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Updating a probabilistic seismic hazard model for Sultanate of Oman

  • S. I. GSF 2018
  • Published:
Arabian Journal of Geosciences Aims and scope Submit manuscript

Abstract

Earthquake Monitoring Center (EMC) at Sultan Qaboos University (SQU) initiated evaluating the seismic hazard in the Sultanate of Oman in 2009. EMC has produced the first probabilistic and deterministic seismic hazard maps for Oman in 2012 and 2013, respectively. In the current study, the probabilistic seismic hazard assessment (PSHA) is revisited to provide an updated assessment of the seismic actions on the Sultanate. The present study has several advantages over its predecessor: using an updated homogeneous earthquake catalogue, recently developed seismic source model; inclusion of epistemic uncertainties for the source models, recurrence parameters, maximum magnitude, and more recent and applicable ground-motion prediction equations (GMPEs). Epistemic uncertainties were treated using a combination of the best available databases within a properly weighted logic tree framework. Seismic hazard maps in terms of horizontal peak ground acceleration (PGA) and 5% damped spectral accelerations (SA) at the bedrock conditions (VS = 760 m/s) for 475- and 2475-year return periods were generated using the classical Cornell-McGuire approach. Additionally, uniform hazard spectra (UHS) for the important population centers are provided. The results show higher values at the northern parts of the country compared to the hazard values obtained in the previous study.

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Acknowledgments

We would like to all the staff of the Earthquake Monitoring Center at Sultan Qabbos University for their kind collaboration and assistance, especially Amna Al-Dairi and Aziza Al-Manthari for handling the illustrations and tables of this study.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Earthquake Monitoring Center, Sultan Qaboos University, Muscat, Sultanate of Oman

    Ahmed Deif, Issa El-Hussain, Yousuf Alshijbi & Adel Mohamed El-Shahat Mohamed

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  1. Ahmed Deif
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  2. Issa El-Hussain
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  3. Yousuf Alshijbi
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  4. Adel Mohamed El-Shahat Mohamed
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Correspondence to Ahmed Deif.

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This article is part of the Topical Collection on Seismic and Earthquake Engineering Studies in the Arabian Plate and the Surrounding Region

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Deif, A., El-Hussain, I., Alshijbi, Y. et al. Updating a probabilistic seismic hazard model for Sultanate of Oman. Arab J Geosci 13, 502 (2020). https://doi.org/10.1007/s12517-020-05394-8

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s12517-020-05394-8

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