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Uncertainties in the estimation of earthquake magnitudes in Greece

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Abstract

Instrumental magnitudes in Greece have been reported as: a) Mmagnitudes based on the records of the Wiechert or Mainka seismographs,b) MLGR magnitudes based on the records of the Wood-Anderson(WA) seismographs (To = 0.8 sec, Veffective ∼ 1000) or othershort period seismographs calibrated against WA records and,c) MLSM magnitudes based on strong motion records(accelerograms). Comparison of such magnitudes with momentmagnitudes, Mw, for 329 earthquakes, with epicenters in thebroader Aegean area, performed in this study, showedthat M, MLGR+0.5 and MLSM are practically equalto Mw, with a small overall standard error (σ = 0.23).Therefore, equivalent moment magnitudes, Mw *,estimated from these magnitudes and reported in the catalogues of theGeophysical Laboratory of the University of Thessaloniki are equal tomoment magnitudes for all practical purposes with reasonable uncertainties.It has been further shown that surface wave magnitudes, Ms,for Ms <6.0, can be also transferred into momentmagnitudes, Mw *, but the larger uncertaintiesencountered make its use rather problematic.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Geophysical Laboratory, University of Thessaloniki, P.O. Box 352-1, GR-54006, Thessaloniki, Greece

    B.C. Papazachos, V.G. Karakostas, A.A. Kiratzi & E.M. Scordilis

  2. Institute of Engineering Seismology and Earthquake Engineering (ITSAK), P.O. Box 53, GR-55102, Finikas, Thessaloniki, Greece

    B.N. Margaris

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  1. B.C. Papazachos
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  2. V.G. Karakostas
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  3. A.A. Kiratzi
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  4. B.N. Margaris
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  5. C.B. Papazachos
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  6. E.M. Scordilis
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Papazachos, B., Karakostas, V., Kiratzi, A. et al. Uncertainties in the estimation of earthquake magnitudes in Greece. Journal of Seismology 6, 557–570 (2002). https://doi.org/10.1023/A:1021214126748

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