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The Occurrence of Large Holocene Earthquakes in the Kultor Fault Zone, Northern Issyk-Kul Area, Tien Shan Based on Radioisotope Dating

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Abstract

Structural-geomorphological and paleoseismological methods were used to study morphostructures on the southern slope of the Kungei Ala-Too mountain range and in its southern foothills (adyrs). An analysis of radioisotope dates (radiocarbon and infrared luminescence) in paleoseismological trenches shows a lateral migration of vigorous seismic activity along the Kultor fault zone in the northern Issyk-Kul region. It has been confirmed that the contemporary high seismic activity concentrates in the adyr zone, and is confined to adyr faults. At least seven morphogenic earthquakes have occurred along this fault zone during Holocene time. The repeat time of morphogenic earthquakes was 200‒300 years in our era. It seems that this fault generated great seismic disasters with М ~ 7.5 (Io = Х) in the 7th and 15th centuries, with the rupture zones emerging at the surface and producing fault scarps up to 70‒80 km in length.

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ACKNOWLEDGMENTS

We wish to thank A.R. Agatova, D. Bauman, E.V. Deev, A.S. Kichutkin, D.V. Luzhansky, T. Liu, E. Mamyrov, M.Yu. Menshikov, I.E. Povolotskaya, N. Porat, E.A. Rogozhin, S.N. Rodina, A.Yu. Starikova, I.V. Turova, M.T. Usmanova, T.A. Charimov, D. Shen, B. Shchasnyi, and A.S. Yudakhin for the help during our work in the field and in the laboratory.

Funding

This research was conducted for the state program of research at Laboratory 304 of the Shmidt Institute of Physics of the Earth for 2019–2021 “Refining the Assessment of Seismic Hazard for Tectonically Active Crimea–Caucasus and Tien Shan Mountain Belts and for Relatively Stable Territories of the East European Platform and the Baltic Shield Based on Paleoseismological and Geodynamic Data”.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Institute of Geoecology, Russian Academy of Sciences, Ulansky per., 13, str. 2, 101000, Moscow, Russia

    L. A. Korzhenkova & V. M. Makeev

  2. Shmidt Institute of Physics of the Earth, Russian Academy of Sciences, ul. Bolshaya Gruzinskaya, 10, str. 1, 123242, Moscow, Russia

    A. M. Korzhenkov & A. A. Strelnikov

  3. Center of Nature Research State Institute, ul. Academios, 2, LT-08412, Vilnyus, Lithuania

    J. V. Mažeika

  4. Institute of Earthquake Prediction Theory and Mathematical Geophysics, Russian Academy of Sciences, ul. Profsoyuznaya, 84/32, 117997, Moscow, Russia

    M. V. Rodkin

  5. Institute of Seismology, National Academy of Sciences, Republic of Kyrgyzstan, Asanbai microregion, 52/1, 720060, Bishkek, Kyrgyzstan

    A. B. Fortuna

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  1. L. A. Korzhenkova
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Correspondence to L. A. Korzhenkova, A. M. Korzhenkov, V. M. Makeev, J. V. Mažeika, M. V. Rodkin, A. A. Strelnikov or A. B. Fortuna.

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Korzhenkova, L.A., Korzhenkov, A.M., Makeev, V.M. et al. The Occurrence of Large Holocene Earthquakes in the Kultor Fault Zone, Northern Issyk-Kul Area, Tien Shan Based on Radioisotope Dating. J. Volcanolog. Seismol. 17, 509–529 (2023). https://doi.org/10.1134/S074204632370032X

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