Active tectonics of the area of the two Kaliningrad earthquakes on September 21, 2004

Resulting from the seismotectonic study of the Sambian Peninsula based on the interpretation of remote sensing data (satellite images and digital elevation maps), lineaments have been identified. They may be interpreted as active faults and flexure-fracture zones. These active faults, which are expressed in the form of gentle linear swells or steps in the relief, have been found and studied during the carried out field works. There are many discovered paleoseismic dislocations in the studied areas of active faults: fracture displacements, marks of liquefaction (sand dykes), near-fault folds. These seismic dislocations may indicate seismic shocks of 7–8 intensity points occurring in the neighborhood of a modern Kaliningrad city in recent geological history. The identified active structures (Yantarny Fault Zone and Bakalino flexure-fracture zone) could control sources of the 2004 Kaliningrad earthquakes.