Seismic Sources on the Iberia-African Plate Boundary and their Tectonic Implications

—The plate boundary between Iberia and Africa has been studied using data on seismicity and focal mechanisms. The region has been divided into three areas: A; the Gulf of Cadiz; B, the Betics, Alboran Sea and northern Morocco; and C, Algeria. Seismicity shows a complex behavior, large shallow earthquakes (h < 30 km) occur in areas A and C and moderate shocks in area B; intermediate-depth activity (30 < h < 150 km) is located in area B; the depth earthquakes (h 650 km) are located to the south of Granada. Moment rate, slip velocity and b values have been estimated for shallow shocks, and show similar characteristics for the Gulf of Cadiz and Algeria, and quite different ones for the central region. Focal mechanisms of 80 selected shallow earthquakes (8 m_b 4) show thrust faulting in the Gulf of Cadiz and Algeria with horizontal NNW-SSE compression, and normal faulting in the Alboran Sea with E-W extension. Focal mechanisms of 26 intermediate-depth earthquakes in the Alboran Sea display vertical motions, with a predominant plane trending E-W. Solutions for very deep shocks correspond to vertical dip-slip along N-S trends. Frohlich diagrams and seismic moment tensors show different behavior in the Gulf of Cadiz, Betic-Alboran Sea and northern Morocco, and northern Algeria for shallow events. The stress pattern of intermediate-depth and very deep earthquakes has different directions: vertical extension in the NW-SE direction for intermediate depth earthquakes, and tension and pressure axes dipping about 45 ° for very deep earthquakes. Regional stress pattern may result from the collision between the African plate and Iberia, with extension and subduction of lithospheric material in the Alboran Sea at intermediate depth. The very deep seismicity may be correlated with older subduction processes.     

Source mechanism of earthquakes in Peru

The source mechanism of 19 earthquakes that occurred in Peru (1990–1996) is studied using broad band data. Focal mechanisms are obtained using polarities of P wave and body wave form inversion. Shallow earthquakes show complex source time functions, intermediate and deep depth shocks have simpler ones. Stress distributions have been obtained from focal mechanisms estimated in this study and previous studies. Shallow earthquakes show reverse faulting with an ENE-WSW to E-W oriented pressure axes. Intermediate depth shocks indicate horizontal extension on E-W direction, normal to the Peru-Chilean trench. Earthquakes with foci at very deep depth show horizontal extension in the E-W direction in Peru-Brazil and N-S in Peru-Bolivia borders. This difference in stress orientation may indicate a different origin for deep activity at each region.     

Earthquake source mechanisms from body-waveform inversion and intraplate tectonics in the northern Indian Ocean

Double-couple point-source parameters for 11 of the largest intraplate earthquakes in the northern Indian Ocean during the last 20 y were determined from a formal inversion of long-period P and SH waveforms. Nine of the events have centroid depths at least 17 km below the seafloor, well into the upper mantle; two have centroid depths as great as 39 km. Using the source mechanisms of these earthquakes, we distinguish two major intraplate tectonic provinces in the northern Indian Ocean. To the west of the Ninetyeast Ridge, in the southern Bay of Bengal, intraplate earthquakes have thrust-faulting mechanisms with P axes oriented N-S. The centroid depths of these earthquakes range from 27 to 39 km below the seafloor. Lithospheric shortening in this region is thus accomplished by thrust faulting in the strong core of the oceanic upper mantle, while other geophysical evidence suggests that shallow sedimentary and crustal layers apparently deform predominantly by folding. In the immediate vicinity of the Ninetyeast Ridge, earthquakes display strike-slip mechanisms with left-lateral motion on planes parallel to the ridge. This type of faulting occurs from at least 10°S to the northern end of the Ninetyeast Ridge near 10°N, where the ridge meets the Sunda Arc. Seismic activity diminishes to the east of the Ninetyeast Ridge, but is also characterized by strike-slip faulting. Despite these variations in deformational style, the inferred orientation of greatest compressive stress in the northern Indian Ocean displays a consistent long-wavelength pattern over a large portion of the Indian plate, varying smoothly from nearly N-S in the Bay of Bengal to NW-SE in the northeastern Indian Ocean. This plate-wide stress pattern and the high level of intraplate seismicity in the northern Indian Ocean are likely the results of substantial resistance, along the Himalayan continental collision zone, to the continued northward motion of the western portion of the Indian plate. Oceanic intraplate earthquakes in other regions, where the level of deviatoric stress associated with the long-wavelength part of the stress field is likely to be smaller, need not be comparably reliable indicators of the plate-wide stress field.     

A microearthquake study of the Mygdonian graben (northern Greece)

During March and April 1984, a temporary network of 29 portable stations was operated in the region of the Mygdonian graben near Thessaloniki (northern Greece), where a destructive earthquake (M_s = 6.5) had occurred in the Summer of 1978. During a period of six weeks we recorded 540 earthquakes with magnitudes ranging from −0.2 to 3.0. From this set of data, 254 events are selected which according to us have a precision in epicenter and depth better than 1.5 km. A total of 54 single-event focal mechanisms have been determined.The seismicity and focal mechanisms show a rather complex pattern. There are no clear individual faults, but the E-W and NW-SE striking zones show N-S extension. Zones striking NNE-SSW show dextral strike-slip motion but NW-SE zones with sinistral strike-slip are also observed.In the center of the graben where the 1978 earthquake was located, we observe several thrust mechanisms distributed in two groups showing either NW-SE or E-W compression; these earthquakes seem to be located 2 km above the earthquakes showing normal mechanisms.The mean direction of the T-axes, found from the focal mechanisms, trends N15° and dips sub-horizontal.We propose a model for the formation and evolution of a complex graben system comprising several stages. In the initial stage the deformation occurs along pre-existing NW-SE or NNE-SSW faults, with normal or strike-slip movements. In the second stage, a new, E-W trending group of normal faults is formed over the ancient fault network. These new faults have a direction perpendicular to the mean T-axis and accommodate better the actual state of stress. At this stage the initial faults adjust to the deformation produced by the E-W trending new faults, and may constitute geometric barriers to the evolution of the new normal faults.     

Source mechanism of intermediate and deep earthquakes in southern Spain

Focal mechanisms of 10 intermediate-depth earthquakes (30相似文献   

Seismotectonic deformation of the volcanic edifice prior to the 1998 lava eruption of Volcán de Colima, México

The andesitic stratovolcano Volcán de Colima is one of the most active volcanoes in Mexico. The recent eruption of Volcán de Colima began in November 1998 and was preceded by a 12-month period of seismic activity that included five earthquake swarms. About 600 events with magnitudes from -0.5 to 2.7 were located within a 50-km² area extending northward from the crater of Volcán de Colima to the Pleistocene volcano Nevado de Colima. The majority of hypocenters within this area did not exceed 5 km depth below sea level. We investigated earthquake focal mechanisms and seismotectonic deformations of the volcanic edifice. Focal mechanisms during four earthquake swarms indicated normal faulting associated with extensional processes, which is in agreement with the general stress regime near the volcano revealed by field measurements of fault slips. Earthquakes in the fifth swarm had focal mechanisms associated with inverse faulting, showing a significant change in the stress situation just before the beginning of the eruption. The calculated deformations varied from 1.3᎒^-11 to 2.7᎒^-9. The first swarm of November-December 1997 resulted in a N-S horizontal elongation that was two times greater than the E-W horizontal shortening. The volume was also subject to vertical shortening. The second and third swarms, observed in March and May 1998, showed uniform horizontal N-S and E-W elongations accompanied by a vertical elongation of the volume. In June-July 1998, the situation of November-December 1997 was repeated, with N-S horizontal elongation greater than the E-W horizontal shortening of the volume accompanied by intensive vertical shortening. During the last swarm of October-November 1998, slight E-W elongation of the seismic volume was accompanied by strong N-S shortening and very slight vertical shortening. We assume that the seismic activity prior to the 1998 eruption of Volcán de Colima developed along two intersecting tectonic structures, the N-S-trending Colima rift, and the E-W-trending system of faults associated with Tamazula fault. During the first stage (November 1997-July 1998) the passageway for magma was developed along the Tamazula fault system under horizontal extension without any surface manifestation. In October-November 1998, the seismic events began to cluster along the Colima rift structures under predominantly compressional stresses; this condition culminated with the extrusion of andesitic block lava from the summit crater.     

2014年金寨ML3.9震群序列特征研究

本文首先采用双差定位方法对2014年金寨M_L3.9震群序列进行了重新定位, 然后通过Snoke方法和CAP方法计算了该震群序列中较大地震的震源机制解, 分析了震源参数的时空变化特征． 结果表明: 金寨震群序列密集分布在2 km×2 km范围内, 无明显的展布方向; 其震源深度较浅, 大部分集中在3—7 km． 此外, 金寨震群序列中较大地震的震源机制解基本一致, 两组节面的走向分别为NW向和NNE向, 倾角均较高, 表明该震群序列为近E--W向的水平挤压和近N--S向的水平拉张应力场作用下的走滑型地震活动．      

帕米尔-兴都库什地区地震空间分布特征及应力场特征

本文研究了兴都库什及帕米尔地区地震的空间分布.发现h<70km的地震分布广泛,h≥100km的地震形成-S形的倾斜中源地震带.在71.5°E以西,中源地震带倾向接近正北,倾角随深度变化,在深部接近垂直,且倾角自西向东逐渐变陡,在71.5°E以东,倾向逐渐由东南变为正南. 分析了121个m_b≥5.0地震的机制解.浅源地震机制解的P轴大多位于NS和NNW-SSE方向,且多近水平,反映此区受到NS或NNW-SSE方向挤压.各剖面应力轴分布规律性强,在150km以下,总的趋势是机制解的T轴接近于倾斜的中源地震带的下倾方向,而P轴倾角较小且垂直于倾斜的中源地震带的走向.     

四川盆地荣县—威远—资中地区发震构造几何结构与构造变形特征:基于震源机制解的认识和启示

四川盆地荣县—威远—资中地区属于历史弱震区,然而2019年相继发生多次破坏性地震事件.本文基于四川区域地震台网宽频带地震仪记录波形资料,利用CAP （Cut and Paste）波形反演方法,获得了2016年以来发生在荣县—威远—资中地区的26个M_S≥3.0地震的震源机制解、震源矩心深度和矩震级,对该区域发震构造几何结构与变形特征及构造应力场特征进行了初步分析.主要获得如下认识：（1）26个M_S≥3.0地震的震源矩心深度在1.5~5 km之间,平均深度3.4 km,表明事件发生在上地壳浅部沉积层内;震源深度分布揭示发震断层面倾向SE、缓倾角.（2）26个地震的震源机制全部为逆冲型,表明发震构造整体为逆断层性质.节面优势方位NNE-NE,结合走向与倾角统计结果,本文推测发震构造可能为威远背斜南翼一系列倾向SE、走向NNE-NE的缓倾角盲冲断层.（3）P、T、B轴优势方位单一,表明研究区域处于相对简单的构造应力环境.区域应力场反演获得的最大主压应力轴σ₁方位NW-SE,近水平,与目前已知的该区域构造应力场水平主压应力方向一致,反映区内构造活动主要受区域构造应力场控制;其明显有别于四川盆地南缘2019年6月17日长宁M_S6.0地震余震区NE-SW向的最大主压应力轴方位也揭示出四川盆地构造应力场具有明显的分区特征.（4）26个地震整体的应变花表现为NW-SE向挤压白瓣形态,表明区内发震构造整体呈NW-SE向纯挤压变形模式,明显有别于2019年长宁M_S6.0地震序列NE-SW向挤压兼具小量NW-SE向拉张分量的构造变形模式,进一步表明四川盆地构造变形模式也具有明显的分区特征.     

Source parameters for the 2013–2015 earthquake sequence in Nógrád county,Hungary

Between 2013 June and 2015 January, 35 earthquakes with local magnitude M _L ranging from 1.1 to 4.2 occurred in Nógrád county, Hungary. This earthquake sequence represents above average seismic activity in the region and is the first one that was recorded by a significant number of three-component digital seismographs in the county. Using a Bayesian multiple-event location algorithm, we have estimated the hypocenters of 30 earthquakes with M _L ≥1.5. The events occurred in two small regions of a few squared kilometers: one to the east of Érsekvadkert and the other at Iliny. The uncertainty of the epicenters is about 1.5–1.7 km in the E-W direction and 1.8–2.1 km in the N-S direction at the 95 % confidence level. The estimated event depths are confined to the upper 3 km of the crust. We have successfully estimated the full moment tensors of 4 M _w ≥3.6 earthquakes using a probabilistic waveform inversion procedure. The non-double-couple components of the retrieved moment tensor solutions are statistically insignificant. The negligible amount of the isotropic component implies the tectonic nature of the investigated events. All of the analyzed earthquakes have strike-slip mechanism with either right-lateral slip on an approximately N-S striking or left-lateral movement on a roughly E-W striking nodal plane. The orientations of the obtained focal mechanisms are in good agreement with the main stress pattern published for the epicentral region. Both the P and T principal axes are horizontal, and the P axis is oriented along a NE-SW direction.     

南北地震带震源机制解与构造应力场特征

南北地震带作为中国大陆地应力场一级分区的边界,其构造应力场的研究对理解大陆强震机理、构造变形和地震应力的相互作用具有重要意义.本文收集南北地震带1970—2014年的震源机制解819条,按照全球应力图的分类标准对震源机制解进行分类,发现其空间分布特征与地质构造活动性质比较吻合.P轴水平投影指示了活动块体的运动方向,T轴水平投影在川滇块体及邻近地区空间差异特征最为突出,存在顺时针旋转的趋势.南北地震带的最大水平主应力方向具有明显的分区特征,北段为NE向走滑类型的应力状态,中段为NEE—EW—NWW向的逆冲类型,南段为SE—SSE—NS—NNE向走滑和正断类型,在川滇块体的北部和西边界应力状态为EW—SE—SSE的正断层类型,表明来自印度板块的NNE或NE向的水平挤压应力和青藏高原物质东向滑移沿大型走滑断裂带向SE向平移的复合作用控制了南北地震带的岩石圈应力场.川滇块体西边界正断层类型应力状态范围与高分辨率地震学观测得到的中下地壳低速带范围基本吻合,青藏高原向东扩张的塑性物质流与横向边界(丽江—小金河断裂带)的弱化易于应变能的释放,在局部地区使NS向拉张的正断层向EW向拉张正断层转变.反演得到的应力状态基本上与各种类型地震的破裂方式比较吻合,也进一步验证反演结果的可靠性,可为地球动力学过程的模拟和活动断层滑动性质的厘定提供参考.     

Late Cenozoic faulting in SW Bulgaria: Fault geometry,kinematics and driving stress regimes. Implications for late orogenic processes in the Hellenic hinterland

We investigate the geometry and kinematics of the faults exposed in basement rocks along the Strouma River in SW Bulgaria as well as the sequence of faulting events in order to place constraints on the Cenozoic kinematic evolution of this structurally complex domain. In order to decipher the successive stress fields that prevailed during the tectonic history, we additionally carried out an analysis of mesoscale striated faults in terms of paleostress with a novel approach. This approach is based on the P–T axes distribution of the fault-slip data, and separates the fault-slip data into different groups which are characterized by kinematic compatibility, i.e., their P and T axes have similar orientations. From these fault groups, stress tensors are resolved and in case these stress tensors define similar stress regimes (i.e., the orientations of the stress axes and the stress shape ratios are similar) then the fault groups are further unified. The merged fault groups after being filled out with those fault-slip data that have not been incorporated into the above described grouping, but which present similar geometric and kinematic features are used for defining the final stress regimes. In addition, the sequence of faulting events was constrained by available tectonostratigraphic data.Five faulting events named D1, D2, D3, D4 and D5 are distinguished since the Late Oligocene. D1 is a pure compression stress regime with σ₁ stress axis trending NNE-SSW that mainly activated the WNW-ESE to ENE-WSW faults as reverse to oblique reverse and the NNW-SSE striking as right-lateral oblique contractional faults during the Latest Oligocene-Earliest Miocene. D2 is a strike-slip − transpression stress regime with σ₁ stress axis trending NNE-SSW that mainly activated the NNW-SSE to N-S striking as right-lateral strike-slip faults and the ENE-WSW striking faults as left-lateral strike-slip ones during the Early-Middle Miocene. D3 extensional event is associated with a NW-SE to WNW-ESE extension causing the activation of mainly low-angle normal faults of NE-SW strike and NNE-SSW to NNW-SSE striking high-angle normal faults. D4 is an extensional event dated from Late Miocene to Late Pliocene. It activated NNW-SSE to NW-SE faults as normal faults and E-W to WNW-ESE faults as right-lateral oblique extensional faults. The latest D5 event is an N-S extensional stress regime that dominates the wider area of SW Bulgaria in Quaternary times. It mainly activated faults that generally strike E-W (ENE-WSW and WNW-ESE) normal faults, along which fault-bounded basins developed. The D1 and D2 events are interpreted as two progressive stages of transpressional tectonics related to the late stages of collision between Apulia and Eurasia plates. These processes gave rise to the lateral extrusion of the Rhodope and Balkan regions toward the SE along the Strouma Lineament. The D3 event is attributed to the latest stage of this collision, and represents the relaxation of the overthickened crust along the direction of the lateral extrusion. The D4 and D5 events are interpreted as post-orogenic extensional events related to the retreat of the Hellenic subduction zone since the Late Miocene and to the widespread back-arc Aegean extension still prevailing today.     

The April–June 2007 Trichonis Lake earthquake swarm (W. Greece): New implications toward the causative fault zone

On 10 April 2007, three moderate earthquakes with M_w = 4.9–5.1 occurred in the vicinity of Trichonis Lake (W. Greece). A local network composed of 12 three-component digital seismographs was installed in the epicentral area and recorded more than 1600 events. The double-difference algorithm HYPODD, incorporating both catalog and waveform cross-correlation differential travel-time data, was applied for the successful relocation of 1490 earthquakes. The latter led to the distinction of a main NW-SE trending and NE-dipping zone, as well as of three neighboring faults; a conjugate NW-SE striking and SW-dipping marginal fault mapped along the northeastern flanks of the lake; a E-W trending and south-dipping low-angle normal fault, possibly related to the major Agrinio Fault Zone (AFZ), parallel to the northern bank of the lake; a NE-SW striking and NW-dipping normal fault, likely related to a segment of the active Evinos fault, located south of the lake. Calculation of the Coulomb stress induced by the combination of the 1975 M_w = 6.0 event and the three largest events of 10 April 2007 on the inferred structures, reveals that most of the seismicity lies within the “stress-loaded” region, except for the westernmost activity, which probably belongs to the deep part of the AFZ. A total of 178 reliable focal mechanisms were determined by regional and local body-wave modeling (5 largest events) and P-wave first motion polarity data. The types of the obtained focal mechanisms are predominantly normal and strike-slip, however, numerous earthquakes were found to exhibit reverse faulting. Inversion of focal mechanism data showed that the prevailing principal horizontal component σ₃ is quite homogeneous throughout the activated area with a roughly NW-SE trend, parallel to the strike of the Hellenides. On the contrary, the compressional field σ₁ appears in two patterns: NE-SW trending onshore and NW-SE trending beneath the lake. This apparent rotation of σ₁ by 90° reveals a complex system enclosed by the suggested NW-SE trending antithetic faults in depths between 7 and 9 km. The calculated stress ratios beneath the lake imply that vertical forces are close to the overburden pressure. The overall inferred stress pattern is rather linked to topographic variations, locally imposing increase or decrease of the vertical forces. The presence of the water in the lake possibly plays an additional important role, penetrating through the bedrock, reducing the friction coefficient, while the pore pressure and, consequently, the effective stress increase. Thus, shearing along mature fractures is enhanced, likely yielding the observed diversity.     

Stress fields in the Iberian-Maghrebi region

This study concerns the present stressfield between the Eurasian and Africanplates in the Iberian-Maghrebi region(Portugal, Spain, Morocco, Algeria andTunisia). In addition to an up-to-datecatalogue of earthquakes in this area, acatalogue of the focal mechanisms composedof 486 solutions of fault planes,standardized in terms of notation andinformation type, was used. These data wereused applying the right-dihedron method ofAngelier and Mechler (1977), to obtaindifferent zones with homogeneous stress.The results obtained for shallowearthquakes (h < 30 km) coincide, in themajority of cases, with the general stressfields proposed by numerous authors forthis region, according to which there isNW-SE compression. However, the stressorientation appears to vary in certainareas, perhaps perturbed by the opening ofthe Atlantic Ocean, the approach of Iberiaand Africa, or the extension of the AlboranSea.For the intermediate earthquakes (30 < h< 150 km) no general pattern was found,and the P and T axes seem to be randomlyoriented for the depth intervalsconsidered. For the very deep earthquakes(h > 600 km), however, the P axis lies ina NNW-SSE direction, dipping towards theSSE, while the T axis is subhorizontal in aNE-SW direction.The determinations from the focalmechanisms highlight the existence of aregional stress field with a subhorizontalcompression axis trending NW-SE. Superimposed are others that specificallyaffect particular sectors; these arerelated to the opening of the AtlanticOcean, the extension of the BeticCordillera and the Alboran Sea, and eventhe present compression between the Iberianand European plates.     

Stress tensor and focal mechanisms in the Dead Sea basin

We use the recorded seismicity, confined to the Dead Sea basin and its boundaries, by the Dead Sea Integrated Research (DESIRE) portable seismic network and the Israel and Jordan permanent seismic networks for studying the mechanisms of earthquakes in the Dead Sea basin. The observed seismicity in the Dead Sea basin is divided into nine regions according to the spatial distribution of the earthquakes and the known tectonic features. The large number of recording stations and the adequate station distribution allowed the reliable determinations of 494 earthquake focal mechanisms. For each region, based on the inversion of the observed polarities of the earthquakes, we determine the focal mechanisms and the associated stress tensor. For 159 earthquakes, out of the 494 focal mechanisms, we could determine compatible fault planes. On the eastern side, the focal mechanisms are mainly strike-slip mechanism with nodal planes in the N-S and E-W directions. The azimuths of the stress axes are well constrained presenting minimal variability in the inversion of the data, which is in agreement with the Eastern Boundary fault on the east side of the Dead Sea basin and what we had expected from the regional geodynamics. However, larger variabilities of the azimuthal and dip angles are observed on the western side of the basin. Due to the wider range of azimuths of the fault planes, we observe the switching of σ₁ and σ₂ or the switching of σ₂ and σ₃ as major horizontal stress directions. This observed switching of stress axes allows having dip-slip and normal mechanisms in a region that is dominated by strike-slip motion.     

Principal horizontal stresses in Southern Africa

A review ofin situ stress measurements at eight regional localities in Africa south of the 15°S parallel shows that average directions of the horizontal pricipal stresses are N-S and E-W. These directions agree with principal stress orientations deduced from earthquake fault plane solutions. However, the maximum and minimum principal horizontal stresses are not consistently oriented parallel to either the N-S or E-W direction; they may vary within an individual region because of local geological structures and from region to region. At the sites within the Witwatersrand sediments (all at depths greater than 500 m) the maximum stress tends to lie NW-SE but at three of the four sites outside the Witwatersrand sediments (all at depths less than 500 m) this stress is oriented approximately N-S.The data reported here are compared with horizontal stresses predicted for Southern Africa bySolomon, Sleep andRichardson (1975) from various plate tectonic driving force models. The agreement between orientations is fair for all sites but only the deép sites in the Witwatersrand sediments have comparable stress magnitudes.     

Earthquake relocation in the Central Alborz region of Iran using a non-linear probabilistic method

In this study, we calculate accurate absolute locations for nearly 3,000 shallow earthquakes (≤20 km depth) that occurred from 1996 to 2010 in the Central Alborz region of northern Iran using a non-linear probabilistic relocation algorithm on a local scale. We aim to produce a consistent dataset with a realistic assessment of location errors using probabilistic hypocenter probability density functions. Our results indicate significant improvement in hypocenter locations and far less scattering than in the routine earthquake catalog. According to our results, 816 earthquakes have horizontal uncertainties in the 0.5–3.0 km range, and 981 earthquakes are relocated with focal-depth errors less than 3.0 km, even with a suboptimal network geometry. Earthquake relocated are tightly clustered in the eastern Tehran region and are mainly associated with active faults in the study area (the Mosha and Garmsar faults). Strong historical earthquakes have occurred along the Mosha and Garmsar faults, and the relocated earthquakes along these faults show clear north-dipping structures and align along east–west lineations, consistent with the predominant trend of faults within the study region. After event relocation, all seismicity lies in the upper 20 km of the crust, and no deep seismicity (>20 km depth) has been observed. In many circumstances, the seismicity at depth does not correlate with surface faulting, suggesting that the faulting at depth does not directly offset overlying sediments.     

Intermediate and deep earthquakes in Spain

Recent improvements in the seismological networks on the Ibero-Maghrebian region have permitted estimation of hypocentral location and focal mechanisms for earthquakes which occurred at South Spain, Alboran Sea and northern Morocco of deep and intermediate depth, with magnitudes between 3.5 and 4.5. Intermediate depth shocks, range from 60 to 100 km, with greater concentration located between Granada and Málaga. Fault-plane solutions of 5 intermediate shocks have been determined; they present a vertical plane in NE-SW or E-W direction. Seismic moments of about 10¹⁵ Nm and dimensions of about 1 km have been determined from digital records of Spanish stations.P-wave forms are complex. This may be explained by the crustal structure near the station, discontinuities in the upper mantle and inhomogeneities near the source. Deep activity at about 650 km has only 3 shocks since 1954 (1954, 1973, 1990). Shocks are located at a very small region. Fault-plane solutions show a consistent direction of the pressure axis dipping 45° in E direction. For the 1990 shock seismic moment is 10¹⁶ Nm and dimensions 2.6 km. TheP-waves are of simpler form with a single pulse. The intermediate and deep activities are not connected and no activity has been detected between 100 and 650 km. The intermediate shocks may be explained in terms of a recent subduction from Africa under Iberia in SE direction. The very deep activity must be related to a sunk detached block of lithospheric material still sufficiently cold and rigid to generate earthquakes.     

Focal mechanisms of intraplate earthquakes in Bolivia,South America

Intraplate seismic activity in Bolivia is mainly located in the central region (16°–19°S, 63°–67°W) which includes the East Andean Cordillera and the Sub-Andean Sierras. At this region there is a bend in the trend of the main geological structures from NW-SE in the north to N-S in the south. Focal mechanisms have been calculated for 10 earthquakes of magnitudes 4.9–5.6, using first motionP-waves from long period instruments. Their solutions correspond to reverse faulting, some with a large component of strike-slip motion. Their solutions can be grouped into two types; one with pure reverse faulting on planes with azimuth NW-SE and the other with a large strike-slip component on planes with azimuths nearly N-S or WNW-ESE. The maximum stress axis (P-axis) is practically horizontal (dipping less than 5°) oriented in a mean N56°E direction. This orientation may be related with the direction of compression resulting from the collision of the Nazca plate against the western margin of the South American continent. Wave-form analysis of long-periodP-waves for one event restricts the focal depth to 8 km in the Sub-Andean region. Seismic moments and source dimensions determined from spectra of Rayleigh waves are in the range of 10¹⁶–10¹⁷Nm and 17–24 km, respectively. The Central Bolivia region can be considered as a zone of intraplate deformation situated between the Bolivian Altiplano and the Brazil shield.     

The October 11, 1999 and November 08, 2006 Beni Suef Earthquakes

Two felt moderate-sized earthquakes with local magnitudes of 4.9 on October 11, 1999 and 4.3 on November 08, 2006 occurred southeast of Beni Suef and Cairo cities. Being well recorded by the digital Egyptian National Seismic Network (ENSN) and some regional broadband stations, they provided us with a unique opportunity to study the tectonic process and present-day stress field acting on the northern part of the Eastern Desert of Egypt. In this study, we analyze the main shocks of these earthquakes and present 15 well recorded aftershocks (0.9 ≤ ML ≤ 3.3) which have small errors on both horizontal and vertical axes. The relocation analysis using the double difference algorithm clearly reveals a NW trending fault for the 1999 earthquake. The spatial distribution of its aftershocks indicates a propagation of rupture from the SW towards the NW along a fault length ~5 km dipping nearly ~40°SW. We also determined the focal mechanisms of the two main shocks by two methods (polarities and amplitudes ratios of P, S_V and S_H and regional waveform inversion). Our results indicate a normal faulting mechanism with a slight shear component for the first event, while pure normal faulting for the second one. The spatial distribution of the 1999 aftershocks sequence along with the retrieved focal mechanism confirmed the NW plane as the true fault plane. While for the 2006 event, the few aftershocks do not reveal any fault geometry; its focal mechanism indicated a pure normal fault nearly trending WNW-ESE that corresponds more likely to the extension of the 1999 earthquake fault. The seismicity distribution between the two earthquake sequences reveals a noticeable gap that may be a site of a future event. The NNE-SSW extensional stress indicated by the mechanisms of these events is in agreement with the regional stress field and the rifting of the northern Red Sea in its northern branches (Gulf of Suez and Gulf of Aqaba). The source parameters (seismic moment, moment magnitude, fault radius, stress drop and displacement across the fault) were also estimated and compared based on both the regional waveform inversion and the displacement spectra and interpreted in the context of the tectonic setting. The obtained results imply a reactivation of the pre-exiting NW-SE faults as a result of extensional deformation from the northern Red Sea-Gulf of Suez rifts.