The 1953 seismic surface fault: Implications for the modeling of the Sousaki (Corinth area, Greece) geothermal field

doi:10.1016/0264-3707(94)00031-P

Journal of Geodynamics

Volume 20, Issue 2, October 1995, Pages 167-180

https://doi.org/10.1016/0264-3707(94)00031-P Get rights and content

Abstract

The 1953, Ms = 5.7 Corinth (Central Greece) earthquake was associated with a hitherto unknown, at least 3 km long, NW-trending seismic surface normal fault with its SW block downthrown by about 8 cm. This fault abutted to the less than 2000 years old solfatara, in the low enthalpy Sousaki geothermal field, at the NW end of the Aegean volcanic arc. This result confirms and refines previous hypotheses for a structural control of the Sousaki geothermal field by crossing E-W and NW-SE trending faults, and reveals that the circulation of geothermal fluids and gases is controlled by the fault that broke in 1953. The most prominent area for geothermal exploration can therefore be identified with a narrow zone along the edge of the hanging wall block of the Sousaki seismic fault; this zone coincides with the area of maximum subsurface temperatures.

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The 1953 seismic surface fault: Implications for the modeling of the Sousaki (Corinth area, Greece) geothermal field

Abstract

Geothermics

J. Struct. Geol.

Earth Planet Sci. Lett.

Tectonophysics

J. Geodynamics