Abstract
Probabilistic seismic hazard analyses in Australia rely fundamentally on the assumption that earthquakes recorded in the past are indicative of where earthquakes will occur in the future. No attempt has yet been made to assess the potential contribution that data from active fault sources might make to the modelling process, despite successful incorporation of such data into United States and New Zealand hazard maps in recent years. In this paper we review the limited history of paleoseismological investigation in Australia and discuss the potential contribution of active fault source data towards improving our understanding of intraplate seismicity. The availability and suitability of Australian active fault source data for incorporation into future probabilistic hazard models is assessed, and appropriate methodologies for achieving this proposed.
Highlights
On the 27th of December 1989 a magnitude ML 5.6 earthquake near Newcastle NSW shattered the commonly held view that damaging earthquakes do not occur in Australia
Australia resides within the Indo-Australian plate, and is classified as a Stable Continental Region (SCR) according to the definition of Johnston et al (1994) – the landmass is largely unaffected by currently active plate boundary processes, and has not been influenced by significant orogenic or extensional events for tens of millions of years
After a brief introduction to Australian intraplate seismicity and some of its geomorphological ramifications, we present a review of paleoseismological investigation in Australia, and offer a discussion on what has been learnt about Australian seismicity from these studies
Summary
On the 27th of December 1989 a magnitude ML 5.6 earthquake near Newcastle NSW shattered the commonly held view that damaging earthquakes do not occur in Australia. SCRs worldwide are characterised by very low strain rates, and correspondingly low levels of seismicity relative to active continental regions and plate margin regions. Such areas account for less than one percent of global moment release (Johnston et al, 1994). The larger more damaging SRC earthquake events are rare relative to the period of historic observation. This fact poses problems for seismologists undertaking. The future of active fault source data in providing a better basis for seismic hazard assessment in Australia is discussed
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