Abstract
The Quaternary Active Faults Database of Iberia (QAFI) is an initiative lead by the Institute of Geology and Mines of Spain (IGME) for building a public repository of scientific data regarding faults having documented activity during the last 2.59 Ma (Quaternary). QAFI also addresses a need to transfer geologic knowledge to practitioners of seismic hazard and risk in Iberia by identifying and characterizing seismogenic fault-sources. QAFI is populated by the information freely provided by more than 40 Earth science researchers, storing to date a total of 262 records. In this article we describe the development and evolution of the database, as well as its internal architecture. Additionally, a first global analysis of the data is provided with a special focus on length and slip-rate fault parameters. Finally, the database completeness and the internal consistency of the data are discussed. Even though QAFI v.2.0 is the most current resource for calculating fault-related seismic hazard in Iberia, the database is still incomplete and requires further review.
Highlights
A major task of national geological surveys worldwide consists in the production of knowledge infrastructure related to geological hazards
The creation of the Quaternary Active Faults Database of Iberia (QAFI) hosted by the Institute of Geology and Mines of Spain (IGME, 2012) joins European and international initiatives aimed at providing to the public domain information on active faults
The QAFI project aims to resume the research and service activities of IGME in seismic hazard matters at a national scale in Spain, as for example the Neotectonic Map of Spain (IGME and ENRESA, 1998); as well as gathering, unifying and boosting individual efforts already produced in the country for different regions (Sanz de Galdeano et al, 2003, 2007; GarcíaMayordomo, 2005; Perea et al, 2006)
Summary
A major task of national geological surveys worldwide consists in the production of knowledge infrastructure related to geological hazards. To reach the first objective the database concerns only faults with geological and/or seismological evidence of being active during the Quaternary –i.e, the last 2.59 Ma according to the limit recently established by the Subcommission in Quaternary Stratigraphy of INQUA (cf Gibbard et al, 2009) Even though this cut off is older than those considered in other countries of major seismic activity, it seems appropriate for revealing the Iberian geodynamics. Because Iberian fault slip rates are slower and seismic cycles are longer than in other more active countries it is prudent to extend the time window of the database to include potentially hazardous seismogenic sources with low rates of occurrence This is interesting as many faults that were classified as Plio-Quaternary in official Spanish geological cartographies are properly Quaternary. To help society and, likewise, the responsibility of IGME in conveying it in the most effective way
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