The 2016 south Alboran earthquake (Mw= 6.4): A reactivation of the Ibero-Maghrebian region?

Buforn, E.; Pro, C.; Galdeano, Carlos Sanz de; Cantavella, Juan Vicente; Cesca, Simone; Caldeira, Bento; Udías, Agustín; Mattesini, Maurizio

doi:10.1016/j.tecto.2017.06.033

Cited by 29 publications

(58 citation statements)

References 43 publications

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“…The 2016–2017 seismic sequence (Figures and ) was initiated by a moderate earthquake (21 January 2016, M w = 5.1) followed closely by a stronger event (25 January, M w = 6.3) and by a long seismic series of decreasing activity during 2016–2017 (Buforn et al, ; Kariche et al, ; Medina & Cherkaoui, ). The relatively long distances from hypocenters to seismic stations, generally greater than 50 km and in some cases reaching more than 80 km, decrease the quality of earthquake locations.…”

Section: Resultsmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…The 2004 seismic sequence was carefully relocated by Van der Woerd et al (). As the precise location of seismicity is sensitive to velocity models and to the distance of the seismic stations (Michelini & Lomax, ), literature (Buforn et al, ; Kariche et al, ; Medina & Cherkaoui, ) shows a noncoincident location for the 2016–2017 seismic sequence' epicenters. The 1993–1994 and 2016–2017 seismic sequences' epicenter and hypocenter locations were calculated through a standard procedure considering the first arrivals of P and S waves and a standard velocity model (Carreño‐Herrero & Valero‐Zornoza, ).…”

Section: Methodology and Datamentioning

confidence: 99%

“…The 1993–1994 and 2016–2017 seismic sequences' epicenter and hypocenter locations were calculated through a standard procedure considering the first arrivals of P and S waves and a standard velocity model (Carreño‐Herrero & Valero‐Zornoza, ). A careful relocation of the main events was provided by Buforn et al () and the IGN (IGN, ; http://www.ign.es) in light of the standard and recent velocity model (El Moudnib et al, ). Earthquake focal mechanisms were also obtained from the IGN database (http://www.ign.es), established from first arrival P wave polarity.…”

Section: Methodology and Datamentioning

confidence: 99%

“…Seismicity generally occurs at shallow crustal levels (Buforn et al, ). Intermediate seismicity (40 to 120‐km deep) is mainly located along a N‐S elongated band in the western Alboran Basin that becomes NE‐SW northward (Buforn et al, ; López‐Casado et al, ; Medina & Cherkaoui, ; Morales et al, ). Deep seismicity (600 to 640‐km deep) is scarce but also occurs beneath the central Betic Cordilleras (Buforn et al, , ).…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…The main earthquake was felt in several coastal cities of northern Morocco and southern Spain, causing economic losses in both countries (http://www.ign.es/resources/noticias/Terremoto_Alboran.pdf). The earthquakes of this seismic sequence have been analyzed in detail by the IGN (http://www.ign.es), Buforn et al (), Medina and Cherkaoui (), and Kariche et al (). They consider different velocity models for epicenter locations, suggesting that activity occurred in the area nearby Al Idrisi Fault, yet they do not compare their results with the more accurate position of this fault obtained by marine geophysical research (Estrada et al, ; Lafosse et al, ; Martínez‐García et al, , ).…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

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Imaging the Growth of Recent Faults: The Case of 2016–2017 Seismic Sequence Sea Bottom Deformation in the Alboran Sea (Western Mediterranean)

et al. 2018

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The Eurasian-African NW-SE oblique plate convergence produces shortening and orthogonal extension in the Alboran Sea Basin (westernmost Mediterranean), located between the Betic and Rif Cordilleras. A NNE-SSW broadband of deformation and seismicity affects the Alboran central part. After the 1993-1994 and 2004 seismic series, an earthquake sequence struck mainly its southern sector in 2016-2017 (main event M w = 6.3, 25 January 2016). The near-surface deformation is investigated using seismic profiles, multibeam bathymetry, gravity and seismicity data. Epicenters can be grouped into two main alignments. The northern WSW-ENE alignment has reverse earthquake focal mechanisms, and in its epicentral region recent mass transport deposits occur. The southern alignment consists of a NNE-SSW vertical sinistral deformation zone, with early epicenters of higher-magnitude earthquakes located along a narrow band 5 to 10-km offset westward of the Al Idrisi Fault. Here near-surface deformation includes active NW-SE vertical and normal faults, unmapped until now. Later, epicenters spread eastward, reaching the Al Idrisi Fault, characterized by discontinuous active NNE-SSW vertical fractures. Seismicity and tectonic structures suggest a westward propagation of deformation and the growth at depth of incipient faults, comprising a NNE-SSW sinistral fault zone in depth that is connected upward with NW-SE vertical and normal faults. This recent fault zone is segmented and responsible for the seismicity in 1993-1994 in the coastal area, in 2004 onshore, and in 2016-2017 offshore. Insights for seismic hazard assessment point to the growth of recent faults that could produce potentially higher magnitude earthquakes than the already formed faults.

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Section: Resultsmentioning

confidence: 99%