Abstract
This study compiles a parametric earthquake catalog covering Northern Algeria and its adjacent areas from 1658 to 2018. The choice of moment magnitude MW as a unified scale of the compiled catalog ensures the non-saturation of the magnitude for large magnitude events and direct link or access to the physical parameters of the ruptured faults. The compilation process was performed based on data merging from various national and international heterogeneous magnitude sources together with intensity sources from the historical period. Several empirical relationships have been used to link different magnitude scales and intensity, namely Imax, mb, mbLg, MD, ML and MS. In addition, a new set of empirical relationships was established using the General Regression Method (GOR) to link the local magnitude ML and the duration magnitude MD scales used by the Algerian (CRAAG) and Tunisian (NIMT) national seismological agencies, respectively. The obtained earthquake catalog (PECAAR) includes 11,084 events that occurred during the period from 1658 and the end of 2018, with magnitudes MW ≥ 2.8, registered within the area delimited by longitudes 3° W and 10° E and latitudes 32° N and 38° N. The analysis of time variation of the magnitude of completeness mc estimated using the Maximum Curvature method reveals that mc drops to about 4 and 3 starting from 1840 and 1997, respectively. In space, the recent distribution of the magnitude of completeness estimated using the last decade’s data shows quite stable values ranging between 2.8 and 3.4.
This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.
Similar content being viewed by others
References
Al Djillali A (1995) Tarikh El Djazair el Aam (the General History of Algeria), 7th edn. OPU, Alger
Ambraseys NN, Vogt J (1988) Material for the investigation of the seismicity of the region of Algiers. Eur Earthquake Eng 3:16–29
Aoudia A, Meghraoui M (1995) Seismotectonics in the Tell Atlas of Algeria: the Cavaignac (Abou El Hassan) earthquake of 25.08.1922 (Ms = 5.9). Tectonophysics 248:263–276
Aoudia A, Vaccari F, Suhadolc P, Meghraoui M (2000) Seismogenic potential and earthquake hazard assessment in the Tell Atlas of Algeria. J Seismol 4(1):79–98. https://doi.org/10.1023/A:1009848714019
Archuleta RJ, Cranswick E, Mueller C, Spudich P (1982) Source parameters of the 1980 Mammoth Lakes, California, earthquake sequence. J Geophys Res. https://doi.org/10.1029/JB087iB06p04595
Ayadi A, Bezzeghoud M (2015) Seismicity of Algeria from 1365 to 2013: maximum observed intensity map (2014). Seismol Res Lett 86(1):236–324
Ayadi A, Ousadou-Ayadi F, Bourouis S, Benhallou H (2002) Seismotectonics and seismicquietness of the Oranie region (western Algeria): the Mascara earthquake of August 18th 1994, Mw = 5.7, Ms = 6.0. J Seismol 6:13–23
Ayadi A, Dorbath C, Ousadou F, Maouche S, Chikh M, Bounif MA, Meghraoui M (2008) Zemmouri earthquake rupture zone (Mw 6.8, Algeria): aftershocks sequence relocation and 3D velocity model. J Geophys Res Solid Earth 113(9):B09301
Belabbès S, Meghraoui M, Çakir Z, Bouhadad Y (2008) InSAR analysis of a blind thrust rupture and related active folding: the 1999 Ain Temouchent earthquake (Mw 57, Algeria) case study. J Seismol 2:2. https://doi.org/10.1007/s10950-008-9135-x
Bellalem F (2007) Estimation de l’aléa en Algérie: Méthodologie et Application Mémoire de Magister en Géophysique. Université de M’Hamed Bougara, Boumerdes
Bellalem F, Talbi A, Djellit H, Ymmel H, Mobarki M (2018) Seismic hazard assessment in the megacity of Blida (Algeria) and its surrounding regions using parametric-historic procedure. J Seismol 22:897–908. https://doi.org/10.1007/s10950-018-9740-2
Benbakhti IM, Said M, Djelloul B, Assia H, Jean-François R, Ghilles R, Ahmed R (2018) Fawzi D (2018) Characterizing the active tectonics in the Oran region (Algeria) and recasting the 1790 earthquake. J Seismol 22:1549–1561. https://doi.org/10.1007/s10950-018-9784-3
Benhallou H (1985) Les Catastrophes Séismiques de la Région d’Echéliff dans le contexte de la Séismicité Historique de l’Algérie. Thesis, University of Algiers, Algeria, 294 pp
Benouar D (1994) Materials for the investigation of The Seismicity of Algeria And Adjacent Regions during the twentieth century. Ann Geophys 37:4. https://doi.org/10.4401/ag-4466
Boughacha MS, Ouyed M, Ayadi A, Benhallou H (2004) Seismicity and seismic hazard mapping of northern Algeria: Map of maximum calculated intensities (MCI). J Seismolog 8:1–10. https://doi.org/10.1023/B:JOSE.0000009513.11031.43
Bouhadad Y, Laouami N (2002) Earthquake hazard assessment in the Oran region (Northwest Algeria). Nat Hazards 26:227–243. https://doi.org/10.1023/A:1015602815231
Bounif A, Haessler H, Meghraoui M (1987) The Constantine (northeast Algeria) earthquake of October 27, 1985: surface ruptures and aftershock study. Earth Planet Sci Lett 85:451–460. https://doi.org/10.1016/0012-821X(87)90140-3
Cabañas L, Rivas-Medina A, Martínez-Solares JM, Gaspar-Escribano JM, Benito B, Antón R, Ruiz-Barajas S (2015) Relationships between M w and other earthquake size parameters in the spanish IGN seismic catalog. Pure Appl Geophys 172:2397–2410. https://doi.org/10.1007/s00024-014-1025-2
Cara M, Cansi Y, Schlupp A, Arroucau P, Béthoux N, Beucler E, Bruno S, Calvet M, Chevrot S, Deboissy A, Delouis B, Denieul M, Deschamps A, Doubre C, Fréchet J, Godey S, Golle O, Grunberg M, Guilbert J, van der Woerd K (2015) SI-Hex: a new catalogue of instrumental seismicity for metropolitan France. Bull De La Société Géologique De France 186(1):3–19. https://doi.org/10.2113/gssgfbull.186.1.3
Cara M, Denieul M, Sèbe O, Delouis B, Cansi Y, Schlupp A (2016) Magnitude Mw in metropolitan France. J Seismol 21:551–565. https://doi.org/10.1007/s10950-016-9617-1
Casado CL, Molina S, Giner JJ, Delgado J (2000) Magnitude-Intensity Relationships in the Ibero-Magrebhian Region. Nat Hazards 22:269–294. https://doi.org/10.1023/A:1008142531071
Castellaro S, Mulargia F, Kagan YY (2006) Regression problems for magnitudes. Geophys J Int 165(3):913–930. https://doi.org/10.1111/j.1365-246X.2006.02955.x
Das R, Wason HR, Sharma ML (2012) Magnitude conversion to unified moment magnitude using orthogonal regression relation. J Asian Earth Sci 50:44–51. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jseaes.2012.01.014
Das R, Wason HR, Sharma ML (2014) Unbiased estimation of moment magnitude from body- and surface-wave magnitudes. Bull Seismol Soc Am 104(4):1802–1811. https://doi.org/10.1785/0120130324
Das R, Wason HR, Gonzalez G, Sharma ML, Choudhury D, Lindholm C, Roy N, Salazar P (2018) Earthquake magnitude conversion problem. Bull Seismol Soc Am 108(4):1995–2007. https://doi.org/10.1785/0120170157
del Pezzo E, de Natale G, Martini M, Zollo A (1987) Source parameters of microearthquakes at Phlegraean Fields (Southern Italy) volcanic area. Phys Earth Planet Inter 47:25–42. https://doi.org/10.1016/0031-9201(87)90064-1
Dreger D, Helmberger D (1991) Source parameters of the Sierra Madre earthquake from regional and local body waves. Geophys Res Lett 18(11):2015–2018. https://doi.org/10.1029/91GL02366
Ekström G (1989) A very broad band inversion method for the recovery of earthquake source parameters. Tectonophysics 166(1–3):73–100. https://doi.org/10.1016/0040-1951(89)90206-0
Ferdi S, Harbi A (2014) Roman literary and epigraphic sources for the study of historical seismicity in Algeria circa 42–420 ad. J Seismolog 18(2):277–287. https://doi.org/10.1007/s10950-013-9400-5
González Á (2017) The Spanish national earthquake catalogue: evolution, precision and completeness. J Seismolog 21:435–471. https://doi.org/10.1007/s10950-016-9610-8
Grünthal G, Wahlström R, Stromeyer D (2009) The unified catalogue of earthquakes in central, northern, and northwestern Europe (CENEC) - Updated and expanded to the last millennium. J Seismolog 13:517–541. https://doi.org/10.1007/s10950-008-9144-9
Gutenberg B (1956) The energy of earthquakes. Q J Geol Sot London 112:1–14
Gutenberg B, Richter CF (1944) Frequency of earthquakes in California. Bull Seismol Soc Am 34:185–188. https://doi.org/10.1785/BSSA0340040185
Gutenberg B, Richter CF (1954) Seismicity of the earth. Second Princeton Univ Pres, Princeton, p 308
Hamdache M (1998) Seismic hazard estimation in Northern Algeria. Nat Hazards 18:119–144. https://doi.org/10.1023/A:1008000216832
Hamdache M, Retief SJP (2001) Site-specific Seismic Hazard Estimation in the Main Seismogenic Zones of North Algeria. Pure Appl Geophys 158:1677–1690. https://doi.org/10.1007/PL00001239
Harbi A, Maouche S, Benhallou H (2003) Re-appraisal of seismicity and seismotectonics in the north-eastern Algeria part II: 20th century seismicity and seismotectonics analysis. J Seismolog 7:221–234. https://doi.org/10.1023/A:1023571316216
Harbi A, Maouche S, Ayadi A, Benouar D, Panza GF, Benhallou H (2004) Seismicity and tectonic structures in the site of Algiers and its surroundings: a step towards microzonation. Pure Appl Geophys 161:949–967. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-0348-7355-0_1
Harbi A, Peresan A, Panza GF (2010) Seismicity of Eastern Algeria: a revised and extended earthquake catalogue. Nat Hazards 54(3):725–747. https://doi.org/10.1007/s11069-009-9497-6
Harbi A, Meghraoui M, Maouche S (2011) The Djidjelli (Algeria) earthquakes of 21 and 22 August (I0 IX, VIII) and related tsunami effects revisited. J Seismolog 15(1):105–129. https://doi.org/10.1007/s10950-010-9212-9
Harbi A, Sebaï A, Benmedjber M, Ousadou F, Rouchiche Y, Grigahcene A, Aïni D, Bourouis S, Maouche S, Ayadi A (2015) The Algerian homogenized macroseismic database (267–1989): a deeper insight into the Algerian historical seismicity. Seismol Res Lett 86(6):1705–1716. https://doi.org/10.1785/0220150092
Harbi A, Sebaï A, Rouchiche Y, Maouche S, Ousadou F, Abbès K, Benamar DA, Benmedjber M (2017) Reappraisal of the seismicity of the southern edge of the Mitidja Basin (Blida Region, North-Central Algeria). Seismol Res Lett 88(4):1163–1177. https://doi.org/10.1785/0220160217
Hée A. (1950) Catalogue des séismes algériens de 1850 à 1911. Ann Inst Phys Globe Strasbourg 6:41–49, Strasbourg.
Idriss IM (1985) Evaluating seismic risk in engineering practice", Proceedings, 11th International Conference on Soil Mechanics and Foundation Engineering, San Francisco, 12–16 August 1985, vol 1, pp 255 – 320.
Jiménez MJ, Garcia-Fernandez M (1999) Seismic hazard assessment in the Ibero-Maghreb Region. Ann Geofis 42(6):1057–1066. https://doi.org/10.4401/ag-3774
Lentas K, di Giacomo D, Harris J, Storchak DA (2019) The ISC Bulletin as a comprehensive source of earthquake source mechanisms. Earth System Science Data 11(2):565–578. https://doi.org/10.5194/essd-11-565-2019
Lippiello E, Petrillo G, Godano C et al (2019) Forecasting of the first hour aftershocks by means of the perceived magnitude. Nat Commun 10:2953. https://doi.org/10.1038/s41467-019-10763-3
Maouche S, Harbi A (2018) The active faults of the Mitidja basin (north central Algeria): what does the seismic history of the region tell us? Euro-Mediterranean J Environ Integr. https://doi.org/10.1007/s41207-018-0061-1
Maouche S, Harbi A, Meghraoui M (2008) Attenuation of intensity for the Zemmouri earthquake of 21 May 2003 (Mw 68): insights for the seismic hazard and historical earthquake sources in northern Algeria. In: Fréchet J, Meghraoui M, Stucchi M (eds) Historical Seismology Modern. Approaches in Solid Earth Sciences, vol 2. Springer, Berlin. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-1-4020-8222-1_16
Maouche S, Meghraoui M, Morhange C, Belabbès S, Bouhadad Y, Haddoum H (2011) Active coastal thrusting and folding, and uplift rate of the Sahel anticline and Zemmouri earthquake area (Tell Atlas, Algeria). Tectonophysics 509:69–80. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.tecto.2011.06.003
Maouche S, Bouhadad Y, Harbi A, Rouchiche Y, Ousadou F, Ayadi A (2019) Active Tectonics and Seismic Hazard in the Tell Atlas (Northern Algeria): A Review. In: Bendaoud A (ed) The geology of the arab world–an overview. Springer Nature, Berlin, pp 381–400. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-319-96794-3_10
Meghraoui M (1991) Blind reverse faulting system associated with the Mont Chenoua-Tipaza earthquake of 29 October 1989 (north-central Algeria). Terra Nova 3:84–93. https://doi.org/10.1111/j.1365-3121.1991.tb00847.x
Meghraoui M, Pondrelli S (2012) Active faulting and transpression tectonics along the plate boundary in north Africa. Ann Geophys. https://doi.org/10.4401/ag.4970
Meghraoui M, Cisternas A, Philip H (1986) Seismotectonics of the lower Cheliff basin: structural background of the El Asnam (Algeria) earthquake. Tectonics 5:809–836. https://doi.org/10.1029/TC005i006p00809
Meghraoui M, Morel JL, Andrieux J, Dahmani M (1996) Tectonique plio-quaternaire de la chaîne tello-rifaine et de la mer d’Alboran. Une zone complexe de convergence continent–continent. Bull Soc Géol Fr 167(1):141–157
Mereu RF (2020) A study of the relations between ML, Me, Mw, apparent stress, and fault aspect ratio. Phys Earth Planet Inter. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.pepi.2019.106278
Mezcua J, Martinez Solares JM (1983) Sismidad del Area Ibero Mogrebi, Seccion de Sismologia, Instituto Geográfico Nacional, Madrid, Spain (in Spanish)
Mobarki M, Talbi A (2022) Spatio-temporal analysis of main seismic hazard parameters in the Ibero-Maghreb region using an Mw-homogenized catalog. Acta Geophys 70:979–1001. https://doi.org/10.1007/s11600-022-00768-w
Modiano T, Hatzfeld D (1982) Experimental study of the spectral content for shallow earthquakes. Bull Seismol Soc Am 72(5):1739–1758. https://doi.org/10.1785/bssa0720051739
Mokrane A, Ait Messaoud A, Sebai A, Menia N, Ayadi A, Bezzeghoud M, Benhallou H (1994) Les séismes en Algérie de 1365 à 1992. Publication du Centre de Recherche en Astronomie, Astrophysique et Géophysique, Département: Etudes et Surveillance Sismique, ESS, C.R.A.A.G, Alger-Bouzaréah, p 277
Mouloud H, Badreddine S (2017) Probabilistic seismic hazard assessment in the Constantine region, Northeast of Algeria. Arab J Geosci 10:156. https://doi.org/10.1007/s12517-017-2876-5
Mueller CS, Cranswick E (1985) Source parameters from locally recorded aftershocks of the 9 January 1982 Miramichi, New Brunswick, earthquake. Bull Seismol Soc Am 75(2):337–360. https://doi.org/10.1785/bssa0750020337
Peláez Montilla JA, Hamdache M, Casado CL (2003) Seismic hazard in Northern Algeria using spatially smoothed seismicity. Results for peak ground acceleration. Tectonophysics 372:1–2. https://doi.org/10.1016/S0040-1951(03)00234-8
Romanowicz BA (1982) Constraints on the structure of the Tibet plateau from pure path phase velocities of Love and Rayleigh waves. J Geophys Res. https://doi.org/10.1029/JB087iB08p06865
Rothé JP (1950) Les séismes de Kherrata et la séismicité de l’Algérie, Bull Serv Cart Geol Algérie 4 -ème série, Géophysique, N. 3.
Scordilis EM (2006) Empirical global relations converting M S and m b to moment magnitude. J Seismol 10(2):225–236. https://doi.org/10.1007/s10950-006-9012-4
Serpelloni E, Vannucci G, Pondrelli S, Argnani A, Casula G, Anzidei M, Baldi P, Gasperini P (2007) Kinematics of the western Africa-Eurasia plate boundary from focal mechanism and GPS data. Geophys J Int 169:1180–1200. https://doi.org/10.1111/j.1365-246X.2007.03367.x
Thatcher W, Hanks TC (1973) Source parameters of southern California earthquakes. J Geophys Res. https://doi.org/10.1029/jb078i035p0854
Thomas G (1985) Géodynamique des bassins intramontagneux: Le bassin du bas Chéliff occidental (Algérie) durant le Mio-plioquaternaire. Thèsis Pau University, France, p 594
Wiemer S (2001) A software package to analyze seismicity: ZMAP. Seismol Res Lett 72(3):373–382. https://doi.org/10.1785/gssrl.72.3.373
Wiemer S, Wyss M (2000) Minimum magnitude of completeness in earthquake catalogues: examples from Alaska the Western United States and Japan. Bull Seismol Soc Am 90(4):859–869. https://doi.org/10.1785/0119990114
Yelles A, Deramchi A, Ferkoul A (2002) Les séismes en Algérie de 1992 à 2001. C.R.A.AG Publication, Alger, p 216
Yelles-Chaouche AK, Djellit H, Beldjoudi H, Bezzeghoud M, Buforn E (2004) The Ain Temouchent (Algeria) earthquake of December 22nd, 1999. Pure Appl Geophys 161:607–621. https://doi.org/10.1007/s00024-003-2465-2
Zare M, Amini H, Yazdi P, Sesetyan K, Demircioglu MB, Kalafat D, Erdik M, Giardini D, Khan MA, Tsereteli N (2014) Recent developments of the Middle East catalog. J Seismol 18(4):749–772. https://doi.org/10.1007/s10950-014-9444-1
Acknowledgements
The authors are thankful to all earthquake seismic network centers, institutions and agencies for making available earthquake data sources used in this study. This study benefited from the valuable contribution and historical seismicity studies of our late colleague Dr. Assia Harbi. The authors are grateful to the editor and two anonymous reviewers for their comments that improved an earlier version of the manuscript.
Author information
Authors and Affiliations
Corresponding author
Additional information
Publisher's Note
Springer Nature remains neutral with regard to jurisdictional claims in published maps and institutional affiliations.
Appendix
Rights and permissions
Springer Nature or its licensor holds exclusive rights to this article under a publishing agreement with the author(s) or other rightsholder(s); author self-archiving of the accepted manuscript version of this article is solely governed by the terms of such publishing agreement and applicable law.
About this article
Cite this article
Bellalem, F., Talbi, A. & Maouche, S. A unified MW parametric earthquake catalog for Algeria and adjacent regions (PECAAR). Med. Geosc. Rev. 4, 427–443 (2022). https://doi.org/10.1007/s42990-022-00085-w
Received:
Revised:
Accepted:
Published:
Issue Date:
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s42990-022-00085-w