Interseismic deformation in the gulf of aqaba from GPS measurements

Nicolas Castro-Perdomo; Renier Viltres; Frédéric Masson; Yann Klinger; Shaozhuo Liu; Maher Dhahry; Patrice Ulrich; Jean-Daniel Bernard; Rémi Matrau; Abdulaziz Alothman; Hani Zahran; Robert Reilinger; Paul Martin Mai; Sigurjon Jonsson

doi:10.1093/gji/ggab353

Interseismic deformation in the gulf of aqaba from GPS measurements

Nicolas Castro-Perdomo, Renier Viltres, Frédéric Masson, Yann Klinger, Shaozhuo Liu, Maher Dhahry, Patrice Ulrich, Jean-Daniel Bernard, Rémi Matrau, Abdulaziz Alothman, Hani Zahran, Robert Reilinger, Paul Martin Mai, Sigurjon Jonsson

Research output: Contribution to journal › Article › peer-review

7 Scopus citations

Abstract

Although the Dead Sea Transform fault system has been extensively studied in the past, little has been known about the present-day kinematics of its southernmost portion that is offshore in the Gulf of Aqaba. Here we present a new GPS velocity field based on three surveys conducted between 2015 and 2019 at 30 campaign sites, complemented by 11 permanent stations operating near the gulf coast. Interseismic models of strain accumulation indicate a slip rate of 4.9+0.9−0.6 mm/yr and a locking depth of 6.8+3.5−3.1 km in the gulf’s northern region. Our results further indicate an apparent reduction of the locking depth from the inland portion of the Dead Sea Transform towards its southern junction with the Red Sea rift. Our modelling results reveal a small systematic left-lateral residual motion that we postulate is caused by, at least in part, late postseismic transient motion from the 1995 MW7.2 Nuweiba earthquake. Estimates of the moment accumulation rate on the main faults in the gulf, other than the one that ruptured in 1995, suggest that they might be near the end of their current interseismic period, implying elevated seismic hazard in the gulf area.

Original language	English (US)
Journal	Geophysical Journal International
DOIs	https://doi.org/10.1093/gji/ggab353
State	Published - Aug 28 2021

Bibliographical note

KAUST Repository Item: Exported on 2021-08-30
Acknowledged KAUST grant number(s): OSR-2016-CRG5-3027
Acknowledgements: We thank Hannes Vasyura-Bathke, Joël Ruch, Jon Harrington, Samer Almashharawi, Mohammad Youssof, Laura Parisi, Adel Sherif and the students of the 2015 Seismotectonics course at KAUST for the help with the GPS fieldwork campaigns. We also thank the Saudi Geological Survey (SGS) and King Abdulaziz city for Science and Technology (KACST) for providing the continuous GPS data from the gulf’s stations. Maps were generated using the Generic Mapping Tools, Version 5.4.5 (Wessel et al. 2013, https://www.generic-mapping-tools.org). This research was supported by King Abdullah University of Science and Technology (KAUST), under award number OSR-2016-CRG5-3027.

ASJC Scopus subject areas

Geochemistry and Petrology
Geophysics

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10.1093/gji/ggab353

https://repository.kaust.edu.sa/bitstream/10754/670810/1/ggab353.pdf

Cite this

@article{2c4d20597c5e491680aac08afc6f9d70,

title = "Interseismic deformation in the gulf of aqaba from GPS measurements",

abstract = "Although the Dead Sea Transform fault system has been extensively studied in the past, little has been known about the present-day kinematics of its southernmost portion that is offshore in the Gulf of Aqaba. Here we present a new GPS velocity field based on three surveys conducted between 2015 and 2019 at 30 campaign sites, complemented by 11 permanent stations operating near the gulf coast. Interseismic models of strain accumulation indicate a slip rate of 4.9+0.9−0.6 mm/yr and a locking depth of 6.8+3.5−3.1 km in the gulf{\textquoteright}s northern region. Our results further indicate an apparent reduction of the locking depth from the inland portion of the Dead Sea Transform towards its southern junction with the Red Sea rift. Our modelling results reveal a small systematic left-lateral residual motion that we postulate is caused by, at least in part, late postseismic transient motion from the 1995 MW7.2 Nuweiba earthquake. Estimates of the moment accumulation rate on the main faults in the gulf, other than the one that ruptured in 1995, suggest that they might be near the end of their current interseismic period, implying elevated seismic hazard in the gulf area.",

author = "Nicolas Castro-Perdomo and Renier Viltres and Fr{\'e}d{\'e}ric Masson and Yann Klinger and Shaozhuo Liu and Maher Dhahry and Patrice Ulrich and Jean-Daniel Bernard and R{\'e}mi Matrau and Abdulaziz Alothman and Hani Zahran and Robert Reilinger and Mai, {Paul Martin} and Sigurjon Jonsson",

note = "KAUST Repository Item: Exported on 2021-08-30 Acknowledged KAUST grant number(s): OSR-2016-CRG5-3027 Acknowledgements: We thank Hannes Vasyura-Bathke, Jo{\"e}l Ruch, Jon Harrington, Samer Almashharawi, Mohammad Youssof, Laura Parisi, Adel Sherif and the students of the 2015 Seismotectonics course at KAUST for the help with the GPS fieldwork campaigns. We also thank the Saudi Geological Survey (SGS) and King Abdulaziz city for Science and Technology (KACST) for providing the continuous GPS data from the gulf{\textquoteright}s stations. Maps were generated using the Generic Mapping Tools, Version 5.4.5 (Wessel et al. 2013, https://www.generic-mapping-tools.org). This research was supported by King Abdullah University of Science and Technology (KAUST), under award number OSR-2016-CRG5-3027.",

year = "2021",

month = aug,

day = "28",

doi = "10.1093/gji/ggab353",

language = "English (US)",

journal = "Geophysical Journal International",

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T1 - Interseismic deformation in the gulf of aqaba from GPS measurements

AU - Castro-Perdomo, Nicolas

AU - Viltres, Renier

AU - Masson, Frédéric

AU - Klinger, Yann

AU - Liu, Shaozhuo

AU - Dhahry, Maher

AU - Ulrich, Patrice

AU - Bernard, Jean-Daniel

AU - Matrau, Rémi

AU - Alothman, Abdulaziz

AU - Zahran, Hani

AU - Reilinger, Robert

AU - Mai, Paul Martin

AU - Jonsson, Sigurjon

N1 - KAUST Repository Item: Exported on 2021-08-30 Acknowledged KAUST grant number(s): OSR-2016-CRG5-3027 Acknowledgements: We thank Hannes Vasyura-Bathke, Joël Ruch, Jon Harrington, Samer Almashharawi, Mohammad Youssof, Laura Parisi, Adel Sherif and the students of the 2015 Seismotectonics course at KAUST for the help with the GPS fieldwork campaigns. We also thank the Saudi Geological Survey (SGS) and King Abdulaziz city for Science and Technology (KACST) for providing the continuous GPS data from the gulf’s stations. Maps were generated using the Generic Mapping Tools, Version 5.4.5 (Wessel et al. 2013, https://www.generic-mapping-tools.org). This research was supported by King Abdullah University of Science and Technology (KAUST), under award number OSR-2016-CRG5-3027.

PY - 2021/8/28

Y1 - 2021/8/28

N2 - Although the Dead Sea Transform fault system has been extensively studied in the past, little has been known about the present-day kinematics of its southernmost portion that is offshore in the Gulf of Aqaba. Here we present a new GPS velocity field based on three surveys conducted between 2015 and 2019 at 30 campaign sites, complemented by 11 permanent stations operating near the gulf coast. Interseismic models of strain accumulation indicate a slip rate of 4.9+0.9−0.6 mm/yr and a locking depth of 6.8+3.5−3.1 km in the gulf’s northern region. Our results further indicate an apparent reduction of the locking depth from the inland portion of the Dead Sea Transform towards its southern junction with the Red Sea rift. Our modelling results reveal a small systematic left-lateral residual motion that we postulate is caused by, at least in part, late postseismic transient motion from the 1995 MW7.2 Nuweiba earthquake. Estimates of the moment accumulation rate on the main faults in the gulf, other than the one that ruptured in 1995, suggest that they might be near the end of their current interseismic period, implying elevated seismic hazard in the gulf area.

AB - Although the Dead Sea Transform fault system has been extensively studied in the past, little has been known about the present-day kinematics of its southernmost portion that is offshore in the Gulf of Aqaba. Here we present a new GPS velocity field based on three surveys conducted between 2015 and 2019 at 30 campaign sites, complemented by 11 permanent stations operating near the gulf coast. Interseismic models of strain accumulation indicate a slip rate of 4.9+0.9−0.6 mm/yr and a locking depth of 6.8+3.5−3.1 km in the gulf’s northern region. Our results further indicate an apparent reduction of the locking depth from the inland portion of the Dead Sea Transform towards its southern junction with the Red Sea rift. Our modelling results reveal a small systematic left-lateral residual motion that we postulate is caused by, at least in part, late postseismic transient motion from the 1995 MW7.2 Nuweiba earthquake. Estimates of the moment accumulation rate on the main faults in the gulf, other than the one that ruptured in 1995, suggest that they might be near the end of their current interseismic period, implying elevated seismic hazard in the gulf area.

UR - http://hdl.handle.net/10754/670810

UR - https://academic.oup.com/gji/advance-article/doi/10.1093/gji/ggab353/6359143

U2 - 10.1093/gji/ggab353

DO - 10.1093/gji/ggab353

M3 - Article

SN - 0956-540X

JO - Geophysical Journal International

JF - Geophysical Journal International

ER -

Interseismic deformation in the gulf of aqaba from GPS measurements

Abstract

Bibliographical note

ASJC Scopus subject areas

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