On a homogeneous representation of seismic history in large regions

The possibility to obtain a more complete and unbiased long-term history of seismic shakings over large territories than is explicitly reported from inhabited localities is discussed in the paper. An approach proposed for this purpose consists in complementing the spatial distribution of the macroseismic effect of earthquakes by calculated intensities at localities where information on felt shakings is absent. The calculated intensity is obtained on the basis of data on the epicentral intensity and location of epicenters provided by earthquake catalogs. This approach is applied to the analysis of the history of seismic shaking in Spain. The calculated intensities are shown to be comparable in accuracy with the ordinary practice of intensity determinations at national seismological centers.     

1838 Deep Carpathian Earthquake

Izvestiya, Physics of the Solid Earth - Abstract—Deep earthquakes occur in subduction zones—they play a key role in the global tectonic model. There are only a few places on the Earth...     

On the accuracy of initial seismological data in the problem of seismic hazard assessment

The parameters of the September 3, 1978, earthquake in the Western Caucasus are presented according to data from different seismological agencies. This event, along with the 1966 earthquake in Anapa, is the strongest seismic event in the region. The solutions suggested in the main international and national seismological agencies contradict the well-known fact that the earthquake did not have catastrophic consequences. This is confirmed only by the position of the epicenter according to GCMT data intended for determining somewhat different earthquake parameters: the focal mechanism and seismic moment. Despite the fact that there was no expedition to perform a macroseismic study of the earthquake, some information was collected by phone survey. Information on the spatial distribution of the macroseismic effect made it possible to more accurately determine the epicenter position according to the GCMT data.     

On the criteria of macroseismic information reliability: A case study of the 1542 earthquake in the Russian North

Historical seismology suggests certain recommendations to assess the reliability of macroseismic information. These recommendations are quite general and have proved their efficiency in many cases. But they should be very carefully applied, because the formal approach used in them is not always reasonable. Based on the analysis of sources relevant to the 1542 earthquake in the north of Russia, it is shown that though the distribution of priorities for sources relying on how close they are to the event works well, it can not be considered a universal rule. Many other details, such as characteristic of the person compiling the document, one’s interests, how free one could access the non-public achirves, and the goal of writing the document, have to be taken into account.     

Geological and macroseismic effects of the Muya, 1957 earthquake and palaeoearthquakes in Baikal region

Intensity of the Muya, 1957 earthquake is assessed in localities based on macroseismic data and in epicentral area based on effects in natural environment; it is analyzed how these assessments correspond to each other and to instrumental location of epicenter, hypocentral depth, and magnitude; it is evaluated, how seismodislocations of the Muya earthquake could serve as control of palaeoseismostructure parameters in this region. Spatial distribution of macroseismic effect confirms relatively deep source (20–22 km). Deep source agrees with anomalously short surface rupture length (not more than 25 km); only a part of the source exposed on the surface. Comparison with length of palaeoseismostructures shows that it is a regional feature. Epicentral intensity based on surface ruptures is assed X degrees in ESI2007 scale. Ignoring geological effects will underestimate epicentral intensity up to two degrees. Source mechanism with three sub-sources is in agreement with segmentation of surface ruptures. Sub-sources are of strike-slip type with small normal component; essential normal slip at surface is probably not representative for the source and is due to accommodation of strike-slip movement along with a system of sub-parallel en echelon ruptures under tension.     

The SHARE European Earthquake Catalogue (SHEEC) 1000–1899

In the frame of the European Commission project “Seismic Hazard Harmonization in Europe” (SHARE), aiming at harmonizing seismic hazard at a European scale, the compilation of a homogeneous, European parametric earthquake catalogue was planned. The goal was to be achieved by considering the most updated historical dataset and assessing homogenous magnitudes, with support from several institutions. This paper describes the SHARE European Earthquake Catalogue (SHEEC), which covers the time window 1000–1899. It strongly relies on the experience of the European Commission project “Network of Research Infrastructures for European Seismology” (NERIES), a module of which was dedicated to create the European “Archive of Historical Earthquake Data” (AHEAD) and to establish methodologies to homogenously derive earthquake parameters from macroseismic data. AHEAD has supplied the final earthquake list, obtained after sorting duplications out and eliminating many fake events; in addition, it supplied the most updated historical dataset. Macroseismic data points (MDPs) provided by AHEAD have been processed with updated, repeatable procedures, regionally calibrated against a set of recent, instrumental earthquakes, to obtain earthquake parameters. From the same data, a set of epicentral intensity-to-magnitude relations has been derived, with the aim of providing another set of homogeneous Mw estimates. Then, a strategy focussed on maximizing the homogeneity of the final epicentral location and Mw, has been adopted. Special care has been devoted also to supply location and Mw uncertainty. The paper focuses on the procedure adopted for the compilation of SHEEC and briefly comments on the achieved results.     

On the relevancy of the combination of macroseismic and paleoseismic data

Earthquakes that occurred in the Baikal seismic region in 1725, 1742, 1769, and 1829 are studied on the basis of original macroseismic information. Due to the fact that their parameters were previously determined using the combination of macroseismic and paleoseismic data, the goal of our investigation is to verify how well the solutions agree with the macroseismic evidence. Careful examination of macroseismic data includes, first of all, the searching for original sources, which cannot be replaced by any other data types, for instance, paleoseismic information characterized by questionable reliability. The completeness of analysis is achieved when different components are inspected separately before mixing. In the case when unequivocal data interpretation is impossible, it is better to consider different alternative solutions characterized by relatively narrow error ranges. Variants can be weighted correspondingly (at least, evaluated qualitatively). Otherwise we have to deal with the so-called “average” solutions, often useless due to great determination errors. Magnitudes of all earthquakes estimated previously on the basis of macroseismic and paleoseismic data are not confirmed by the original macroseismic information, and revised magnitudes are essentially lower.     

Source model and the macroseismic effect of the 1991 Racha earthquake

Coherency of the source model of the 1991 Racha earthquake in the Greater Caucasus with different data types is analyzed. Authors, when interpreting macroseismic data, accept complex nature of macroseismic effects generation but, nevertheless, consider that its spatial distribution follows certain regularities. First time in the practice, method of evaluation of the mecroseismic material completeness is proposed based on the intensity attenuation along with distance. It is demonstrated the character of macroseismic intensity attenuation can be used for verification of the source model elements constructed based on other seismological data. Dependence of the macroseismic effect distribution on azimuth in near field of the 1991 Racha earthquake is recognized.