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Seismicity of the Cyprus region
Author(s) -
Ambraseys N.N.,
Adams R.D.
Publication year - 1993
Publication title -
terra nova
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 1.353
H-Index - 89
eISSN - 1365-3121
pISSN - 0954-4879
DOI - 10.1111/j.1365-3121.1993.tb00229.x
Subject(s) - induced seismicity , geology , seismology , magnitude (astronomy) , period (music) , fault (geology) , rift , moment magnitude scale , geodesy , tectonics , scaling , geometry , physics , mathematics , astronomy , acoustics
We have used a combination of macroseismic and instrumental techniques to re‐evaluate the seismicity of Cyprus and the surrounding region for the period 1890–1900. We identified 56 events which we believe to have a surface‐wave magnitude ( Ms ) of 4.5 or greater. Early events are located by felt effects alone, and macroseismic information is used to improve the location of many later events. We find the broad pattern of seismicity follows that given by standard listings: an area of weak seismicity to the north‐west of Cyprus in the Gulf of Antalia includes intermediate‐depth events as are found in the Hellenic Arc to the west; a gap of reduced activity separates this activity from that of the main region of Cyprus, where we could find no evidence for sub‐crustal foci; there appears to be no present seismological connection along the presumed plate boundary to the north‐east to the junction of the East Anatolian fault and the extension of the Dead Sea rift system. We find a much greater level of activity in the first part of this century than is given in the standard listings, such as that of the ISC. Up to 1963 we identified 47 events of Ms > 4.5, compared with only 10 given in the ISC files. Recent improved station coverage locates more events in the region, but these have not been of large magnitude, and the moment release in recent decades has been appreciably less than earlier in the century. For the events in our list the total moment release is 2.7x 1019 Nm with 75% of this originating in the main Cyprus region. We reaffirm the danger of uncritical use of standard earthquake listings for tectonic interpretation and in particular for hazard evaluation in areas such as this, where neither the historical nor the instrumental seismicity record is complete.