Synthetic seismic intensity for historic earthquakes in the North China Plain: implications for the regional seismic hazard

Multiple approaches are used to study the potential seismic hazard in the North China Craton (NCC, or North China Plain), where approximately 15 % of the Chinese population resides and under which active faults are located. In this study, we develop a new modified Mercalli intensity (MMI) attenuation relationship for the NCC using intensity data from 10 instrumentally recorded events. We then utilize this relationship to infer the magnitude and epicentral location of historic events based on the method proposed by Bakun and Wentworth (Bull Seismol Soc Am 87(6):1502–1521, 1997). In addition, a modified stochastic finite fault model is employed to simulate the strong ground motions caused by these historic events. The simulated peak ground accelerations and velocities are then converted into regional MMI distributions through empirical relationships, and these synthetic MMI maps are compared to field observations. The resultant MMI attenuation versus distance models of the 1976 M _w 7.6 Tangshan event and the 1679 M 8.0 Sanhe-Pinggu event are consistent with the empirical attenuation relationships, and the location and size of the meizoseismal area (>VIII) are consistent with observations. The successful modeling of these historic events indicates that a stochastic finite fault model constrained by the regional MMI attenuation relationship can be used to evaluate a wide range of scenarios based on modern computational simulations. These findings may also provide useful information for the estimation and mitigation of potential seismic hazards in this region.