Fractal analysis of normal faults in northwestern Aegean area, Greece

Normal faults within the Ptolemais coal field and large seismogenic faults in the northwestern Aegean remain fractal for displacement values larger than about 1m. The kinematic parameters on reverse drag profiles such as length of rollover, footwall uplift and wavelength of footwall uplift show that all three parameters have a power law relationship, expressed by a c exponent of about 1, with the maximum displacement which take place across the fault. Footwall uplift/hanging wall subsidence ratio is about 1/2.The displacement analysis help us to propose a growth model for larger seismogenic faults in the NW Aegean, as is the ‘Hepiros fault set’ and the ‘Aliakmon fault zone’. Faults within the ‘Aliakmon fault zone’ were independently developed, at the first stages of deformation, by tip line deformation and out-of plane bifurcation, whereas later, deformation continued by segment linkage. One of these faults the ‘Sarakina fault’ was reactivated during the 1995 earthquake to produce a 25 km long surface rupture. A long term slip rate of about 0.3 mm a⁻¹ has been estimated by taking into consideration that over the past 6 Ma a maximum displacement of 1700 m across this fault has taken place.