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Abstract:
The Marmara segment of the North Anatolian Fault Zone (NAFZ) in NW Turkey currently represents a ‚seismic gap’ that has not been activated since 1766 and that has the potential to host a M>7 earthquake in the near future close to the Mega-City Istanbul with its 14 million inhabitants. To characterize the Marmara fault segment a local seismic network was installed offshore Istanbul on the Princes Islands in the direct vicinity to the fault (PIRES campaign) as part of the GFZ Plate Boundary Initiative.
Recordings of the local microseismicity now allow for characterization of the fault below the Sea of Marmara for the first time. Distinct seismically active spots indicate that strain is released only partially along the seismic gap. Implementing recordings from seismic stations throughout the area results in stable fault plane solutions at refined hypocentral precision and an unprecedented perception of the seismotectonic setting. Current expansion of the PIRES network will provide for an increase in the data base at improved hypocentral resolution and also enable the performance of comparative studies e.g. with the San
Andreas Fault in California.
