La séismicité de la région du Lac de Scutari

Summary

The domain of Skutari Lake affords considerable geographical, tectonic and seismological problems. The shrinkage of the Dinar mountain system from NW and almost simultaneus to that of the Pinds from S.E. met and under the mutual resistance declined towards NE and E.

On the site of their joincture resulted considerable dislocations and blocks lowering of fractured faults. Therefrom resulted the formation of the Skutari Lake basin and its tectonic domain. On this break are frequent earthquakes of different intensity and rather frequent seismic catastrophes. Though, there aren't many chartered data of previous years. The author used statements of the last hundred years (1837–1940). During that period on Skutari tectonic depression two series of seismic catastrophes at an interval of exactly fifty years. First series of five catastrophes desastered in 1855 (3. VII-14.VIII); second series consisting also of five catastrophes araised very region on the same epicenters in 1905 (1.VI-10.VIII). In both of these series catastrophical shocks followed nearly on the same date.

The general opinion prevailed that the causes of these seismic motions are to be found in local tectonic circumstances. However, the author after investigations lasting many years, stated the main source of these motions to be much deeper and more extended. Between the Dinar and Pind mountain blocks on ground and blocks in the floor of the joining Adriatic bottom, exist in a certain degree steady relationship.

In the course of time the stability under the influence of permanent motions the earth crust, gradually turns into labil state, and this is connected with the tendency of labil blocks into labil state, and this is connected with the tendency of labil blocks to be set again into a stabil position. The causes of Skutari seismic motions are resulting from the lability of land and submarine Adriatic blocks, and at any rate of local tectonic reasons.

The fact, that microseismic waves of Skutari catastrophes were spread over great distances over 6700 km (1.VI.1905) suggests the cause of these catastrophe to be much more profound, and to be found on the isostatic, probably in still bigger depth. Such deep isostatic motions provoke superficial perturbations and demonstrate from time to time considerable seismic catastrophes.