Marjan Tourani, Veysel Isik, Reza Saber, Ayse Caglayan, Florina Chitea
{"title":"Evaluation of seismicity and seismotectonics in the Alborz Mountains: insights from seismic parameters, Northern Iran","authors":"Marjan Tourani, Veysel Isik, Reza Saber, Ayse Caglayan, Florina Chitea","doi":"10.1007/s10950-024-10218-3","DOIUrl":null,"url":null,"abstract":"<div><p>The Alborz Mountains are among the areas exhibiting high tectonic and seismic activity in northern Iran. Studying key parameters of tectonic structures, including quantitative analysis and observational studies, in such active regions is essential to identify potential active faults and assess the consequent seismic hazards. This study focuses on seismicity and seismotectonics by analyzing seismic parameters, including <i>b</i>-value, mean seismic activity rate, earthquake recurrence time, seismic moment, and fractal dimension derived from micro and teleseismic data. The <i>b</i>-values vary between 0.6 and 1.1 in the tectonically active parts of the study area, corresponding with the reverse/thrust and strike-slip active faults. Large earthquakes might be prone to occur at 10–25 km depth because both catalogues show low <i>b</i>-values (<i>b</i> < 1.0) concentrations at this depth range. The high fractal dimension (> 1.5), high seismic activity rate, large seismic moment parameters, and its continuously increasing trend. Short recurrence periods (20–50 years) of <i>M</i> 6.5 events also emphasize the high seismic activity and high seismic hazard. On the other hand, the prevalence of low <i>b</i>-values is notably observed in areas encompassing densely populated cities such as Rasht, Lahijan, Amol, Babol, Sari, Behshahr, Gorgan, and the megacity of Tehran. Furthermore, we have identified asperities where the Gorgan Plain, the Khazar, and the Alamutrud Fault Zones are located. These findings emphasize the seismic hazard potential in the identified areas and urban centers within the study area. Therefore, particular attention should be directed towards areas exhibiting low <i>b</i>-values when assessing and mitigating seismic hazards. It underscores the necessity for additional focus on seismic hazard assessment and implementation of mitigation strategies in the Alborz region.</p></div>","PeriodicalId":16994,"journal":{"name":"Journal of Seismology","volume":null,"pages":null},"PeriodicalIF":1.6000,"publicationDate":"2024-05-17","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":"0","resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":null,"PeriodicalName":"Journal of Seismology","FirstCategoryId":"89","ListUrlMain":"https://link.springer.com/article/10.1007/s10950-024-10218-3","RegionNum":4,"RegionCategory":"地球科学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":null,"EPubDate":"","PubModel":"","JCR":"Q3","JCRName":"GEOCHEMISTRY & GEOPHYSICS","Score":null,"Total":0}
引用次数: 0
Abstract
The Alborz Mountains are among the areas exhibiting high tectonic and seismic activity in northern Iran. Studying key parameters of tectonic structures, including quantitative analysis and observational studies, in such active regions is essential to identify potential active faults and assess the consequent seismic hazards. This study focuses on seismicity and seismotectonics by analyzing seismic parameters, including b-value, mean seismic activity rate, earthquake recurrence time, seismic moment, and fractal dimension derived from micro and teleseismic data. The b-values vary between 0.6 and 1.1 in the tectonically active parts of the study area, corresponding with the reverse/thrust and strike-slip active faults. Large earthquakes might be prone to occur at 10–25 km depth because both catalogues show low b-values (b < 1.0) concentrations at this depth range. The high fractal dimension (> 1.5), high seismic activity rate, large seismic moment parameters, and its continuously increasing trend. Short recurrence periods (20–50 years) of M 6.5 events also emphasize the high seismic activity and high seismic hazard. On the other hand, the prevalence of low b-values is notably observed in areas encompassing densely populated cities such as Rasht, Lahijan, Amol, Babol, Sari, Behshahr, Gorgan, and the megacity of Tehran. Furthermore, we have identified asperities where the Gorgan Plain, the Khazar, and the Alamutrud Fault Zones are located. These findings emphasize the seismic hazard potential in the identified areas and urban centers within the study area. Therefore, particular attention should be directed towards areas exhibiting low b-values when assessing and mitigating seismic hazards. It underscores the necessity for additional focus on seismic hazard assessment and implementation of mitigation strategies in the Alborz region.
期刊介绍:
Journal of Seismology is an international journal specialising in all observational and theoretical aspects related to earthquake occurrence.
Research topics may cover: seismotectonics, seismicity, historical seismicity, seismic source physics, strong ground motion studies, seismic hazard or risk, engineering seismology, physics of fault systems, triggered and induced seismicity, mining seismology, volcano seismology, earthquake prediction, structural investigations ranging from local to regional and global studies with a particular focus on passive experiments.