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Recognition of earthquake-prone areas (M ≥ 5.0) in the Iberian Peninsula

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Abstract

Seismogenic nodes capable of earthquakes with M ≥ 5.0 or I 0 ≥ VII have been identified in the Iberian Peninsula using the pattern recognition approach. Recognition objects, morphostructural nodes, have been delineated with the morphostructural zoning method. Most of the recognized seismogenic nodes (D) are scattered at the periphery of the Peninsula, while in its internal part, apart from the northern part of the Iberian Chain, there is no indication for the existence of D nodes. The performed recognition pinpoints a number of D nodes where moderate events have not been recorded to date, specifically, in the Cantabrian Mts, Portuguese basin, westernmost termination of the Betics, and in the area around Valencia. Some of the recognized D nodes are potential sources of seismic risk for nuclear and water power plants and large metropolitan areas.

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Acknowledgments

This work has been partially supported by project CGL2007-62454/BTE of the Spanish Ministerio de Ciencia e Innovación.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. International Institute of Earthquake Prediction Theory and Mathematical Geophysics, Russian Academy of Sciences, Profsoyuznaya str. 84/32, Moscow, 117997, Russia

    A. I. Gorshkov & A. A. Soloviev

  2. The Abdus Salam International Center for Theoretical Physics, SAND, Miramare, Trieste, 34151, Italy

    A. I. Gorshkov, A. A. Soloviev & G. F. Panza

  3. Department of Earth Sciences, University of Trieste, via E. Weiss 4, Trieste, 34127, Italy

    G. F. Panza

  4. Department of Volcanology and Geophysics, Spanish Council for Scientific Research, Museum of Natural History, Jose Gutierrez Abascal, 2, 28006, Madrid, Spain

    M. J. Jiménez & M. García-Fernández

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  1. A. I. Gorshkov
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  2. A. A. Soloviev
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  3. M. J. Jiménez
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  4. M. García-Fernández
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  5. G. F. Panza
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Correspondence to A. I. Gorshkov.

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Gorshkov, A.I., Soloviev, A.A., Jiménez, M.J. et al. Recognition of earthquake-prone areas (M ≥ 5.0) in the Iberian Peninsula. Rend. Fis. Acc. Lincei 21, 131–162 (2010). https://doi.org/10.1007/s12210-010-0075-3

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