Abstract
The Gulf of Corinth, is considered as the most active tectonic area of continental Greece. It is an asymmetric half-graben with an uplifted southern coast and a submerged northern one. A series of major normal faults, having an average E-W strike and dipping towards the north, bound the high relief along the southern coast and enter towards the east into the sea. On the northern side, there are smaller antithetic normal faults, while the eastern extremity of the Gulf is more complex. Many large earthquakes have occurred in the area during the historical past and all the cities of the Gulf have suffered from many earthquakes since ancient times. The seismicity is intense during the instrumental period and includes several events with Ms>6. Concerning the deformation rates are quite high, with values of several mm/yr. During the recent years several seismicity studies, detailed seismotectonic observations, modeling, geodetic measurements as well as information from the strong earthquakes that have occurred at different parts of the Gulf, have given valuable results, which are reviewed briefly in this work.
Access this chapter
Tax calculation will be finalised at checkout
Purchases are for personal use only
Preview
Unable to display preview. Download preview PDF.
Similar content being viewed by others
References
Ambraseys, N. (1962) Data for the investigation of seismic sea waves in the eastern Mediterranean, Bull. Seism. Soc. Am., 52, 895–913.
Ambraseys, N. and Pantelopoulos, P. (1989) The Fokis (Greece) earthquake of 1 August 1870. Europ. Earthquake Eng., 3, 10–18.
Ambraseys, N.N. and Jackson, J. A. (1990) Seismicity and associated strain of Central Greece between 1890 and 1988. Geophys. J. Int., 101, 663–709.
Ambraseys, N.N. and Jackson, J. A. (1997) Seismicity and strain in the Gulf of Corinth (Greece) since 1694. J. Earthquake Engineering, 1/3, 433–474.
Ambraseys, N.N. and White, D. (1997) The seismicity of rhe eastern Mediterranean region 550-1BC: a re-appraisal. J. Earthquake Eng., 1/4, 603–632.
Armijo, R., Meyer, B., King, G., Rigo, A. and Papanastassiou, D. (1996) Quaternary evolution of the Corinth Rift and its implications for the Late Cenozoic evolution of the Aegean. Geophys. J. Int., 126, 11–53.
Bernard, P., Briole, P., Meyer, B., Lyon-Caen, H., Gomez, J-M., Tiberi, C, Berge, C, Cattin, R., Hatzfeld, D., Lachet, C., Lebrun, B., Dechamps, A., Courboulex, F., Larroque, C., Rigo, A., Massonet, D., Papadimitriou, P., Kassaras, J., Diagourtas, D., Makropoulos, K., Veis, G., Papazisi, E., Mitsakaki, C., Karakostas, V., Papadimitriou, E., Papanastassiou, D., Chouliaras, G. and Stavrakakis, G. (1997) The Ms=6.2, June 15, 1995 Aigion earthquake (Greece): Evidence for low angle normal faulting in the Corinth rift. J. Seismology, 1/2, 331–350.
Biliris, H., Paradissis, D., Veis, G., England, P., Featherstone, W., Parsons, B., Cross, P., Rands, P., Rayson, M., Sellers, P., Ashkenazi, V., Davison, M., Jackson, J. and Ambraseys, N. (1991) Geodetic detemination of tectonic deformation in central Greece from 1900 to 1988. Nature, 350, 124–129.
Briole, P., Rigo, A., Lyon-Caen, H., Ruegg, J., Papazissi, K., Mitsakaki, C., Balodimou, A., Veis, G., Hatzfeld, D. and Deschamps, A. (2000) Active deformation of the Corinth rift, Greece: Results from repeated GPS surveys between 1990 and 1995. J. Geophys. Res., 105(B11), 25605–25625.
Brooks, M. and Ferentinos, G. (1984) Tectonics and sedimentation in the Gulf of Corinth and the Zakynthos and Keffallinia channels, western Greece. Tectonophysics, 101, 25–54.
Clarke, P., Davies, R., England, P., Parsons, B., Biliris, H., Paradissis, D., Veis, G., Denys, P., Cross, P., Ashkenazi, V. and Bingley, R. (1997) Geodetic estimate of seismic hazard in the Gulf of Korintos. Geophys. Res. Let., 24/11, 1303–1306.
Clarke, P., Davies, R., England, P., Parsons, B., Biliris, H., Paradissis, D., Veis, G., Cross, P., Denys, P., Ashkenazi, V., Bingley, R., Kahle, H., Muller, M. and Briole P. (1998) Crustal strain in central Greece from repeated GPS measurements in the interval 1989-1997. Geophys. J. Int., 135, 195–214.
Collier, R. (1990) Eustatic and tectonic controls upon Quaternary coastal sedimentation in the Corinth basin, Greece. J. Geol. Soc. London, 147, 301–314.
Collier, R., Ledder, M., Rowe, P. and Athinson, T. (1992) Rates of tectonic uplift in the Corinth and Megara basins, central Greece. Tectonics, 11/6, 1159–1167.
Collier R., Pantosti D., D’Addegio G., DeMartini P.M., Masana, E. and Sakellariou D. (1996) Paleoseismicity of the 1981 Corinth earthquake fault: seismic contribution to extensional strain in cental Greece and implications for seismic hazard. J. Geophys. Res., 103(B12), 30001–30019.
Comninakis, P. and Papazachos, B. (1986). A catalogue of earthquakes in Greece and the surrounding area for the period 1901-1985. University of Thessaloniki, Geophysical Laboratory, 167 pp.
Davies, R., England, P., Parsons, B., Billiris, H., Paradissis, D. and Veis, G. (1997) Geodetic strain of Greece in the interval 1892-1992. J. Geophys. Res., 102(B11), 24571–24588.
Deperet, C. (1913) Observations sur l’histoire géologique Pliocene du Golfe et de l’Isthme de Corinthe. C.R. Acad. Soc, 156, 427–431.
Dercourt, J. (1964) Contribution a l’étude géologique d’un secteur du Péloponnese septentrional, Annales Geol. Pays Hellen., 15, 1–148.
Dia, A., Cohen, A., O’Nions, R. and Jackson, J. (1997) Rates of uplift inestigated through 230Th dating in the gulf of Corinth (Greece). Chem. Geology, 138, 171–184.
Doutsos, T. and Piper, D. (1990) Listric faulting, sedimentation and morphological evolution of the Quaternary eastern Corinth graben Greece: first stages of continental rifting. Geol. Soc. Am. Bull. 102, 812–829.
Dufaure, J.J., Keraudren, B. and Sebrier, M. (1975) Les terrasses de Corinthie: chronologie et deformations. C.R. Académie des Sciences Paris, 281, 1943–1945.
Dufaure, J.J. (1977) Neotectonique et morphogenese dans une péninsule mediteraneenne: La Péloponnese. Rev. Geogr. Phys. Geol. Dyn., 19, 27–58.
Evangelatou-Notara, F. (1993) The earthquakes in Byzantium from 13th till the 15th century, historic examination. Paroussia, Special Issue, 24, 184pp, (In Greek).
Freyberg, B. (1973) Geologie des Isthmus von Korinth. Erlanger Geol. Abh. 95, 1–183.
Gaki-Papanastassiou, K., Papanastassiou, D., and Maroukian, H. (1996) Geomorphic and Archaeological — Historical evidence for past earthquakes in Greece., Ann. di Geofisica, 39/3, 589–601.
Galanopoulos, A. (1960) Tsunamis observed on the coasts of Greece from antiquity to present time, Ann. di Geofisica, 13, 369–386.
Galanopoulos, A. (1960) A catalogue of shocks with Io≥VI or M≥5 for the years 1801-1958. University of Athens, Seismological Laboratory, 119pp.
Galanopoulos, A. (1961) A catalogue of shocks with Io=≥VI for the years prior to 1800. University of Athens, Seismological Laboratory, 19pp.
Galanopoulos, A., Delibasis, N. and Komninakis, P. (1964) A tsunami generated by an earth slump set in motion without a shock. Ann. Geol Pays Hellen., 16, 93–110.
Goldsworthy, M. and Jackson J. (2001) Migration of activity within normal fault systems: examples from Quaternary of mainland Greece. J. Structural Geol., 23, 489–506.
Guidoboni, E. (1994) Catalogue of ancient earthquakes in the Mediterranean area up to 10th century. Institute Nazionale di Geofisica. Roma., 504pp
Hatzfeld, D., Kementzetzidou, V., Karakostas, V., Ziazia, M., Northard, S., Diagourtas, D., Deschamps, A., Karakaisis, G., Papadimitriou, P., Scordilis, M., Smith, R., Voulgaris, N., Kiratzi, S., Makropoulos, K., Bouin, M.P. and Bernard, P. (1996) The Galaxidi earthquake of 18 November 1992: A possible asperity within the normal, fault system of the Gulf of Corinth (Greece). Bull. Seism. Soc. Am., 86/6, 1987–1991.
Hatzfeld, D., Karakostas, B., Ziazia, M., Kassaras, I., Papadimitriou, E., Makropoulos, K., Voulgaris, N. and Papaioannou, C. (2000) Microsesimicity and fault geometry in the Gulf of Corinth Greece. Geophys. J. Int. 141, 438–456.
Heezen, B., Ewing, M. and Johnson, H. (1966) The Gulf of Corinth floor. Deep Sea Res., 13, 381–411.
Higgs, B. (1988) Syn-sedimentary structural controls on basin deformation in the Gulf of Corinth, Greece. Basin Research, 1, 155–165.
Hubert, A., King, G., Armijo, R., Meyer, B. and Papanastassiou, D. (1996) Fault re-activation, stress interaction and rupture propagation of the 1981 Corinth earthquake sequence, Earth and Planet. Sci. Lett, 142/3-4, 573–586.
Jackson, J., Gagnepain, J., Housemena, G., King, G.C.P., Papadimitriou, P., Soufleris, G. and Virieux, J. (1982) Seismicity, normal faulting and the geomorphological development of the Gulf of Corinth (Greece): The Corinth earthquake of February 1981. Earth and Planet. Sci. Lett, 57, 377–397.
Kiratzi, A. and Papazachos, C. (1995) Active crustal deformation from the Azores triple junction to the Middle east. Tectonophysics, 243, 1–24.
Kelletat, D., Kowalczyk, G., Schröder, B. and Winter, K. (1976) A synoptic view of the neotectonic development of the Peloponnesian coastal regions. Z. Dtsch. Geol. Ges. 127, 447–465.
Keraudren, B. (1970) Les formations Quaternaires marines de la Grece. Bull. Musée Antropologie et Préhistoire Monaco, 16, 6–153.
Keraudren, B. (1971) Les formations Quaternaires marines de la Grece. Bull. Musee Antropologie et Préhistoire Monaco, 17, 87–169.
Keraudren, B. and Sorel, D. (1987) The terraces of Corinth (Greece): a detailed record of eustatic sea-level variations during the last 500,000 years. Marine Geology, 11, 99–107.
King, G.C.P., Ouyang, Z.X., Papadimitriou, P., Deschamps, A., Gagnepain, J., Housemena, G., Jackson, J., Soufleris, G. and Virieux, J. (1985) The evolution of the Gulf of Corinth (Greece): an aftershock study of the 1981 earthquakes, Geophys. J.R. Astron. Soc. 80, 677–683.
Le Meur, H., Virieux, J. and Podvin, P. (1997) Seismic tomography of the Gulf of Corinth: a comparison of methods. Annali de Geofisica, 40/1, 1–24.
Leonards, G. Sotiropoulos, E. and Kawadas, M. (1988) Hélice: the lost town of ancient Greece. Proc. Eng. Geol of Ancient Works, 2, 1307–1313.
Lyberis, E., Papatheodorou, G., Hasiotis, T. and Ferentinos, G. (1998) Submarine faults within the active tectonic graben of the Gulf of Corinth. Four typical examples of modern tectonic control on morphology and sedimentation under the sea-level. Bull. Geol. Soc. Greece. 32/2, 223–234.
Makropoulos, C., Drakopoulos, J. and Latoussakis, J. (1989) A revised and extended earthquake catalogue for Greece since 1900. Geophys. J. Int., 99, 305–306.
Maroukian, H., Gaki-Papanastassiou, K. and Papanastassiou, D. (1997) Coastal changes in the broader area of Corinth, Greece. American School of Oriental Research, Archaeological Reports, p. 217–226.
Myrianthis, M. (1984) Graben formation and associated seismicity in the Gulf of Corinth, (Central Greece), in The Geological Evolution of the Eastern Mediterranean. J. Dixon and A. Robertson (eds.). Sp. Publ. Geol. Soc. London, 17, 701–707.
Ori, G.G. (1989) Geologic history of the extensional basin of the Gulf of Corinth (?Miocene-Pleistocene), Greece. Geology, 17, 918–921.
Pantosti D., Collier R., D’Addegio G., Masana, E. and Sakellariou, D. (1996) Direct geological evidence for prior earthquakes on the 1981 Corinth fault (central Greece). Geophys. Res. Lett, 23/25, 3795–3798.
Papadopoulos, G. and Chalkis, B. (1984) Tsunamis observed in Greece and the surrounding area from the antiquity up to present times. Marine Geology, 56, 309–317.
Papadopoulos, G. (1998) A reconstruction of the great earthquake of 373 BC in the western Gulf of Corinth, in Katsonopoulou, D., Soter, S. and Scilardi D. (edts): The Proceedings of the 2 nd International Conference: “Ancient Helike and Aigialeia”, p. 479–494.
Papadopoulos, G. (1989) Seismic and volcanic activities and aseismic movements as plate motion components in the Aegean area. Tectonophysics, 167, 31–39.
Papadopoulos, G., Vassilopoulou, A. and Plessa, A. (2000) A new catalogue of Historical earthquakes in the Corinth rift, Central Greece: 480 BC-AD 1910, in G. Papadopoulos (ed.), Historical Earthquakes and Tsunamis in the Corinth rift, Central Greece. National Observatory of Athens, Institute of Geodynamics, Publication No 12, pp 9–119.
Papadopoulos, G. (2000) A new Tsunami catalogue of the Corinth rift: 373 BC-AD 2000, in Papadopoulos G. (ed.), Historical Earthquakes and Tsunamis in the Corinth rift, Central Greece. National Observatory of Athens, Institute of Geodynamics, Publication No 12.pp. 121–126.
Papanastassiou, D., Gaki-Papanastassiou, K. and Maroukian, H. (2001) Vertical movements during the Holocene in the southern coasts of Perachora peninsula, eastern Gulf of Corinth Greece, based on Geo-archaeological, seismological and Radiocarbon dating. Under Publication J. Coastal Res.
Papanastassiou, D., Latoussakis J. and Stavrakakis G. (2001) A revised catalogue of earthquakes in the broader area of Greece for the period 1950–2000. Proceedings of the 9 th Congress of the Geological Society of Greece.
Papazachos, B., Koutitas, C., Hatzidimitriou, P., Karakostas, B., Papaioannou, C. (1986) Tsunami hazard in Greece and the surrouding area. Annales Geophysicae, 4/B/l, 79–90.
Papazachos, B. and Papazachou, C. (1997) The earthquakes of Greece, P. Ziti Publications, Thessaloniki, pp. 304.
Perissoratis, C., Mitropoulos, D. and Angelopoulos, I. (1986) Marine Geological Reserch at the eastern Corinthiakos Gulf. IGME, Geol. and Geophys. Res. Special Isssue., p. 381–401.
Perissoratis, C., Piper, D. and Lykousis, V. (2000) Alternating marine and lacustrine sedimentation during late Quaternary in the Gulf of Corinth rift basin, central Greece. Marine Geology, 167, 391–411.
Pham V., Bernard, P., Boyer D., Chouliaras G., LeMouel J. and Stavrakakis G. (2000) Electrical conductivity and structure beneath the central Hellenides around the Gulf of Corinth (Greece) and their relationship with the seismotectonics. Geophys. J. Int. 142, 948–969.
Picardi, L. (2000) Active faulting at Delphi, Greece: seismotectonic remarks and a hypothesis for the geologic environment of a myth. Geology, 28/7, 651–654.
Pirazzoli, P.A., Stiros, S.C., Arnold, M., Laborel, J., Laborel-Deguen, F. and Papageorgiou, S. (1994) Episodic uplift deduced from Holocene shorelines in the Perachora Peninsula, Corinth area, Greece. Tectonophysics, 229, 201–209.
Rietbrock, A., Tiberi, C., Scherbaum, F. and Lyon-Caen, H. (1996) Seismic slip on a low angle normal fault in the Gulf of Corinth: Evidence from high-resolution cluster analysis of microearthquakes. Geophys. Res. Let., 23, 1817–1820.
Rigo, A. (1994) Etude Sismotectonique et Geodesique du Golfe de Corinth (Grece). These d’Université Paris VII.
Rigo, A., Lyon-Caen, H., Armijo, R., Deschamps, A., Hatzfeld, D., Makropoulos, K. and Papadimitriou, P. (1996) A microsesmic study in the western part of the Gulf of Corinth (Greece), implications for large-scale normal faulting mechanisms. Geophys. J. Int. 126, 663–688.
Sabot V. and Maroukian, H. (1981) Geomorphology and tectonics in and around the Gulf of Corinth, Greece. Proc. Int. Symp. Hellenic Arc and Trench, Athens, Vol. II, p. 174–182.
Sakellariou, D., Lykousis, V. and Papanikolaou, D. (1988) Neotectonic structure and evolution of the Gulf of Alkyonides, Central Greece. Bull. Geol. Soc. Greece. 32 /1, 241–250
Sebrier, M. (1977) Tectonique récente d’une transversale a Tare Egeen: le Golfe de Corinthe et ses regions périphérique. These 3eme cycle, Univ. Paris Sud. France.
Schmidt, J. (1879) Studien ueber Erdbeben, Leipzig.
Soloviev, S. (1990) Tsunamigenic zones in the Mediterranean Sea, Natural Hazards, 3, 183–202.
Sorel, D. (2000) A Pleistocene and still active detachment fault and the origin of the Corinth/Patras rift, Greece. Geology, 28/1, 83–86.
Soter, S. and Katsonopoulou, D. (1998) The search of ancient Helike, 1988-1995, Geological, sonar and borehole studies, in D. Katsonopoulou, S. Soter, and D. Scilardi (eds.): The Proceedings of the 2 nd International Conference: “Ancient Helike and Aigialeia”, 67–124.
Stewart, I. (1996) Holocene and Palaeoseismicity on the Eliki fault, western gulf of Corinth, Greece. Ann. di Geofisica, 39/3, 575–588.
Stewart, I., and Vita-Finzi, C. (1996) Coastal uplift on active normal faults: The Eliki fault, Greece. Geophys. Res. Letters, 23/14, 1853–1856.
Taymaz, T., Jackson, J.A. and McKenzie, D.P. (1991) Active tectonics of the north and central Aegean Sea. Geophys. J. Int., 106, 433–490.
Tiberi, C., Lyon-Caen, H., Hatzfeld, D., Achauer, U., Karagianni, E., Kiratzi, A., Louvari E., Panagiotopoulos, D., Kassaras, I., Kaviris G., Makropoulos, K. and Papadimitriou P. (2000) Crustal and upper mantle structure beneath the Corinth rift (Greece) from teleseismic tomography study. J. Geophys. Res., 105/B12, 28159–28171.
Tselentis, A. and Makropoulos, K. (1986) Rates of crustal deformation in the Gulf of Corinth (Central Greece) as determined from seismicity. Tectonophysics, 124, 55–66.
Tselentis, A., Melis, N., Sokos, E. and Papatsimpa, K. (1996) The Egion June 15, 1995 (6.2 ML) earthquake, western Greece. Pageoph., 147/1, 84–98.
Vita-Finzi, C. and King, G. (1985) The seismicity, geomorphology and structural evolution of the Corinth area of Greece. Philos. Trans. R. Soc. London, 314, 379–407.
Author information
Authors and Affiliations
Editor information
Editors and Affiliations
Rights and permissions
Copyright information
© 2002 Kluwer Academic Publishers
About this chapter
Cite this chapter
Papanastassiou, D. (2002). Destructive Earthquakes and Seismotectonics in the Gulf of Corinth, Central Greece: A Review. In: Görür, N., Papadopoulos, G.A., Okay, N. (eds) Integration of Earth Science Research on the Turkish and Greek 1999 Earthquakes. NATO Science Series: IV: Earth and Environmental Sciences, vol 9. Springer, Dordrecht. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-94-010-0383-4_12
Download citation
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/978-94-010-0383-4_12
Publisher Name: Springer, Dordrecht
Print ISBN: 978-1-4020-0653-1
Online ISBN: 978-94-010-0383-4
eBook Packages: Springer Book Archive