Torrevieja: ES616

Identification - compilation

Identification

Identification code :

ES616

Fault name :

Torrevieja

Identification method :

Geological/Geomorphological field mapping and marine geophysical research

Geological and geographical set :

Betic Range (Internal Zones), Alicante (onshore and offshore)

Compilation

Name/s of the compiler/s :

García-Mayordomo, J., Perea, H., Alfaro, P., Martín-Banda, R.

Filiation/s :

IGME, ICM-CSIC, UA, IGME

E-mail :

julian.garcia@igme.es

Latest update :

2013-09-27

Location

Geometry and kinematics

Conventions

Variability/Error

Source

Brief comment

Average strike (º) :

116

Variability/Error:

Source:

Brief comment:

The strike of the fault changes from 130º (onshore) to 090º (offshore)

Dip (º) :

Variability/Error:

80-90

Source:

Brief comment:

Based on sparker profiles in Perea et al. (2012). Dip is to the west (onshore) and to the south (offshore)

Rake (º) :

135

Variability/Error:

Source:

Brief comment:

Sense of movement :

Variability/Error:

Source:

Brief comment:

Alfaro et al., 2012; Perea et al., 2012. Previous work interpreted the fault as dextral until Quaternary (Montenat et al., 1990) and normal from Middle Pleistocene (García-Mayordomo, 2005: p.166). The fault zone also shows Quaternary active folding.

Length (km) :

Variability/Error:

Source:

Brief comment:

The onshore length of the fault is 13 km and its offshore extension is 9 km. Folds are associated to the main fault onshore and offshore.

Min depth (km) :

Variability/Error:

Source:

Brief comment:

Outcrops at surface. Offsets sea floor (Perea et al., 2012)

Max depth (km) :

Variability/Error:

8-12

Source:

Brief comment:

Given value is seismogenic depth estimated for the fault itself (see table 4.21 in García-Mayordomo (2005). Seismogenic depth of the Cartagena crustal block is 8 km (see table 4.19 and figs. 4.25-4.27 in García-Mayordomo, 2005).

Width (km) :

12.185

Variability/Error:

Source:

Brief comment:

Area (km²) :

268.073

Variability/Error:

Source:

Brief comment:

Quaternary activity Strength: A+

Variability/Error

Source

Brief comment

Quaternary activity evidence :

Deformation on Thyrrenian marine terraces and marine Quaternary sediments reaching to the sea floor as seen in sparker marine profiles.

Variability/Error:

Source:

Brief comment:

Somoza, 1989; Perea et al., 2012.

Age of the youngest deposits or landforms affected by the fault :

<20 ka

Variability/Error:

20 ka -Present

Source:

Brief comment:

Perea et al., 2012.

Slip rate Accuracy: B

Variability/Error

Source

Brief comment

Vertical Slip Rate VSR (m/ky) :

0.075

Variability/Error:

<0.075

Source:

Brief comment:

From differences in elevation of the Pliocene between La Mata anticline and Cabo Cervera syncline. García-Mayordomo (2005) based on Taboada et al. (1993). Given value is an overestimation.

Horizontal Slip Rate HSR (m/ky) :

0.076

Variability/Error:

Source:

Brief comment:

Assuming 135º Rake (reverse-dextral).

Net Slip Rate NSR (m/ky) :

0.11

Variability/Error:

>0.075

Source:

Brief comment:

Assuming 135º Rake (reverse-dextral). Net slip rate has to be larger than VSR (0.075)

Paleoearthquakes

Variability/Error

Source

Brief comment

Net slip per event at the Surface (m) :

Variability/Error:

Source:

Brief comment:

Unknown

Number of Seismic Events :

Variability/Error:

Source:

Brief comment:

Unknown

Evidence of aseismic creep? :

Variability/Error:

Source:

Brief comment:

Unknown

Seismic parameters

Variability/Error

Source

Brief comment

Maximum magnitude (Mw) :
Reliability: A

6.3

Variability/Error:

± 0.24

Source:

Brief comment:

García-Mayordomo and Martínez-Díaz (2006) estimate 6.3 using length and W&C 1994. However, Mw from total length using Stirling et al. (2002) equation derived from the instrumental dataset provides 6.7.

Recurrence interval (years) :
Reliability: B

15500

Variability/Error:

10000-30000

Source:

Brief comment:

García-Mayordomo and Martínez-Díaz (2006) estimates 10,000-30,000 yrs. Considering the Maximum Earthquake Model (Wesnousky, 1986): RI = Mo f(Mw±d) / Mo f(SR±d) results ca. 15000 yrs.

Date of last major earthquake (years) :

1829 AD

Variability/Error:

Source:

Brief comment:

The Torrevieja 1829 AD event is chiefly related to the Bajo Segura Fault, but it could be also related to Torrevieja, San Miguel de Salinas faults or ruptures of coupled segments of Bajo Segura Fault (García-Mayordomo y Martínez-Díaz, 2006).

Associated seismicity

Agrupación del Bajo Segura-Torrevieja

Name of the event :

Agrupación del Bajo Segura-Torrevieja

Date :

1000-2010

Intensity and/or magnitude :

11 events of I=VII since year 1000

Source of seismic data :

IGN

Basis for association :

Spatial correlation (strong)

Brief comment or references :

García-Mayordomo (2005), p. 173

Orihuela

Name of the event :

Orihuela

Date :

1960

Intensity and/or magnitude :

MSK: VI; M: 4.4

Source of seismic data :

IGN Catalogue

Basis for association :

Spatial correlation

Brief comment or references :

García-Mayordomo, J. (2005)

Torrevieja 1829

Name of the event :

Torrevieja 1829

Date :

21/03/1829

Location :

-0,6833; 38,0833

Intensity and/or magnitude :

I(MSK)=X; Mw=6,8

Basis for association :

Spatial correlation

Brief comment or references :

The Torrevieja event is chiefly related to the Bajo Segura Fault, but it could be also related to Torrevieja, San Miguel de Salinas faults or ruptures of coupled segments of Bajo Segura Fault (García-Mayordomo y Martínez-Díaz, 2006; Perea et al., 2012).

Extended data and references

Explanation :

ES600-ES625.rar

References :

Alfaro, P., Delgado, J., Estévez, A. y López-Casado, C. (2001). Paleoliquefaction in the Bajo Segura basin (eastern Betic Cordillera). Acta Geologica Hispanica, 36(3-4), 233-244.

Alfaro, P., Delgado, J., A. Estévez, Soria, J.M. y Yébenes, A. (2002a). Onshore and offshorecompressional tectonics in the eastern Betic Cordillera (SE Spain). Marine Geology, 186, 337-349.

Alfaro, P., Andreu, J.M., J. Delgado, Estévez, A., Soria, J.M. y Teixido, T. (2002b). Quaternary deformation of the Bajo Segura blind fault (eastern Betic Cordillera, Spain) revealed by high resolution reflection profiling. Geological Magazine, 139(3), 331-341.

Alfaro, A., Bartolomé, R., Borque, M.J., Estévez, A., García-Mayordomo, J., García-Tortosa, F.J., Gil, A., Gràcia, E., Lo Iacono, C., Perea, H. (2012): The Bajo Segura Fault Zone: Active blind thrusting in the Eastern Betic Cordillera (SE Spain). Journal of Iberian Geology , 38(1): 271-284.

Garcia-Mayordomo, J. (2005). Caracterización y Análisis de la Peligrosidad Sísmica en el Sureste de España. Tesis Doctoral, Universidad Complutense de Madrid, 373 pp.

García-Mayordomo, J. y Martínez-Díaz, J.J. (2006) Caracterización sísmica del Anticlinorio del Bajo Segura (Alicante): Fallas del Bajo Segura, Torrevieja y San Miguel de Salinas. Geogaceta, 40, 19-22.

Perea, H., Gràcia, E., Alfaro, P., Bartolomé, R., Lo Iacono, C., Moreno, X., Masana, E., and EVENT-SHELF Team: Quaternary active tectonic structures in the offshore Bajo Segura basin (SE Iberian Peninsula – Mediterranean Sea), Natural Hazards and Earth System Science, 12: 3151-3168, doi:10.5194/nhess-12-3151-2012, 2012.

Slemmons, D.B. (1982). Determination of design earthquake magnitudes for microzonation. En: Proceedings of the 3rd International Earthquake Microzonation Conference, Seatle, Washington, v.1, 119-130.

Somoza, L. (1989). El Cuaternario litoral entre Cabo de Palos y Guardamar del Segura (Murcia-Alicante). Evolución geodinámica en relación con las variaciones del nivel del mar. Tesis Doctoral, Universidad Complutense de Madrid, 352 pp.

Stirling, M., Rhoades, D. and Berryman K. (2002): Comparison of Earthquake Scaling Relations Derived from Data of the Instrumental and Preinstrumental Era. Bulletin of the Seismological Society of America, 92 (2): 812–830.

Taboada, A., Bousquet, J.C. y Philip, H. (1993). Coseismic elastic models of folds above blindthrusts in the Betic Cordilleras (spain) and evaluation of seismic hazard. Tectonophysics, 220,223-241.

Villamor, P. y Berryman, K. (1999). La tasa de deslizamiento de una falla como aproximación de primer orden en las estimaciones de peligrosidad sísmica. 1er Congreso Nacional de Ingeniería Sísmica, Murcia, I, 153-163.

Wells, D.L. y Coppersmith, K.J. (1994). New empirical relationships among magnitude, rupture length, rupture width, rupture area, and surface displacement. Bulletin of the Seismological Society of America, 84(4), 974-1002.

Wesnousky, S.G. (1986). Earthquakes, Quaternary faults, and seismic hazard in California. Journal of Geophysical Research. 91(B12), 12587-12631.

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