Crustal seismicity and the earthquake catalog maximum moment magnitude (Mcmax) in stable continental regions (SCRs): Correlation with the seismic velocity of the lithosphere

Mooney, Walter D.; Ritsema, Jeroen; Hwang, Yong Keun

doi:10.1016/j.epsl.2012.08.032

Cited by 98 publications

(69 citation statements)

References 49 publications

Supporting

Mentioning

Contrasting

Unclassified

Order By: Relevance

“…To further scrutinize the correlation, we have used a recent tomography model (SEMUCB-WM1) 95 and found that seismicity patterns are different for each continent. Also, Australia showed a stark contrast to the results of Mooney et al 94 . However, this is an ongoing research and more work is required to draw a definitive conclusion.…”

Section: Intra-plate Earthquakescontrasting

confidence: 74%

“…Other models have suggested that seismicity in continental interiors could be due to intersecting faults 91 , crustal anomalies 92,93 , etc. Mooney et al 94 used S-wave seismic velocity anomaly 10 to find a correlation with SCR seismicity. They found that for the North American continent, stable continental cratons (V s  3) are least prone to seismicity, while there is a clearly visible increased seismicity at the edge of these cratons.…”

Section: Intra-plate Earthquakesmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…Models have used lateral viscosity variations 94 and crustal density variations 96 to explain seismicity. Lately, geophysical parameters like gravitational potential energy, dynamic topography, large-scale tectonic forces, and glacial isostatic adjustment (GIA) have also been used to explain the occurrence of IPEs 97,98 .…”

Section: Intra-plate Earthquakesmentioning

confidence: 99%

See 2 more Smart Citations

Understanding Deep Earth Dynamics:A Numerical Modelling Approach

Singh¹,

Agrawal²,

Ghosh³

2017

Current Science

View full text Add to dashboard Cite

Enhancement in computing power and better data availability have paved the way for deciphering the earth's deeper dynamics and have provided viable explanations for various surface phenomena. Tools such as seismic tomography, numerical modelling and geophysical observations such as stresses, gravity anomalies, heat flow, etc. have helped us in addressing the mechanisms of plate driving forces, anomalous geoid variations, cratonic stability, topographic support, intraplate earthquakes and similar outstanding issues in geodynamics. Due to lack of direct observations from deep earth, numerical modelling has aided considerably in learning about subsurface processes. With better algorithms being developed everyday, it is the right time to tap their potential to push the frontiers of human knowledge.

show abstract

Section: Intra-plate Earthquakescontrasting

confidence: 74%

Section: Intra-plate Earthquakesmentioning

confidence: 99%

See 1 more Smart Citation

Understanding Deep Earth Dynamics:A Numerical Modelling Approach

Singh¹,

Agrawal²,

Ghosh³

2017

Current Science

View full text Add to dashboard Cite

show abstract

“…Although intraplate seismicity occurs at shallow depths in the brittle upper crust, it results from stress concentration that can be caused by deeper structures, especially lateral variations of crustal and lithospheric thicknesses. An analysis of worldwide moderate to large intraplate earthquakes (magnitudes larger than 5) by Mooney et al (2012) indicated a trend of seismicity to occur near craton edges around cratonic keels. Some evidence of similar features in the Amazon craton was suggested by Assumpção et al (2014) and can be seen in Fig.…”

Section: Seismicity and Stressesmentioning

confidence: 99%

Lithospheric Features of the São Francisco Craton

Assumpção

Azevedo

Rocha

et al. 2016

Regional Geology Reviews

View full text Add to dashboard Cite

Studying the thick lithosphere of cratons is important to help understand their formation and the mechanisms for their preservation. We present a synthesis of the information available for the deep structure in Eastern Brazil, from seismological and gravity data, to characterize the São Francisco Craton (SFC) and help better define its lateral boundaries at depth. Crustal thicknesses of the SFC, known mainly from receiver function studies, range from 38 to 42 km, except for a localized thickening (up to 44 km) in the northern part, and crustal thinning towards the Atlantic continental margin in Bahia state. Overall, the crust is slightly thicker near the geologically-defined surface boundaries (40-42 km) and slightly thinner in the center (38-40 km), which is consistent with generally low Bouguer anomalies and high topography to the East and to the West of the craton probably defining the suture zones during the Gondwana amalgamation. Modeling of gravity anomalies with some seismic constraints indicates a relatively low-density lithospheric mantle for the SFC, despite higher Pn velocity, which is consistent with a Fe-depleted, buoyant lithosphere, which helps preserve the cratons's root. Surface-wave continental-scale tomography suggested the thickest lithosphere, around 200 km, to be in the Archean southern part of the SFC, consistent with regional P-and S-wave tomography. Both the surface-wave and the body-wave tomographies show high upper mantle velocities beneath the Brasilia fold belt, next to the SFC's surface limits, which is interpreted as a continuation at depth of the craton's lithosphere, beneath the low-grade external metamorphic domain of the Brasilia fold belt. Analysis of the SFC seismicity shows that most earthquakes now occur on shallow (<2 km) normal faults formed during the formation of the Brasiliano continental margin, now reactivated under the present E-W compressional stresses.

show abstract

“…Bird et al (2006) found that the orientation of the Wegener Stress Anomaly varies from NNW-SSE in Namaqualand, west Namibia, and the adjacent southeast Atlantic offshore, to NW/WNW-SE/SSE in the southern Cape, the Bredasdorp basin, and in the Witwatersrand basin. Talwani (2014) and Mooney et al (2012) highlighted that an inventory of M C 4.5 intraplate earthquakes showed that they are preferentially located in old rift structures and at boundaries of cratons. Meissner and Wever (1986) indicated that epicenters of intracontinental earthquakes are concentrated on lineaments.…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Seismicity and neotectonic uplift in the Augrabies Falls National Park, Namaqualand, Northern Cape, South Africa

Madi

2016

Earthq Sci

View full text Add to dashboard Cite

Gneissic rocks in the Augrabies Falls National Park are part of the Proterozoic Namaqua-Natal mobile belt. Finding neotectonic evidence in old terranes is always not an easy task. In South Africa, the mid-Miocene is believed to be the beginning of neotectonics. This study investigated the occurrence and recurrence of earthquake activity, occurrence of faulting, jointing, uplift, and potholes in the gneisses cropping out around the Augrabies Falls area that may account for neotectonics. A historic seismic event obtained from the United States Geological Survey (USGS), and seismic epicenters downloaded in October 2015 from IRIS earthquake browser and overlaid on a satellite image with digitised faults and lineaments, indicates that the area is seismically active and is a zone of seismic risk. Potholes occurring today on a dry surface at approximately 613 m above sea level are a direct consequence of the Griqualand-Transvaal neotectonic uplift, which generated a major fault along which water flows continuously. It is concluded that the Augrabies Falls National Park area is a zone of neotectonics. This zone should not be considered for the storage of nuclear wastes.

show abstract

Crustal seismicity and the earthquake catalog maximum moment magnitude (Mcmax) in stable continental regions (SCRs): Correlation with the seismic velocity of the lithosphere

Cited by 98 publications

References 49 publications

Understanding Deep Earth Dynamics:A Numerical Modelling Approach

Understanding Deep Earth Dynamics:A Numerical Modelling Approach

Lithospheric Features of the São Francisco Craton

Seismicity and neotectonic uplift in the Augrabies Falls National Park, Namaqualand, Northern Cape, South Africa

Contact Info

Product

Resources

About