Rates of Crustal Deformation in the North Aegean Trough-North Anatolian Fault Deduced from Seismicity

Abstract

The rates and configuration of seismic deformation in the North Aegean trough-North Anatolian fault are determined from the moment tensor mechanisms of the earthquakes that occurred within this region. The analysis is based on Kostrov’S (1974) formulation. The fault plane solutions of the earthquakes of the period 1913-1983 with M s ≥ 6.0 are used. The focal mechanism of some of the past events (before 1960) is assumed, based on the present knowledge of the seismotectonics as well as on the macroseismic records of the area studied. The analysis showed that the deformation of the northern Aegean is dominated by EW contraction (at a rate of about 15 mm/yr) which is relieved by NS extension (at a rate of about 9 mm/yr). It was also shown that the northern part of North Anatolia (north of 39.7°N parallel) undergoes contraction in the EW direction (at a rate of about 9 mm/yr) and NS extension as the dominant mode of deformation (at a rate of about 5 mm/yr). It may be stated therefore, that the pattern of deformation of the northern Aegean and the northern part of North Anatolian fault is controlled by the NS extension the Aegean is undergoing as a whole, and the dextral strike-slip motion of the North Anatolian fault. The southern part of North Anatolia is undergoing crustal thinning at a rate of 2.3 mm/yr, NS extension (at a rate of 5 mm/yr) as well as EW extension (at a rate of 4 mm/yr), which are consistent with the occurrence of major normal faulting and justify the separation of North Anatolia into two separate subareas.Key wordsCrustal deformationNorth Aegean troughNorth Anatolia.