this study, to obtain optimal estimates of the earthquake hazard in North China based on the modern earthquake catalog, we used two variable kernel function estimation methods, proposed by Stock and Smith, and Zhuang, the Bayesian Delaunay tessellation smoothing method by Ogata (ODTB), and a newly proposed incomplete centroidal Voronoi tessellation (ICVT) method, to calculate the total and background seismic spatial occurrence rates for the study area. The sophisticated ODTB method is more stable than the others, but is relatively expensive, in terms of computation demands, whereas Zhuang et al.’s kernel estimate and the new ICVT method are able to provide reasonable estimates and easier to implement. We also calculated the spatial variations of the b‐value, using the Bayesian method with smoothness prior proposed by Ogata. Using comparative analyses and simulation experiments, we show that all of the methods give similar spatial patterns of seismic occurrences.


2009 ◽  
Vol 9 (3) ◽  
pp. 905-912 ◽  
Author(s):  
G. Chouliaras

Abstract. The earthquake catalog of the National Observatory of Athens (NOA) since the beginning of the Greek National Seismological Network development in 1964, is compiled and analyzed in this study. The b-value and the spatial and temporal variability of the magnitude of completeness of the catalog is determined together with the times of significant seismicity rate changes. It is well known that man made inhomogeneities and artifacts exist in earthquake catalogs that are produced by changing seismological networks and in this study the chronological order of periods of network expansion, instrumental upgrades and practice and procedures changes at NOA are reported. The earthquake catalog of NOA is the most detailed data set available for the Greek area and the results of this study may be employed for the selection of trustworthy parts of the data in earthquake prediction research.


2004 ◽  
Vol 36 (3) ◽  
pp. 1362
Author(s):  
I. Baskoutas ◽  
G. Panopoulou ◽  
G. Papadopoulos

A new approach of detailed spatio-temporal variation analysis of seismic data is proposed by means of FastBEE (Fast estimation of Big Expected Earthquake) aiming at the regional monitoring of seismic activity for premonitory seismic patterns identification. For the investigation of temporal variation, a set of seismic parameters is used, like the logarithm of the number of earthquakes logN, estimates of 6-value obtained by the maximum likelihood estimation model, time clustering of seismic activity AR(t) and of energy released EM, since they can be considered as precursory seismological indicators. Earthquake catalog data, used in this approach, were elaborated in order to construct the time series for each parameter within a time window, large enough, as to guarantee statistical meaningful result. The Hellenic trench-arc region under investigation is chosen in the basis of its seismotectonic characteristics, in relation to the spatial extent of the seismogenic zone. The tools were tested, for long temporal variation features in the Ionian Islands Sea and the North Aegean Sea regions and its successful applicability is presented. The rise of irregularity, along these temporal profiles, was formulated in specific quantitative premonitory seismic pattern. In most of the cases, FastBEE premonitory pattern found shows significant changes from the background values of each parameter. Parameter logN shows a valley form curve, which start to increase before the expected earthquake occurrence, as well as the energy parameter E273, while b-value temporal estimates are forming a mountain shape curve, before the occurrence of a big earthquake. Instead, parameter ÙR(t) present a rapid fluctuation, without any kind of premonitory character


2020 ◽  
Author(s):  
Taku Ueda ◽  
Aitaro Kato ◽  
Yoshihiko Ogata ◽  
Lina Yamaya

Abstract The 2019 {\text{M}}_{\text{j}} 6.7 Yamagata-Oki Earthquake occurred adjacent to the northeastern edge of the source region of the 1964 {\text{M}}_{\text{j}} 7.5 Niigata Earthquake, offshore of Yamagata Prefecture, Japan. Few aftershocks occurred in the source region of the Yamagata-Oki earthquake immediately following the Niigata earthquake, and the recent seismicity rate in this region is extremely low compared with that of the surrounding region. This spatial variation in seismicity may allow us to elucidate plausible physical processes that shape the spatiotemporal evolution of these shallow-crustal environments. Here, we investigate the spatial variations in seismicity characteristics by applying the HIerarchical Space–Time Epidemic Type Aftershock Sequence (HIST-ETAS) model to an earthquake catalog compiled by the Japan Meteorological Agency for events in and around the Yamagata-Oki earthquake rupture region. We compare spatial variations in the background seismicity rate and aftershock productivity estimated from the HIST-ETAS model with the geophysical features in the study region. The background seismicity rate is high along the eastern margin of the Sea of Japan and correlates well with a previously identified zone that possesses a high geodetic shear strain rate. The two major earthquakes occurred in and around an active shear zone, suggesting that the background seismicity rate may serve as a key parameter for evaluating seismic hazard across the Japanese Archipelago. Furthermore, the source region of the Yamagata-Oki earthquake has a higher aftershock productivity, lower b-value, and lower seismic-wave velocity than that of the Niigata earthquake. We interpret this low-velocity zone to be a well-developed damaged rock that resulted in both a reduction in the b-value and an increase in aftershock productivity based on previous laboratory experiments and numerical results; this damage makes the rock more ductile at the macroscopic scale. The higher ductility in the source region of the Yamagata-Oki earthquake may have worked as a soft barrier against the propagation of dynamic rupture that occurred during the Niigata earthquake.


2022 ◽  
Author(s):  
Marcus Herrmann ◽  
Ester Piegari ◽  
Warner Marzocchi

Abstract The Magnitude–Frequency-Distribution (MFD) of earthquakes is typically modeled with the (tapered) Gutenberg–Richter relation. The main parameter of this relation, the b-value, controls the relative rate of small and large earthquakes. Resolving spatiotemporal variations of the b-value is critical to understanding the earthquake occurrence process and improving earthquake forecasting. However, this variation is not well understood. Here we present unexpected MFD variability using a high-resolution earthquake catalog of the 2016–2017 central Italy sequence. Isolation of seismicity clusters reveals that the MFD differs in nearby clusters, varies or remains constant in time depending on the cluster, and features an unexpected b-value increase in the cluster where the largest event will occur. These findings suggest a strong influence of the heterogeneity and complexity of tectonic structures on the MFD. Our findings raise the question of the appropriate spatiotemporal scale for resolving the b-value, which poses a serious obstacle to interpreting and using the MFD in earthquake forecasting.


2020 ◽  
Vol 9 (7) ◽  
pp. 452 ◽  
Author(s):  
José Lázaro Amaro-Mellado ◽  
Dieu Tien Bui

In the present paper, three of the main seismic parameters, maximum magnitude -Mmax, b-value, and annual rate -AR, have been studied for the Pyrenees range in southwest Europe by a Geographic Information System (GIS). The main aim of this work is to calculate, represent continuously, and analyze some of the most crucial seismic indicators for this belt. To this end, an updated and homogenized Poissonian earthquake catalog has been generated, where the National Geographic Institute of Spain earthquake catalog has been considered as a starting point. Herein, the details about the catalog compilation, the magnitude homogenization, the declustering of the catalog, and the analysis of the completeness, are exposed. When the catalog has been produced, a GIS tool has been used to drive the parameters’ calculations and representations properly. Different grids (0.5 × 0.5° and 1 × 1°) have been created to depict a continuous map of these parameters. The b-value and AR have been obtained that take into account different pairs of magnitude–year of completeness. Mmax has been discretely obtained (by cells). The analysis of the results shows that the Central Pyrenees (mainly from Arudy to Bagnères de Bigorre) present the most pronounced seismicity in the range.


2021 ◽  
Author(s):  
Yu-Fang Hsu ◽  
Hsin-Hua Huang ◽  
Ray Y. Chuang

<p>Spatiotemporal evolution of earthquake clusters can give insights into fault geometry, triggering process, and potential interaction with fluid and heat. Taiwan is one of the most active orogenic belts with high deformation rate and complex crustal structures, so it is expected to observe seismicity driven by varying mechanisms among different geological processes. For investigating the tectonic complexity and the triggering processes of seismicity in Taiwan, a high-quality and robust catalog of earthquake clusters is critical. This study collected a long-term-effort earthquake catalog from the Central Weather Bureau from 1990/01 to 2018/06 and produced the earthquake cluster and background seismicity catalogs by four different declustering methods. Among which, the statistics-based nearest neighbor approach (NNA) performs most desirably for passing the Poisson process statistic tests while also remaining more events. We further classified the extracted earthquake clusters into the typical mainshock-aftershock (M-A) sequences and the swarms. Most of the M-A sequences are distributed near the Western Foothill. The asperity sizes, duration, and cluster event numbers all show positive correlations with mainshock magnitude. In contrast, the swarms are mainly distributed in the northern and southern Central Range and the northern Hualien regions. The lower correlation of the asperity sizes, duration, and swarm event numbers with the mainshock magnitude is showed in swarms. Moreover, we find that some of the swarm may be driven by fluid diffusion and spatial correlated with the high heat flow and spring regions.</p>


Sign in / Sign up

Export Citation Format

Share Document