The strike and pattern of the Bam blind fault inferred from synthetic aperature radar data

Abstract

Bam seismogenic fault is blind, so it is important to discover its strike and pattern for earthquake prediction and hazard mitigation of this area. Firstly we use the interferometric algorithm to process seven scenes synthetic aperture radar data, which are provided by European Space Agency, and obtain the coseismic deformation interferograms. Then considering the similarity of interferometric stripes on two deformation interferograms from the descending orbits and the difference of their imaging geometry, we use Fialko's method to construct the 3D coseismic deformation displacement field. Finally we infer the strike and pattern of the Bam fault according to the difference of the vector's orientation in the horizontal displacement field. The strike of Bam main fault is from northwest-southeast to north-south, and a branch is stretching toward northeast. The projection of the Bam fault is "Y" shaped on the Earth's surface, basically consistent with the Nakamura's results inferred from seismic data.