JOURNAL OF THE BALKAN GEOPHYSICAL
SOCIETY, Vol. 1, No 2, May 1998, p. 19-26, 4 figs.
Seismic hazard for
some regions of the world
examined using strain
energy release
Theodoros M. Tsapanos
Aristotle University of Thessaloniki,
Geophysical Laboratory, 54006 Thessaloniki, Macedonia, Grecee
( Received 15 December 1997; accepted
29 April 1998 )
Abstract: The strain
energy release technique is used in this work to evaluate the seismic
hazard for eleven regions of the world (some regions of Eurasian
belt, as well as Japan and California). The representative parameters
applied for this evaluation are related to the physical release
process of the strain energy. These parameters are the magnitude,
M2, which is equivalent to the mean annual total strain energy release
and the magnitude, M3, which is analogous to the maximum strain
energy, which may be accumulated and released in a region. Empirical
relation between M3 and M2 is obtained and the result shows that
it has a world-wide validity. The quantity DT, showing the time
difference (in years) between the upper bound line (in the energy-time
diagrams) and the time since the last seismic activity (strain energy
accumulation) is suggested here. An effort is made to forecast the
approximate time of the next earthquake occurrence with magnitude
less or equal to the maximum strain energy. Finally, a table is
given with the regions (cells) ranked according to the M2 parameter.
Key Words: Strain Energy
Release, M2, M3, DT, Eurasian Belt.
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