Focal mechanisms in the southern Dead Sea basin and related structural elements based on seismological data

Abstract:

A dense temporary local seismological network was operated from 10/2006 to 3/2008 in the southern Dead Sea basin also outside the basin within the framework of the DESIRE (DEad Sea Integrated REsearch) project, providing many recordings of local earthquakes. We used the recordings of DESIRE and also the recordings of the permanent networks of Israel Seismic Network, Israel, and Jordan Seismic Observatory, Jordan. We determined high quality focal plane solutions of 490 events, using at least 6 stations (normally >10 stations) with a good station distribution around the epicenters. In the southern Dead Sea basin and adjacent regions there are several clusters of earthquakes. Most of the activity occurred along the eastern bordering fault of the basin, in the Lisan Peninsula and just south and north of it. Along the eastern and western bordering faults we observe mainly strike slip mechanism, probably supporting the left lateral motion along the Dead Sea fault. The nodal planes of many of focal mechanisms inside the basin are parallel to the transverse faults crossing the basin, i.e., Bokek and Ein-Gedi faults, and also parallel to faults that border the Lisan Peninsula on the north-western and south-western sides.