Fractal analysis of the seismicity of the territory of Azerbaijan
DOI:
https://doi.org/10.24028/gzh.0203-3100.v42i4.2020.210678Keywords:
Azerbaijan’s seismicity, Gutenberg—Richter magnitude-frequency relationship, b-value, fractal dimension, earthquake distributionAbstract
The article examines the distribution of earthquakes occurred in Azerbaijan and the adjacent territories during the instrumental period (1902¾2018) by investigating the self-similarity and fractal properties of the seismicity of the region. Most parts of the territory of Azerbaijan are considered to be seismically active, and seismic events with a wide range of magnitudes (3 ≤ М < 7.3) have been registered in Azerbaijan during the instrumental period. Earthquake distribution has been analysed by means of the fractal theory, which is based on such notions as the detection of statistical self-similarity in the process under study and its quantitative assessment. The composite catalogue serves as a basis for the research and covers the time span of 1902—2018. It has been compiled with the help of seismic data from the Republican Seismic Survey Center of the Azerbaijan National Academy of Sciences and earthquake catalogues of various international seismological centres.
As a result, for the distribution of earthquakes registered in the territory of Azerbaijan the fractal dimensions (the quantitative indicators of self-similarity) of earthquake energy distribution and epicentre distribution have been calculated. The fractal dimension of earthquake epicentre distribution (De) is 1.63, whereas the average value of fractal dimension of energy distribution (d) for Azerbaijani seismic events equals 0.54.
Also, using the data from the composite catalogue, the Gutenberg—Richter magnitude-frequency relationship and the b-value for the earthquakes of Azerbaijan and the adjacent territories have been estimated. The statistical relationships between the calculated fractal dimensions of the earthquake energy and epicentre distribution (d and De, respectively) have also been examined.
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