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S U M M A R YThis paper focuses on the reprocessing of seismic reflection profiles, aeromagnetic and seismicity data, to locate and characterize the Ota-Vila Franca de Xira-Lisbon-Sesimbra fault zone. The studied structure is sited in the Lower Tagus Valley, an area with over 2 million inhabitants, that has experienced historical earthquakes causing many casualties, serious damage and economical losses (e.g. 1531 January 26 and 1909 April 23 earthquakes), whose tectonic sources are mostly unknown. The fault zone trends NNE-SSW to N-S, is located near the eastern border of the Mesozoic Lusitanian Basin and partially delimits the Lower Tagus Cenozoic Basin at the west, mostly hidden under the Cenozoic sedimentary fill. According to the data presented here, the normal structures that compose the fault zone were reactivated in Cenozoic times, with positive inversion and the development of splays towards the east. The fault zone shows three distinct segments with different behaviour, in conformity with their various orientations relative to the NW-SE maximum compressive stress. The northern segment splays into a series of NNE-SSW oriented, east verging, imbricate thrusts, which merge to the west into a major reverse fault that resulted from the tectonic inversion of the former normal fault bordering the Mesozoic Lusitanian Basin in this area-the well known Ota (or Pragança) fault. The central segment corresponds to the approximately 20 km long outcropping Vila Franca de Xira fault, which suffered a maximum degree of inversion. The southern segment extends for ∼45 km, crossing Lisbon and the Setúbal Península at depth until approximately Sesimbra (probably continuing offshore), with an N-S trend and distinct geometry. South of Vila Franca de Xira, there is evidence for a WSW-ENE fault located at depth, producing a righ-lateral stepover on the major structure and splitting the central from the southern segment. We hypothesize that this obliquely trending fault is a possible source of the 1909 Benavente earthquake.

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The inclusion of site-specific conditions is essential to adequately represent the seismic hazard and the seismic risk for a region. We acquired, gathered and organized a near surface shear-wave velocity database for Portugal, and applied a three-step methodological approach for developing a V S30 site-conditions map using extrapolation based on surface geology. The methodology includes: 1) defining a preliminary set of geologically defined units; 2) calculating the probability distribution of log V S30 for each unit; and 3) merging the units according to the results of statistical tests. The final model comprises three geologically defined units characterized by log V S30 distributions that are statistically significantly different from each other: F1-Igneous, metamorphic and old sedimentary rocks; F2-Neogene and Pleistocene formations; and F3-Holocene formations. The site conditions for F3 unit may be further refined using correlations with topographic slope based on the SRTM3 dataset. We analysed the performance site-conditions models based on correlations with exogenous data (topographic slope and surface geology analogues). The results show that the residual distributions between log V S30 values measured and estimated from those proxies are strongly biased for some geological units, emphasizing the need for acquiring regional V S data.

The Lower Tagus River Valley has been affected by severe earthquakes comprising distant events, as in 1755, and local earthquakes, as in 1344, 1531, and 1909. The 1909 earthquake was located NE of Lisbon, near Benavente, causing serious damage and many losses. Mw 6.0 has been assessed for this earthquake and a reverse faulting focal mechanism solution has been calculated. Poor epicenter location, possible directivity and site effects, low fault slip rates, and the thick Cenozoic sedimentary cover make difficult correlation with regional structures. The focal mechanism indicates an ENE reverse fault as source, though it does not match any outcropping active structure suggesting that the event could have been produced by a blind thrust beneath the Cenozoic sedimentary fill. Hidden sources, inferred from seismic reflection data, are a possible NE structure linking the Vila Franca de Xira and the Azambuja faults, or the southern extension of the later. Evidence of surface rupturing is inhibited by the thick Holocene alluvial cover and the high fluvial sedimentation rate, though a slightly depressed area was identified in the Tagus alluvial plain W of Benavente which was investigated as possible geomorphic evidence of co-seismic surface deformation. A high-resolution seismic reflection profile was acquired across a 0.5 m high scarp at this site, and two trenches were opened across the scarp for paleoseismic research. Some deformation of dubious tectonic origin was found, requiring further studies.