Tectonic Setting and Seismicity of the Badakhshan Region, Afghanistan

Document Type : Research Article

Authors

1 Department of Geomorphology hazards, Geography faculty, University of Tehran, Tehran, Iran

2 Department of Natural Geography, Geomorphology Hazards, Faculty of Geography, University of Tehran

3 Professor, Seismological Research Center, International Institute of Seismology and Earthquake Engineering (IIEES), Tehran, Iran

Abstract

The plate tectonics of Northeast Afghanistan are complex with diffuse and sparse seismicity in the broad plate deformation zones embedded by a number of micro-plates in the Badakhshan. Geothermal techniques in this area provide an important tool for investigating plate tectonic kinematics and identifying the approximate plate tectonic geometries. In this paper, we have processed Seismic centers data (1909–2022) collected by EMME and USGS catalogs and Geothermal data by Landsat 8 satellite images. Modeling of tectonic lines by geothermal energy and seismicity trends are studied. We find that the deformation in Northeast Asia can be well described by several blocks, independent of the Eurasian plate motion. Landsat images showed the important geothermal lines with medium and low importance. Tectonic micro-zones were defined by placing lines of high importance and medium importance together. According to the trend of seismicity centers concentrated from east to west of the Badakhshan region, the e result shows the continuation of east-west fractures. This east-west trend in the center of Badakhshan is located exactly in the fracture and the edge of the micro-zone plate with medium importance. The transformation of medium-importance fractures into high-importance fractures in the geographical center of Badakhshan can cause more important earthquakes in the region.

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References

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