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Reinvestigation of the Major Early to Mid 20th Century Earthquakes of Central Asia

Session: Back to the Future: Innovative New Research with Legacy Seismic Data [Poster]

Type: Poster

Date: 4/19/2021

Presentation Time: 11:30 AM Pacific

Description: 

We have only a very small database of modern examples for understanding the occurrence, style, and potential magnitudes of large earthquakes in continental interior settings. A number of large earthquakes that occurred within the interior of Asia in the early to mid-20th century are therefore of particular importance, in allowing us to explore scaling between slip, length and magnitude, and to assess the complexity of rupture. They also form an important bridge between the modern and historical eras as they allow direct comparison of early instrumental seismic data, historical documentary data, and the source parameters gleaned from study of the preserved surface ruptures. These studies fit within a new program, funded by the Leverhulme Trust, aimed at improving and enlarging the database of well-studied large magnitude continental interior earthquakes through a comprehensive mapping and forensic study of their ruptures, ancient and modern, across the interior of Asia. Our study encompasses a region spanning from Iran in the west, through the ex-soviet Central Asian republics, to China in the East. The program combines investigation of the major 20^th century earthquakes, in which we combine seismological investigation of source parameters and location with field-based and remote sensing investigation of the surface ruptures and long-term geomorphic expression of faulting. This combination of methods enable identification, mapping, and characterisation of the causative active faults and rupture processes with detail.

Presenting Author: Richard Walker

Student Presenter: No

Authors