Seismotectonic of NW İran ( Azerbaijan region ) Based on Destructive Earhtquakes And Activity Of Faults

Seismotectonic of NW İran ( Azerbaijan region ) Based on Destructive Earhtquakes And Activity Of Faults


Tohid MALEKZADE[1]

Prof.Dr. Berakan.ECEVİTOĞLU[2]




Key words : Seismotectonic, Destructive Earhtquakes , NW İran, Azerbaijan region

Abstarct
Historical and istrumental earthquakes as well as geological evidences show that Azerbaijan region ( NW İRAN) is the most active seismic region in Asia. Befor, in history many destructive earthquakes occured in Tebriz, Salmas, Erdebil and other magor sities. İn resent years in 1930 in Salmas with M= 7.2 , 1976 in Chaldıran with M= 5.5 , 1990 and in Rudbar- Zenjan and Tarım with M= 7.0 ,1996 in Erdebil with M= 5.5, destructive earthquake occured. This evidences show that this region have so desructive position. The epicenters of local earthquakes are in agreement with the NW- SE trending major faults . İn this paper first of all we show major faults in Azerbaijan, hitorical earthquakes and major instrumental earthquakes in recent decad years in Azerbaijan. The distributions of earthquakes in east , west and center parts of Azerbaijan are cosistent with the related major faults ( section 2). Studying distributions of earthquakes in east , west and center parts of Azerbaijan show that there are seismic quiescence exists in centeral part around Tebriz which had many destructive earthquakes in past time ( section 3). According to historical earthquakes around Tebriz and exist gap energy around this region the occurrence of a major earthquake in Tebriz and senteral Azerbaijan in near time and in west and east of Azerbaijan in far time is expected.

1. İntrouduction

Azerbaijan region which is located in 36-50 East longitudes and 36-44 North latitudes is one of the seismic active regions in Asia . This region has experienced many destructive earthquakes in the past centuries. However there were not enough data to evaluate seismic activity in northwest Iran. The destructive Erdebil raethquake of March 1996 and Rudbar- Zenjan earthquake of June 1990 need to imstall a permanent seismological network in Azerbaijan region especially in centeral Azerbaijan (Gheitanchi et al , 2004). Therefore , in 1995 the Institue of Geophysics of Tehran university deployed a telemetric seismic network in the centeral part of Azerbaijan to monitor the seismic activity. But it isnot enough to monitor all of the Azrbaijan earthquakes.
İn this paper first of all we present a detailed and reliable faults of northwest Iran and review the historical detructive earthquakes that have occurerd in the region . Then we try to find relation with between historical and instrumental earthquakes with major and minor faults in Azerbaijan region.



2. Major and Minor Fault in Azerbaijan Region
Azerbaijan region which is located between Caspian see in East and Anatoliyan in east and caucase region in north and Zagros montains in south have been compresed between Turan and Arabiyan plates and Caspian mikroplate. Compressing this plates cause faults and cracks in Azerbaijan. Many of this faults for example The North Tebriz Fault , Urmiya fault and Astara Faults are Azerbaijan's major faults . North Salmas fault, var fault and North Tebriz Fault are minor Azerbaijan fault. 1. table show main major and minor faults in Azerbaijan region ( Figure1).



Table 1. Main major and İmportant Minor faults in Azerbaijan region

No
Fault
Name
Max Fault Lenght
( km)
Fault Lenght (km)
Average Magnitude
( expected)
Max İntensity
( expected)
1
N. Tebriz
180
100
7,4
9,7
2
Pesve
180
80
7,3
9,6
3
Salmas
40
38
6,9
9,1
4
Tesuj
57
53
7,1
9,3
5
N.Mişov
45
42
7,0
9,2
6
S.Mişov
23
23
6,7
8,8
7
N. Salmas
17
17
6,5
8,5
8
Sherefkane
50
44
7,0
9,2
9
Sofyan
53
48
7,1
9,3
10
Ushneviye
20
20
6,6
8,7
11
Urmiye
75
63
7,2
9,4
12
Moghan
130
100
7.4
9.7
13
Zenjan
120
100
7.4
9.7
14
İpek
120
100
7.4
9.7
15
Herzevil
180
80
7,3
9,6

Majority of this faults have strike – slip systems. Using the geological information and air –photos has been made to provide adetail of fult which shown in table1.
3. Historical Earhquakes Depending on Faults in Azerbaijan region
Many people have studied Azerbaijan historical earthquakes. Ambraseys (1974 and 1982) and Berberiyan 1976 and Malekzade 1998 . İn this Paper we try to list major earthquakes which occured in Azerbaijan during 2000 years ago.
200 y B.C : Maku
461 : Malazgirt : destructive earthquake
634: Tebriz :Destructive earthquake in Tebriz with M= 6.0
694 : Tebriz : earthquake in Tebriz
735 : Zengezor: Destructive earthquake in south Aras revier
746 : Tebriz: No detail
834 : Tebriz : No detail
849 : Tbriz : No detail
851 : İrevan :No detail
858 : Tebriz: Destructive earthquake in Tebriz with M= 6.0 , epicente coordinate 38.08 N ,46.26 E
858 : Aras Reiver : epicente coordinate 39'9 N ve 44'20 E
863 : Dovin :Destructive earthquake in Dovin with M= 5.2
868: Tebriz : No detail
869 : Aras reiver : epicente coordinate 39' 95 N and 44'20 E
893 ( 28 December) : Dovin : Destructive earthquake in Dovin
893 - 4 : Erdebil: Destructive earthquake in Erdebil with M= 6.0
906 : Zengezor : Destructive earthquake in Zengezor . range of feeling 180 km.
949 : Tebriz : No detail .
1020 : Tebriz: : No detail.
1041 : Tebriz : Destructive earthquake in Tebriz with 5000 kiled.
1042 (4 October) : Tebriz : Destructive earthquake in Tebriz with M=7.6. epicentere coordinant 38.1N and 46.3 E ( Ambersiyes, 1982) .
1135 ( 25 June) : Serdesht : Destructive earthquake in Sedesht with M=6.1 .
1135 ( 11 Jounery ) : Serdesht Destructive earthquake in Sedesht with M=6.4:. range of feeling 300 km and epicentere coordinant 36.1 N and 45.9 E . (Ambersiyes 1982 )
1139: Genje : Destructive earthquake in Genje .( Guliyov , 1359 )
1273 ( 18 Junery ) : Tebriz : Destructive earthquake in Tebriz with 250 killed. Feeling aftershok till 4 months.
1275 : Azerbaijan : Earthquake in Azerbaijan.
1304: Sarab , Karadagh : Destructive earthquake in Sarab with M=6.7
1305 : ( 16 April ) : Azerbaijan : Earthquake in Azerbaijan.
1308 : Zengezor : No detail ( Berberiyan, 1977)
1314: Tebriz : Earthquake in Tebriz.
1319: Maku :Destructive earthquake in Sarab with M=5.3 with 53 killed.
1320: Kars : Destructive earthquake in Sarab with M=5.9. range of feeling 100 km.
1345: Malazgirt :eartquake in Malazgirt.
1406 ( 29 Novamber ) : Zengezor : No detail. (Ambarseyes 1982) .
1436 : Azerbaijan : No detail.
1441 M : Tebriz : earthquake in Tebriz.
1459 M: Tebriz : earthquake in Tebriz.
1550 : Tebriz : Earthquake in Tebriz with 36.8 N and 46 E episenter coordinate
1567 : Karadag : : Destructive earthquake in Karadag. With episenter 39 N and 47.2 E
1572 : Tebriz : No detail (Eprikian , 1930 ) and (Ajemian ,1937) .
1593 : Serab : Destructive earthquake in Sarab with M=6.1.
1621 ( 21 June ) : Miyana : earthquake in Miyana with intensity I= V ( Ambersyes , 1982 ).
1622 : Maku : earthquake in Maku ( Ambersyes , 1982 ).
1633 : Tebriz : earthquake in Tebriz.
1640 : Tebriz : earthquake in Tebriz.
1641 (5 Feburey) : Tebriz : Destructive earthquake in Tebriz with M=6.8. Feeling range 200 kmkilled people 10.000.
1648 ( 13 March ) : Van : Destructive earthquake in Van with M=6.5. Feeling range 300 kmkilled people 4.000.( Ambersyes , 1982 ).
1649 : Tebriz : earthquake in Tebriz ( Berberyan , 1976).
1650 : Tebriz :. earthquake in Tebriz.
1657 : Tebriz : earthquake in Tebriz.
1659 : Kara kilise : No detail
1664 : Tebriz : Destructive earthquake in Tebriz with M=6.5 . with episenter coordinante 38.1 N and 46.3 E.
1668 ( 7 Junery ) : Tebriz : earthquake in Tebriz with M= 6.5
1669 ( 4 Junery ) : İrevan : Destructive earthquake in İrevan with M=6.2. Feeling range 200 kmkilled people 1228. with episenter coordinante 40.40 N and 44.50 E.
1696 ( 16 June ) : Chaldıran, Maku : : Destructive earthquake in İrevan with M=6.2. Feeling range 200 km . killed people 2000. with episenter coordinante.39.1 N and 43.9 E
1715 ( 8 March ) : South of Van : : Destructive earthquake in South of Van with M=6.6. Feeling range 320 km. with no killed in Van but are killed people in south of Van
1716 ( 23 Junery ) : North of Aras Reiver : Destructive earthquake in North of Aras Reiver and South ofİrevan with M=6.6. with epicentere coordinate 40.2 N and 44.5 E ( Ambersyes ,1982 ).
1717 ( 12 March ) : Karadag- Tebriz : Destructive earthquake in Karadag- Tebriz M = 5.9.
1721 ( 26 April) : Tebriz – Bostanava : Destructive earthquake in Tebriz – Bostanava with M=7.0 . Feeling range 700 km . 60.000 killed.
1727 ( 18 October ) : Tebriz : Destructive earthquake in Tebriz. 17.000 killed.
1755 : Tebriz : No detail.
1774 : Tebriz : earthquake in Tebriz.
1780 : Tebriz : Destructive earthquake in Tebriz with M=7.7 , feeling range 300 km and 400 vilage damaged.
1783 ( 13 Junery ) : Earthquake in Agri. No detail
1786 ( 18 Novamber ) : Merend :Destructive earthquake in Merend with M=6.3 and 4.000 killed.
1787 : Tebriz : earthquake in Tebriz (Berberyan , 1976 )
1791 : Tebriz : earthquake in Tebriz (Berberyan , 1976 )
1803 : Tebriz : earthquake in Tebriz.
1808 ( 11 Junery ) : Tesuj : Destructive earthquake in Tesuj with M=6.0 and feeling range 120 km.
1808 ( Junery ) : Hoy : earthquake in Hoy.
1812 : Djulfa : earthquake in Djulfa.
1812 ( 14 June ) : Tebriz : earthquake in Tebriz.
1819 ( 29 Junery ) : Tebriz –Tesuj : earthquake in Tebriz –Tesuj region .
1820 ( Junery) : Tebriz :earthquake in Tebriz:.
1823 (Decamber) : Tebriz : earthquake in Tebriz.
1828 ( 14-16 Agut ) : Karabag : earthquake in karabag.
1829 ( 29 April ) : Hoy : erathquake in Hoy.
1831 : Tebriz : earthquake in Tebriz.
1832 ( 8 Decamber) : Astara : earthquake in Astara.
1837 ( 7 June ) : Salmas : Earthquake in Salmas.
1840 ( 22 Junery ) : Astara : Erathquake in Astrada.
1840 ( 2 Junery ) : Maku- Agrıdag :Destructive earthquake in Maku- Agrıdag with M=7.2 and feeling range 400 km .aftreshok until 8 months.
1843 : ( 18 April ) : Hoy : Destructive earthquake in Hoy with M=5.9 and feeling range 19 km. 1000 people dead.
1843 till 1857 : Tebriz :earthqakue in Tebriz .
1846 ( 22 Junery ) : Erdebil: Earthquake in Erdebil.
1857: Tesuj: earthquake in Tesuj. 3 people killed.
1859 : Shamahı: Earthquake in Shamahı . sity is destroyed
1862 ( 30 December ) : Erdebil - Hir : destrucive earthquake in Hir. 500 people killed.
1870 ( 26 Junery) : Tebriz : earthqakue in Tebriz:.
1872 : Azerbaijan :earthquake in Genje and İrevan.
1874 ( 28 June ) : Tebriz : earthquake in Tebriz –Miyana.
1879 ( 22 March ) : Miyana: destrucive earthquake in Miyana. 1000 people killed.
1880 ( 4 Junery) : Gerus : earthquake in Gerus .
1883 ( 3 June) : Tebriz : earthquake in Tebriz.
1894 ( 9 June ) : Tebriz : earthquake in Tebriz.
1895 ( 18 Decamber ) : Halhal : destructive earthquake in Halhal.
1896 ( 4 Junery ) : Halhal : destructive earthquake in Halhal.
1896 : ( 5 Junery) : Hoy : earthquake in Hoy.
1900 ( 24 Feburey ) : South of Hoy : earthquake in Hoy . Many house damaged.
1902 M ( 13 Feburay ) : Shamahı :earthquake with M= 6.0 in Shamahi.
1924 M ( 19 Feburay ) :Karadag :earthquake with M= 6.0 in Karadag.
1930 M ( 6 April ) : Salmas :earthquake with M= 5.5 in Salmas.
1930 M ( 7April ) : Salmas: earthquake with M= 7.2 in Salmas .
1931 ( 27 April) : Zengezor: earthquake with M= 6.2 in Zengezora.
1965 ( 10 Feburay ) : Bostanava- Tebriz : earthquake with M= 5.1 in Bostanava
1966 ( 20 March ) : Maku : earthquake with M= 6.0 in Maku
1968 M ( 29 April) : Maku : earthquake with M= 5.3 in Maku.
1970 M ( 14 March ) : Hoy : earthquake with M= 5.3 in Hoy
1970 M ( 4 Oktober ) : Pesve : earthquake with M= 5.5 in Pesve.
1976 M ( 24 Novamber ) : Chaldıran : earthquake with M= 5.5 in Chaldıran.
1990 M ( June) : Tarım : earthquake with M= 7.0 in Tarım, Zenjan, Resht ve Menjil . 40000 people killed.
1996 M ( 28 Feburey) : Edebil : earthquake with M= 5.5 in Erdebil- Sereyn .1000 people killed.

figure 1. Seismotectonic map of Azerbaijan (Gheitanchi et al 2004)



Table 2. Destructive Earthquakes in Azerbaijan region

No
Fault Name
Region
Earthquake Date
1


North Tebriz


Tebriz
634,694,746,834,849,858,868,949,1020,1041,1042,1273,
1314,1441,1459,1550,1572,1633,1640,1641,1649,1650,
1657,1664,1668,1717,1721,1727,1755,1774,1780,1781,1791,
1803,1812,1819,1820,1823,1831,1843,1870,1874,1883,1894

2
Agri
Maku
200B.C ,1319,1622,1659,1696,1783,1840,1966,1966,1968,1976
3
Zengezor
Zengezor
735,906,1308,1406,1931,1965
4
Zengezor
İrevan
851,858,869,1669,1716,1872
5
Agri
Dovin
863,893
6
Neor
Erdebil
893,894,1846,1862,1996
7
Pesve
Serdesht
1135,1970
8
Genje
Genje
1139,1872
9
N.Tebriz
Serab
1304,1567,1593,1717,1924
10
N.Tebriz
Miyana
1621,1879
11
Van
Van
1648,1715
12
Mishov
Merend
1780
13
Mishov
Tesuj
1808,1819,1857
14
Var
Hoy
1808,1829,1843,1896,1900,1970
15
Zengezor
Djulfa
1812
16
Karabag
Karabag
1824
17
Astara
Astara
1832,1840
18
Salmas, Derik
Salmas
1837,1930
19
Shamahi
Shamahi
1859,1902
20
Herzevil
Tarım
1990
21
Hahal
halhal
1895,1896

Discussion and Coclusion
Historical and instrumental earthquake studies have shown that Azerbaijan region specially capital city, Tebriz, have very active crust and dameged several times. West of Azerbaijan except Urmia city have very aktiv position. Salmas, Hoy, Ushnu and Serdesht have been dameged and destroyed perior 2000 years ago. For example salmas region desrtoyed in 1930 by earthquake with magnitude M=7.2 . center of Azerbaijan had evidenced destructive earthquakes that several of them damaged Tebriz and near regions comlatly. But within 200 yers ago we didnot have any destructive earthquake in Tebriz so thids region have high risk for damaging. East of Azerbaijan had destructive earthquakes in historical time .in 1990 in Tarum and Zenjan and in 1995 we had earthquake in Erdebil . this earthquakes show either in past or in present time this region has active position so we don't have expected any big earthquake in This region.
Acknowledgments
The authers would like to thank University of Ankara , geophysic branche where this paper was prepared in there.





References
Ambersayes, N.N. and Melvil,C.P., 1982, A History of Persian Earthquakes , Cambridge University Press, 219p.
Berberian. M. 1976, Salmas earthquake, Iran Gs Report No 39
Berberian. M. 1976 Contribution To The Seismotectonies of Iran (part IV) , Iran Gs Report No 40
Berberian. M. Tchalenco. J.S.1976 Field study and documentation of The 1930 Salmas earthquake, Iran Gs no 49 P 271- 342
Berberian. M. 1976 Macro seismic epicenters of destructive and damaging earthquakes in Iran (1900-1976). Iran Gs No 39
Gheitanchi ,M.r., Mirzaei.N., Bayramnajad.A., Pormohammad.B., Farazmand.A., 2004, Pattern of Seismicity in Northwest Iran, Revealed from Local Seismic Network, Geoscınenses, vol.11 no.49-50
Malekzade ,T., 1998, Azerbaycan earthquakes. MS Thesis. Tehran


[1] tohidmelikzade@yahoo.com tel: 0098 914 446 9810

[2] University of Anakara, Technical Enstitusu, Geophysic Branch