Abstract
The El Salvador Fault Zone (ESFZ) comprises a set of a strike-slip faults, extending through the Central American VolcanicArc within El Salvador, where the Cocos plate subducts under the Caribbean plate. These structures act as a boundarybetween the forearc sliver and the western margin of the Chortís block, accommodating the relative movement betweenthem. The ESFZ has been responsible for several shallow, destructive earthquakes in El Salvador, thus posing a seriousthreat for millions of inhabitants. Understanding its seismic potential and the behaviour of its different segments results ofgreat importance for the assessment and mitigation of seismic risk in the region. Geodetic techniques, such as GNSS andInSAR, are useful tools for measuring surface deformation related to tectonic activity. We are in the process of updatingand densifying the existing GNSS velocity field in El Salvador, aiming to characterise the individual faults in the region bydetermining their slip rates and locking depth. Additionally, we will process InSAR data, trying to obtain a continuousmeasurement of the interseismic deformation. The combination of this information with other data (e.g. seismological andgeological) through kinematic models will allow us to better understand the factors controlling the seismogenic behaviourof the ESFZ faults, evaluate their seismic potential and improve the seismic hazard assessment.
Highlights
The country of El Salvador lies on a region with high seismic activity
El Salvador is located on a convergent tectonic margin, where the Cocos plate subducts under the Caribbean plate
Several studies identify a differential movement between the Chortís block, located to the north of the Central American Volcanic Arc (CAVA), and the volcanic forearc sliver (CAFA) to the south, which cannot be explained by the Cocos subduction (e.g. Alvarado et al 2011; ÁlvarezGómez et al 2019)
Summary
The country of El Salvador lies on a region with high seismic activity. Several destructive earthquakes have caused major damage to both its inhabitants and infrastructure, those of January (Mw 7.7) and February (Mw 6.6) of 2001 (Martínez-Díaz et al 2004a). Secondary effects triggered by earthquakes, primarily landslides, are common in the region El Salvador is located on a convergent tectonic margin, where the Cocos plate subducts under the Caribbean plate. The subduction interface is thought to be loosely coupled and advancing orthogonally with respect to the trench (Alvarado et al 2011). Several studies identify a differential movement between the Chortís block, located to the north of the Central American Volcanic Arc (CAVA), and the volcanic forearc sliver (CAFA) to the south, which cannot be explained by the Cocos subduction
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