Skip to main content
SpringerLink
Log in

The macroseismic field of the Balkan area

  • Published:
Journal of Seismology Aims and scope Submit manuscript

Abstract

A catalogue of 356 macroseimic maps which are available for the Balkan area was compiled, including information on the source parameters of the corresponding earthquakes, the macroseismic parameters of their strength and their macroseismic field. The data analysis of this catalogue yields new empirical relations for attenuation, which can be applied for the calibration of historical events, modelling of isoseismals and seismic hazard assessment. An appropriate analysis allowed the separation and estimation of the average values of the geometrical spreading, n, and anelastic attenuation factor, c, for the examined area which were found equal to −3.227 ± 0.112 and −0.0033 ± 0.0010. Scaling relations for the focal macroseismic intensity, If, and the epicentral intensity I0, versus the earthquake moment magnitude were also determined for each Balkan country. A gradual decrease of the order of 0.5 to 1 intensity unit is demonstrated for recent (after 1970) earthquakes in Greece. Finally the depths of the examined earthquakes as they robustly determined (error <5 km) on the basis of macroseismic data were found to have small values (∼ 10 km). However large magnitude earthquakes show higher focal depths (∼ 25 km), in accordance with an increase of the seismic fault dimensions for such events.

This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.

Access this article

Log in via an institution

Price excludes VAT (USA)
Tax calculation will be finalised during checkout.

Instant access to the full article PDF.

Institutional subscriptions

Similar content being viewed by others

References

  • Aki, K., 1988, Physical theory of earthquakes, Seismic Hazard in the Mediterranenan Region, Bonnin, J., Cara, M., Cisternas, A. and Fantechi, R. (eds), Kluwer Academic Publishers; Dordrecht, pp. 3–33.

    Google Scholar 

  • Ambraseys, N. N., 1985, Intensity-attenuation and magnitude-intensity relations for northwest European earthquakes, Earthquake Eng. Struct. Dyn. 13, 1–29.

    Google Scholar 

  • Ambraseys, N. N. and Finkel, C. F., 1987, The Saros-Marmara earthquake of 9 August 1912, Earthquake Eng. Struct. Dyn. 15, 189–212.

    Google Scholar 

  • Anderson, J. G., 1978, On attenuation of modified Mercali intensity with distance in the United states, Bull. Seism. Soc. Am. 68, 1447–1179.

    Google Scholar 

  • Bath, M., 1980, A method for mapping seismic intensities applied to Sweden, Tectonophysiscs 66, T11–T18.

    Google Scholar 

  • Blake, A., 1941, On the estimation of focal depth from macroseismic data, Bull. Seism. Soc. Am. 31, 225–231.

    Google Scholar 

  • Braunmiller, J. and Nabelek, J., 1996, Geometry of continental normal faults: Seismological constraints, J. Geophys. Res. 101, 3045–3052.

    Google Scholar 

  • Chandra, U., 1979, Attenuation of intensities in the United Stated, Bull. Seism. Soc. Am. 69, 2003–2024.

    Google Scholar 

  • Chandra, U., 1982, Attenuation of intensities with distance in Greece, Proc. 3rd Int. Conf. On: Earthquake microzonation, Seattle, WA 2, 541–552.

    Google Scholar 

  • Cornell, C. A., 1968, Engineering seismic risk analysis, Bull. Seism. Soc. Am. 58, 1503–1606.

    Google Scholar 

  • Cvijanovic, D., 1985, Attenuation functions of earthquake intensity for the western part of Yugoslavia, Proc. 3rd Intern. Symp. on: Analysis of seismicity and seismic risk, Liblice-Chechoslovakia, June 17-22, 1985 2, 313–320.

    Google Scholar 

  • Drakopoulos, J. K., 1978a, Attenuation of intensities with distance for shallow earthquakes in the area of Greece, Boll. Geofis. Teor. Ed Appl. 20, 235–250.

    Google Scholar 

  • Drakopoulos, J. K., 1978b, Magnitude estimation as a function of intensities for shallow shocks in the area of Greece, Proc. Symp on: ANALYSIS OF SEISMICITY AND SEISMIC RISK, Liblice-CHECOSLOVAKIA, 1977, 159–172.

  • Erdik, M., Doyuran, V, Akkas, N. and Gulkan, P., 1984, Aprobalistic assessment of the seismic hazard in Turkey, Tectonophysics 117, 295–334.

    Google Scholar 

  • Ergin, K., 1969, Observed intensity-epicentral distance relations in earthquakes, Bull. Seism. Soc. Am. 59, 1227–1238.

    Google Scholar 

  • Everden, J. F., 1975, Seimic intensities, ‘size’ of the earthquakes and related parameters, Bull. Seism. Soc. Am. 65, 1287–1313.

    Google Scholar 

  • Galaopoulos, A. G., 1961, On magnitude determination by using macroseismic data, Annali di Geofisica 3, 225–253.

    Google Scholar 

  • Glavcheva, R., Simeonova, S. and Solakov, D., 1982, A generalized macroseismic model of high intensity field for Bulgaria, Bulg. Geophys. 8, 1–3.

    Google Scholar 

  • Grandori, G., Perotti, F. and Tagliani, A., 1987, On the attenuation of macroseismic intensity with epicentral distance, Devel. In Geotechn. Eng. Ground motion and engineering seismology [ed A.S. Cakmak], Elsevier-Comp. Mech. Publ. 44, 581–594.

  • Gurpinar, A., Erdik, M., Oner, M. and Yusemen, S., 1979, Seismic risk analysis of Northern Anatolia based on Intensity attenuation, Proc. 2nd U.S. Nat. Conf. on: Earthquake engineering, Stanford-CA, August 22-24, 1979, pp. 72–81.

  • Gutenberg, R. and Richter, C. F., 1942, Earthquake magnitude, intensity, energy and acceleration, Bull. Seism. Soc. Am. 32, 163–191.

    Google Scholar 

  • Hashida, T. and Shimazaki, K., 1984, Determination of seismic attenuation structure and source strength by inversion of seismic intensity data: Method and numerical experiment, J. Phys. Earth 29, 299–316.

    Google Scholar 

  • Howell, B. F. and Schultz, T. R., 1975, Attenuation of modified Mercalli intensity with distance from the epicenter, Bull. Seism. Soc. Am. 65, 651–665.

    Google Scholar 

  • Karacostas, B. G. and Papazachos, B. C., 1989, Focal depths of the earthquakes with distance and the surrounding areas, Proc. 1st congr. Hell. Geophys. Union., Athens-Greece, April 19-21, 1989, 474–483.

  • Kouskouna, V., Makropoulos, K., Drakopoulos, J. and Burton, P., 1988, Effects of site geology on the attenuation of macroseismic intensities in Central Greece, Geofizika 5, 49–62.

    Google Scholar 

  • Kovesligethy, R. von, 1907, Seismischer Starjegrad und Intensitat der Berben, Gerland Beitr., 2: Geophysik 8, 363–366.

    Google Scholar 

  • Levenberg, K., 1944, A method for the solution of certain nonlinear problems in least-squares, Quant. Appl. Math. 2, 164–168.

    Google Scholar 

  • Margaris, P. W., 1963, Azimuthal dependence of the seismic waves and its influence in the seismic hazard assessment in the area of Greece, Ph.D.thesis, University of Thessaloniki, 324 pp (In Greek with an English abstract).

  • Marquadt, P.W., 1936, An algorithm for least squares estimation of non linear parameters, J. Soc. Ind. Appl. Math. 11, 431–441.

    Google Scholar 

  • Martin, M. A. J. and Yague, A. C., 1984, Seismic risk in the Iberian peninsula, Proc. 8WCEE, San Francisco, CA, July 21-28, 1984, Prentice-Hall Inc., New Jersey 1, 181–188.

    Google Scholar 

  • Newman, F., 1954, Earthquake intensity and related ground motion, Univ. Of Washington, 93 pp.

  • Panza, G. F and Cuscito, M., 1982, Influence of focal mechanism on shape of isoseismals: Irpinia earthquake of November 23, 1980, Pure and Appl. Geophys. 120, 577–582.

    Google Scholar 

  • Papaioannou, Ch. A., 1984, Attenuation of seismic intensities and seismic hazard assessment in Greece and the surrounding area, Ph.D.thesis, University of Thessaloniki, 200 pp. (In Greek with an English abstract).

  • Papaioannou, Ch. A., 1986, Seismic hazard assessment and long term earthquake prediction in southern Balkan region, Proc. 2nd Int. Sem. on: Earthquake prognostics, [eds: A. Vogel & K. Brandes], Berlin-FGR June 24-27, 1986, 223–241.

  • Papaioannou, Ch. A., Kiratzi, A. A., Papazachos, B. C. and Theodoulidis, N. P., 1985, Regionalization of the attenuation on intensities in the southern Balkan region, Proc. 3rd Intern. Symp. on: Analysis of seismicity and seismic risk, Liblice-Chechoslovakia, June 17-22, 1985 2, 306–312.

    Google Scholar 

  • Papazachos, B. C. 1990, Seismicity of the Aegean and surrounding area, Tectonophysics 178, 287–308.

    Google Scholar 

  • Papazachos, B. and Papazachou, C., 1989, The earthquakes of Greece, Ziti Publ. Co., Thessaloniki-GREECE, 356 pp. (In Greek with an English abstract).

    Google Scholar 

  • Papazachos, B. C, Comninakis, P.E., Hatzidimitriou, P. M., Kiriakidis, E. G., Kiratzi, A. A., Panagiotopoulos, D. G., Papadimitriou, E. E., Papaioannou, Ch. A., Pavlidis, S. P. and Tzanis, E. P., 1982, Atlas of isoseismal of earthquakes in Greece 1902-1981, Publ. Geophys. Lab. Univ. Thessaloniki, No 4, 20 pp.

    Google Scholar 

  • Papazachos, B.C., Kiratzi, A. A. and Papadimitriou, E. E., 1991, Fault plane solutions for earthquakes in the Aegean area, Pure and Appl. Geophys. 136, 405–420.

    Google Scholar 

  • Papazachos, B. C., Kiratzi, A. A. and Karakostas, B. G., 1997, Homogeneous moment magnitude determination for earthquakes in Greece, Bull. Seism. Soc. Am., 19 pp (In press).

  • Papazachos, B. C., 1992, Anisotropic radiation modelling of macroseismic intensities for estimation of attenuation structure of the upper crust in Greece, Pure and Appl. Geophys. 138, 445–469.

    Google Scholar 

  • Papazachos, B. C., 1994, Structure of the crust and upper mantle in SE Europe by inversion of seismic and gravimetric data, Ph.D.thesis, University of Thessaloniki, 208 pp. (In Greek with an English abstract).

  • Prochazkova, D., 1983, Macroseismic field in the Balkans, Travaux Geophysique Sciences 580, 9–42.

    Google Scholar 

  • Puttonen, J. and Varpasuo, P., 1982, Seismic risk analysis for Northern Iraq, Earthquake Eng. Struct. Dyn. 10, 605–615.

    Google Scholar 

  • Savvaidis, A. S., Papazachos, C. B. and Hatzidimitriou, P. M., 1997, Side effect estimation based on source and path modelling of macroseismic intensities in the area of Greece, Europ. Earthq. Eng., 12 pp. (In press).

  • Sbar, M. L. and Dubois, M. S., 1984, Attenuation of intensity for the 1887 North Sorona, Mexico Earthquake, Bull. Seism. Soc. Am. 74, 2613–2628.

    Google Scholar 

  • Shebalin, N. V., 1974, Atlas of isoseismal maps, Part III of the catalogue, UNESCO Scopje.

  • Schenkova, Z., Schenk, V. and Karnik, V., 1981, Seismic hazard estimate for a low seismicity region-Example of Bohemia, Pure and Appl. Geophys. 119, 1077–1092.

    Google Scholar 

  • Stamelou, I., 1985, Attenuation of the seismic intensities in seimotectonic zones of the area of Greece, Ph.D. thesis, University of Athens, 188 pp. (In Greek with an English abstract).

  • Stavrakakis, G. and Papoulia, J. E., 1990, Prediction of seismic intensities at a site, Boll. Geofis. Teor. Ed Appl. 32, 57–65.

    Google Scholar 

  • Suhadolc, P., Cernobori, L., Pazzi, G. and Panza, G. F., 1988, Synthetic isoseismals: Application to Italian earthquakes, In: Seismic hazard in mediterranean regions [eds. Bonnin, J., M. Cara, A. Cisternas and R. Fantechi], Kluwer Academic Publishers, Dordrecht-The Netherlands, pp 205–228.

    Google Scholar 

  • Utsu, T., 1971, Seismological evidence for anomalous structure of island arcs with special reference to the Japanse region, Rev. Of Geoph. And Space. Phys. 9, 839–880.

    Google Scholar 

  • Vucinic, S., Vukasinovic, M. and Supic, V., 1976, Level of macroseismic field as a basis of seismic zoning, UNESCO Proc. Sern. on: Seismic zoning maps, Skopje-Yugoslavia, Oct. 27-Nov. 4, 1975 2, 8–10.

    Google Scholar 

Download references

Authors
  1. C. Papazachos
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  2. Ch. Papaioannou
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

Rights and permissions

Reprints and permissions

About this article

Cite this article

Papazachos, C., Papaioannou, C. The macroseismic field of the Balkan area. Journal of Seismology 1, 181–201 (1997). https://doi.org/10.1023/A:1009709112995

Download citation

  • Issue Date:

  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1023/A:1009709112995

Keywords

Search

Navigation