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Abstract:
We present a comprehensive analysis of geodetic data, including InSAR imagery and GNSS observations, to assess the pattern of ground motions of the Paliki peninsula in western Cephalonia, Greece. Paliki is prone to frequent, strong earthquakes, due to its close proximity to the right-lateral Cephalonia Transform Fault (CTF), a 140 km long strike-slip fault that accommodates the relative motion between the Apulian and Aegean lithospheric plates. Our analysis covers the period from 2016 to 2022 and leverages the LiCSBAS, an open-source package, for InSAR time series analysis with the N-SBAS method. We combined the InSAR results with the GNSS observations. The results indicate that active faults on the Paliki peninsula are oriented approximately N-S and exhibit slip rates between 2-5 mm/yr in the line-of-sight direction. The horizontal component of movement is dominant, providing initial evidence of right-lateral strike-slip faulting on the peninsula. The InSAR data also indicate possible post-seismic motion along the fault plane that ruptured on the 3 February 2014 M5.9 earthquake in the northwest part of the peninsula. Moreover, we have identified other possible active structures, including both strike-slip and thrust faults, confirmed by field geological data. The coastal town of Lixouri undergoes uplift, as evidenced by positive line-of-sight displacement values in both imaging geometries. Velocity cross-sections reveal several discontinuities, possibly bounded by active faults and/or crustal flexure. The integration of geodetic data with seismological and field geological data provides a valuable tool for the monitoring of interseismic behaviour of active faults.
