An evaluation of seismic hazard parameters in southern Turkey

• Published in: Journal of seismology Vol. 3; no. 1; pp. 61 - 81
• Main Authors: YILMAZTÜRK, A, BURTON, P. W
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Dordrecht Springer 1999; Springer Nature B.V
• Subjects: Earth sciences; Earth, ocean, space; Earthquakes; Earthquakes, seismology; Engineering and environment geology. Geothermics; Exact sciences and technology; Internal geophysics; Natural hazards: prediction, damages, etc; Seismic activity; Seismic hazard; Seismic zones; Seismology; Greece; Dodecanese; Middle East; Rhodes; Turkey; Southern Europe; Greek Aegean Islands; attenuation; Europe; seismic energy; ground motion; epicenters; earthquakes; frequency; lateral variations; acceleration; interpolation; Asia; catalogs; seismic sources; isoseismic maps; prediction; b value; seismic intensity; magnitude; seismic risk; seismicity
• ISSN: 1383-4649; 1573-157X
• DOI: 10.1023/A:1009791320420

To investigate the characteristics of earthquake hazard parameters as a means of identifying different zones of seismicity, we have compiled a catalogue of about 1850 moderate to large-sized earthquakes with magnitudes m≥4.0 or greater in southern Turkey for the time period from 1900 to 1990. Several methods have been applied to the earthquake catalogue to assess seismic hazard. The study area is divided into 77 overlapping cells of 2° size. Theoretical calculations were made for the prediction of maximum magnitude, intensity, b-values, strain energy release and corresponding m3 and peak ground acceleration levels for a given period of time. The resultant seismic hazard for each parameter is depicted as a contour map to indicate lateral variations in areas of seismic source. A combination and evaluation of various hazard parameters resulted in more reasonable estimates of hazard. It is found that the most hazardous seismic zones are the Rhodes and Burdur zones where the level of peak ground acceleration reaches up to 280 cm s-2 for an average return period of 100 years.[PUBLICATION ABSTRACT]