Share:


Geodetic evidence for post-seismic deformations following the 2014 North Aegean Mw 6.9 earthquake

    Michail Gianniou   Affiliation
    ; Panagiotis Argyrakis   Affiliation
    ; Tatiani Prasinou   Affiliation

Abstract

The 2014 North Aegean Sea earthquake was a strong (Mw 6.9) event that caused significant crustal deformations. In the present study we investigate the long-term impact of the earthquake on the kinematics of the North Aegean Trough (NAT). For this purpose, we analyzed GPS observations collected from May 2010 to April 2022 at five permanent GPS reference stations. Two of these stations are located close to the epicenter(s) on the Islands of Lemnos and Samothrace. We processed the data using the Precise Point Positioning (PPP) technique. The analysis of the obtained coordinate time-series revealed a post-seismic deformation (PSD) period lasting for more than two years leading to cumulative 2D post-seismic displacement of 22 mm and 27 mm for Samothrace and Lemnos, respectively. The magnitudes of these post-seismic slip vectors correspond to 23% and 49% of the co-seismic vectors at Samothrace and Lemnos, respectively. The long-term analysis showed that after the end of the PSD period the stations are characterized by stable velocities that are noticeably different compared to the velocities prior to the event. We observed a change in the velocity in the order of 2 mm/yr for both Samothrace and Lemnos. It is the first time that PSD and velocity changes have been reported for the 2014 North Aegean Sea earthquake shedding light on the characteristics and the impact of this important earthquake on the kinematics of NAT.

Keyword : North Aegean Trough, earthquake, post-seismic deformation, velocity change, GPS, Precise Point Positioning

How to Cite
Gianniou, M., Argyrakis, P., & Prasinou, T. (2023). Geodetic evidence for post-seismic deformations following the 2014 North Aegean Mw 6.9 earthquake. Geodesy and Cartography, 49(4), 195–208. https://doi.org/10.3846/gac.2023.19369
Published in Issue
Dec 19, 2023
Abstract Views
442
PDF Downloads
247
Creative Commons License

This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License.

References

Altamimi, Z., Rebischung, P., Métivier, L., & Collilieux, X. (2016). ITRF2014: A new release of the international terrestrial reference frame modeling nonlinear station motions. Journal of Geophysical Research: Solid Earth, 121(8), 6109–6131. https://doi.org/10.1002/2016JB013098

Bertiger, W., Bar-Sever, Y., Dorsey, A., Haines, B., Harvey, N., Hemberger, D., Heflin, M., Lu, W., Miller, M., Moore, A. W., & Murphy, D. (2020). GipsyX/RTGx, a new tool set for space geodetic operations and research. Advances in Space Research, 66(3), 469–489. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.asr.2020.04.015

Bitharis, S., Fotiou, A., Pikridas, C., Rossikopoulos, D., Pavlides, S., & Chatzipetros, A. (2016). The Samothrace earthquake of May 2014 and the displacements estimations using permanent GPS stations data. Bulletin of the Geological Society of Greece, 50(3), 1545–1552. https://doi.org/10.12681/bgsg.11867

Boehm, J., Niell, A., Tregoning, P., & Schuh, H. (2006). Global Mapping Function (GMF): A new empirical mapping function based on numerical weather model data. Geophysical Research Letters, 33, L07304. https://doi.org/10.1029/2005GL025546

Bos, M. S., Fernandes, R. M. S., Williams, S. D. P., & Bastos, L. (2013). Fast error analysis of continuous GNSS observations with missing data. Journal of Geodesy, 87, 351–360. https://doi.org/10.1007/s00190-012-0605-0

Bulut, F. (2015). Different phases of the earthquake cycle captured by seismicity along the North Anatolian Fault. Geophysical Research Letters, 42, 2219–2227. https://doi.org/10.1002/2015GL063721

Bulut, F., Özener, H., Doğru, A., Aktuğ, B., & Yaltırak, C. (2018). Structural setting along the Western North Anatolian Fault and its influence on the 2014 North Aegean Earthquake (Mw 6.9). Tectonophysics, 745, 382–394. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.tecto.2018.07.006

Caputo, R., Chatzipetros, A., Pavlides, S., & Sboras, S. (2012). The Greek Database of Seismogenic Sources (GreDaSS): State-of-the-art for northern Greece. Annals of Geophysics, 55(5), 859–894. https://doi.org/10.4401/ag-5168

Chousianitis, K., Ganas A., & Evangelidis, C. P. (2015). Strain and rotation rate patterns of mainland Greece from continuous GPS data and comparison between seismic and geodetic moment release. Journal of Geophysical Research: Solid Earth, 120(5), 3909–3931. https://doi.org/10.1002/2014JB011762

Erdik, M., Pınar, A., Akkar, S., Zülfikar, C., Kalafat, D., Keko­valı, K., Özel, N. M., & Necmioğlu Ö. (2014). Earthquake report of 24 May 2014 Northern Aegean Sea. Boğaziçi Technical University, KOERI. http://www.koeri.boun.edu.tr/sismo/2/wp-content/uploads/2014/05/KOERI_Press_Bulletin_NAn_EQ_24May2014_v7.pdf

Ergintav, S., Reilinger, R. E., Çakmak, R., Floyd, M., Çakır, Z., Doğan, U., King, R. W., McClusky, S., & Özener, H. (2014). Istanbul’s earthquake hot spots: Geodetic constraints on strain accumulation along faults in the Marmara seismic gap. Geophysical Research Letters, 41(16), 5783–5788. https://doi.org/10.1002/2014GL060985

Evangelidis, C. P. (2015). Imaging supershear rupture for the 2014 Mw 6.9 Northern Aegean earthquake by backprojection of strong motion waveforms. Geophysical Research Letters, 42(2), 307–315. https://doi.org/10.1002/2014GL062513

Ganas, A., Briole, P., Bozionelos, G., Barberopoulou, A., Elias, P., Tsironi, V., Valkaniotis, S., Moschou, A., & Mintourakis, I. (2020). The 25 October 2018 Mw = 6.7 Zakynthos earthquake (Ionian Sea, Greece): A low-angle fault model based on GNSS data, relocated seismicity, small tsunami and implications for the seismic hazard in the west Hellenic Arc. Journal of Geodynamics, 137, 101731. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jog.2020.101731

Ganas, A., Elias, P., Briole, P., Valkaniotis, S., Escartin, J., Tsironi, V., Karasante, I., & Kosma, C. (2021). Co-seismic and post-seismic deformation, field observations and fault model of the 30 October 2020 Mw = 7.0 Samos earthquake, Aegean Sea. Acta Geophysica, 69(3), 999–1024. https://doi.org/10.1007/s11600-021-00599-1

Gianniou, M. (2008). HEPOS: Designing and implementing an RTK-network. GEOInformatics: Magazine for Surveying, Mapping & GΙS Professionals, 11, 10–13. https://www.hepos.gr/hepos/HEPOS_pub_2008b_en.pdf

Gianniou, M. (2009, May 27–30). National report of Greece to EUREF 2009. In Proceedings of the EUREF 2009 Sympo­sium (pp. 1–6), Florence, Italy. http://www.euref.eu/symposia/2009Florence/07-12-p-Greece.pdf

Gianniou, M., & Stavropoulou, I. (2016, May 25–27). Estimation of tectonic velocities using GPS Precise Point Positioning: The case of Hellenic RTK network HEPOS. In Proceedings of the EUREF 2016 Symposium (pp. 1–8), San Sebastian, Spain. http://www.euref.eu/symposia/2016SanSebastian/04-04-p-Gianniou-Stavropoulou.pdf

Gianniou, M., Mitropooulou, E., & Mastoris, D. (2017, May 17–19). National report of Greece to EUREF 2017. In Proceedings of the EUREF 2017 Symposium (pp. 1–7), Wroclaw, Poland. http://www.euref.eu/symposia/2017Wroclaw/05-10-p-Greece.pdf

Gianniou, M., Mitropooulou, E. & Mastoris, D. (2019, May 15–17). On the role of the length of GPS time-series in the accuracy of tectonic velocities’ estimation: Examples from the HEPOS network. In Proceedings of the 4th Joint International Symposium on Deformation Monitoring (JISDM) (pp. 1–8), Athens, Greece. https://www.fig.net/resources/proceedings/2019/04_JISDM2019/49.pdf

Golriz, D., Bock, Y., & Xu, X. (2021). Defining the coseismic phase of the crustal deformation cycle with seismogeodesy. Journal of Geophysical Research: Solid Earth, 126(10), e2021JB022002. https://doi.org/10.1029/2021JB022002

Görgün, E., & Görgün, B. (2015). Seismicity of the 24 May 2014 Mw 7.0 Aegean Sea earthquake sequence along the North Aegean Trough. Journal of Asian Earth Sciences, 111, 459–469. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jseaes.2015.06.018

He, X., Montillet, J. P., Fernandes, R., Bos, M., Yu, K., Hua, X., & Jiang, W. (2017). Review of current GPS methodologies for producing accurate time series and their error sources. Journal of Geodynamics, 106, 12–29. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jog.2017.01.004

Héroux, P., & Kouba, J. (2001). GPS precise point positioning using IGS orbit products. Physics and Chemistry of the Earth, Part A: Solid Earth and Geodesy, 26(6–8), 573–578. https://doi.org/10.1016/S1464-1895(01)00103-X

Kenyeres, A., & Bruyninx, C. (2004). EPN coordinate time series monitoring for reference frame maintenance. GPS Solutions, 8, 200–209. https://doi.org/10.1007/s10291-004-0104-8

Kiratzi, A. (2002). Stress tensor inversions along the westernmost North Anatolian Fault Zone and its continuation into the North Aegean Sea. Geophysical Journal International, 151(2), 360–376. https://doi.org/10.1046/j.1365-246X.2002.01753.x

Konstantinou, K. I. (2017). Accurate relocation of seismicity along the North Aegean Trough and its relation to active tectonics. Tectonophysics, 717, 372–382. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.tecto.2017.08.021

Kreemer, C., Blewitt, G., & Maerten, F. (2006). Co‐and postseismic deformation of the 28 March 2005 Nias Mw 8.7 earthquake from continuous GPS data. Geophysical Research Letters, 33(7), L07307. https://doi.org/10.1029/2005GL025566

Legrand, J., Bruyninx, C., Altamimi, Z., Caporali, A., Ke­nyeres, A., & Lidberg, M. (2021). Guidelines for EUREF densifications. IAG Sub-Commission for the European Reference Frame. https://epncb.oma.be/_documentation/guidelines/Guidelines_for_EUREF_Densifications.pdf

Müller, M. D., Geiger, A., Kahle, H.-G., Veis, G., Billiris, H., Paradissis, D., & Felekis, S. (2013). Velocity and deformation fields in the North Aegean domain, Greece, and implications for fault kinematics, derived from GPS data 1993-2009. Tectonophysics, 597, 34–49. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.tecto.2012.08.003

Ohta, Y., Miura, S., Iinuma, T., Tachibana, K., Matsushima, T., Takahashi, H., Sagiya, T., Ito, T., Miyazaki, S., Doke, R., Takeuchi, A., Miyao, K., Hirao, A., Maeda, T., Yamaguchi, T., Takada, M., Iwakuni, M., Ochi, T., Meilano, I., & Hasegawa, A. (2008). Coseismic and postseismic deformation related to the 2007 Chuetsu-oki, Niigata Earthquake. Earth Planets Space, 60(11), 1081–1086. https://doi.org/10.1186/BF03353140

Pavlides, S. B., & Tranos, M. D. (1991). Structural characteristics of two strong earthquakes in the North Aegean: Ierissos (1932) and Agios Efstratios (1968). Journal of Structural Geology, 13(2), 205–214. https://doi.org/10.1016/0191-8141(91)90067-S

Perez, J. A. S., Monico, J. F. G., & Chaves, J. C. (2003). Velocity field estimation using GPS precise point positioning: The South American plate case. Journal of Global Positioning Systems, 2(2), 90–99. https://doi.org/10.5081/jgps.2.2.90

Press, W. H., Teukolsky, S. A., Vetterling, W. T., & Flannery, B. P. (1992). Numerical recipes in C (2nd ed.). Cambridge University Press.

Sakkas, V., Kapetanidis, V., Kaviris, G., Spingos, I., Mavroulis, S., Diakakis, M., Alexopoulos, J. D., Kazantzidou-Firtinidou, D., Kassaras, I., Dilalos, S., Vassilakis, E., Kotsi, E., Tselentis, G., Lekkas, E., & Voulgaris, N. (2022). Seismological and ground deformation study of the Ionian Islands (W. Greece) during 2014–2018, a period of intense seismic activity. Applied Sciences, 12(5), 2331. https://doi.org/10.3390/app12052331

Saltogianni, V., Gianniou, M., Taymaz, T., Yolsal‐Çevikbilen, S., & Stiros, S. (2015). Fault slip source models for the 2014 Mw 6.9 Samothraki‐Gökçeada earthquake (North Aegean trough) combining geodetic and seismological observations. Journal of Geophysical Research: Solid Earth, 120(12), 8610–8622. https://doi.org/10.1002/2015JB012052

Saltogianni, V., Gianniou, M., Moschas, F., & Stiros, S. (2016). Pattern of dynamic displacements in a strike‐slip earthquake. Geophysical Research Letters, 43(13), 6861–6868. https://doi.org/10.1002/2016GL069507

Satirapod, C., Simons, W., Promthong, C., Yousamran, S., & Trisirisatayawong, I. (2007). Deformation of Thailand as detected by GPS measurements due to the December 26th, 2004 Mega-Thrust Earthquake. Survey Review, 39(304), 109–115. https://doi.org/10.1179/003962607X165069

Satirapod, C., Simons, W. J., & Promthong, C. (2008). Monitoring deformation of Thai geodetic network due to the 2004 Sumatra-Andaman and 2005 Nias earthquakes by GPS. Journal of Surveying Engineering, 134(3), 83–88. https://doi.org/10.1061/(ASCE)0733-9453(2008)134:3(83)

Sboras, S., Chatzipetros, A., Pavlides, S., Fotiou A., Pikridas C., & Bitharis S. (2015, April 19–24). The May 24, 2014 North Aegean Trough earth-quake: Stress change and displacement patterns. In Proceedings of the 6th International INQUA Meeting on Paleoseismology, Active Tectonics and Archaeoseismo­logy (pp. 356–360), Pescina, Fucino Basin, Italy.

Scherneck, H.-G., & Bos, M. S. (2002, February 4–7). Ocean tide and atmospheric loading. In Proceedings of the IVS 2002 General Meeting (pp. 205–214), Tsukuba, Japan. https://ivscc.gsfc.nasa.gov/publications/gm2002/scherneck.pdf

Şengör, A. M. C., Tüysüz, O., İmren, C., Sakınç, M., Eyidoğan, H., Görür, N., Pichon, X., & Rangin, C. (2005). The north Anatolian fault: A new look. Annual Review of Earth and Planetary Science, 33, 37–112. https://doi.org/10.1146/annurev.earth.32.101802.120415

Straub, C., Kahle, H. G., & Schindler, C. (1997). GPS and geologic estimates of the tectonic activity in the Marmara Sea region, NW Anatolia. Journal of Geophysical Research: Solid Earth, 102(B12), 27587–27601. https://doi.org/10.1029/97JB02563

Styron, R., & Pagani, M. (2020). The GEM global active faults database. Earthquake Spectra, 36(1_suppl), 160–180. https://doi.org/10.1177/8755293020944182

Taymaz, T., Jackson, J., & McKenzie D. (1991). Active tectonics of the north and central Aegean Sea. Geophysical Journal International, 106(2), 433–490. https://doi.org/10.1111/j.1365-246X.1991.tb03906.x

Tiryakioglu, I., Yigit, C. O., Yavasoglu, H., Saka, M. H., & Alkan, R. M. (2017). The determination of interseismic, coseismic and post-seismic deformations caused by the Gökçeada-Samothraki earthquake (2014, Mw: 6.9) based on GNSS data. Journal of African Earth Sciences, 133, 86–94. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jafrearsci.2017.05.012

Vigny, C., Simons, W. J. F., Abu, S., Bamphenyu, R., Satirapod, C., Choosakul, N., Subarya, C., Socquet, A., Omar, K., Abidin, H. Z., & Ambrosius, B. A. C. (2005). Insight into the 2004 Sumatra–Andaman earthquake from GPS measurements in south-east Asia. Nature, 436(7048), 201–206. https://doi.org/10.1038/nature03937

Williams, S. D., Bock, Y., Fang, P., Jamason, P., Nikolaidis, R. M., Prawirodirdjo, L., Miller, M., & Johnson, D. J. (2004). Error analysis of continuous GPS position time series. Journal of Geophysical Research: Solid Earth, 109(B3), B03412. https://doi.org/10.1029/2003JB002741

Zumberge, J. F., Heflin, M. B., Jefferson, D. C., Watkins, M. M., & Webb, F. H. (1997). Precise point positioning for the efficient and robust analysis of GPS data from large networks. Journal of Geophysical Research: Solid Earth, 102(B3), 5005–5017. https://doi.org/10.1029/96JB03860