Detecting abnormal seismic activity areas of Anatolian plate and deformation directions using Python Geospatial libraries

Abstract

Various inaccurate traditional models have resulted in major ambiguities and gaps in the interpretation of Anatolian plate deformation directions. To address this issue, a GIS-based spatial statistical analysis method was used for the first time to detect the directional distribution of deformation along the Anatolian Plate in Turkey. Two strategies were used in this study: firstly, identifying the abnormally active seismic areas by detecting significant hotspot and cold spot clusters and confirming this detection using optimized hotspot analysis for earthquake events that occurred from 1900 to the end of 2019. Secondly, detecting the directional distribution of deformation using a Standard Deviational Ellipse (SDE) by calculating the standard deviation of the x and y coordinates from the mean center for each set of earthquake events in the Anaconda Python Platform and ArcGIS 10.8 software. Our improved geostatistical analysis results confirmed the existence of abnormal seismic hazard zones within the study area and three deformation directions: the east-west trend, the southeast-northwest trend, and the south-north trend.