Table Of ContentCZECHOSLOVAK ACADEMY OF SCIENCES
SEISMICITY
OFTHE
EUROPEAN
AREA
Part 2
CZECHOSLOVAK ACADEMY OF SCIENCES
Scientific Ed itor
Prof. Dr. Alois Zatopek
Member
of Czechoslovak Academy of Sciences
R.ev i ewe r
Dr. JiH Vanek, DrSc.
SEISMICITY
of the
European
A
rea
Part 2
ViT
KARNiK
1971
D. REIDEL PUBLISHING COMPANY
DO R D R EC HT -HOLLAN D
SBN 9027701792
ISBN-13: 978-94-010-3080-9 e-ISBN-13: 978-94-010-3078-6
001: 10.1007/978-94-010-3078-6
Published in co-edition with ACADEMIA, Publishing House of the
Czechoslovak Academy of SCiences, Prague
© Vit K6rnlk, 1971
Softcover reprint of the hardcover 1st edition 1971
Preface
The second part of the "Seismicity of the European Area" contains further
results of the survey of European seismicity, performed during the period 1959 -1967.
It was intended to publish the second part with the shortest possible delay. The first
part appeared in 1968 when the manuscript of the second part was handed over
to the publisher. Unfortunately, due to unexpected technical difficulties the publica
tion had to be postponed until the end of 1970. Thus the manuscript reflects the state
of knowledge corresponding to the year 1967 when the work on the manuscript
was concluded. It was only possible to make minor changes, or to insert additional,
very brief information into the catalogue
Prague, July 20, 1970 Vit Karnik
CONTENTS
1.1. Introduction 7
1.2. Source literature 9
2. Earthquake catalogue 1801-1900 11
2.1. Earthquake parameters 12
2.11. Date, time ofo rigin 12
2.12. Epicentre coordinates 12
2.13. Epicentral intensity 13
2.14. Description of macro seismic effects, foreshocks, aftershocks 14
2.2. Statistical tables 15
2.3. Supplementary catalogues for the years prior to 1801 and after 1955 17
2.4. Catalogue of Earthquakes 1801-1900, 10 ~ VII 19
2.41. Earthquake catalogue of the European and Mediterranean area, unidentified
names of localities 114
2.42. References to the catalogue of shocks 1801-1900 117
3. Some characteristics of seismic activity 123
3.t. Discussion of the magnitude-frequency relation 123
3.11. Delineation of focal regions and related problems 141
3.12. Influence of the method of data treatment 143
3.13. Linearity of the relation between log Nand M 147
3.14. Regional, depth and time variations of the coefficient b 147
3.15. The magnitude-frequency relation; conclusions 152
3.2. The largest and smallest earthquake magnitudes 152
3.21. Application of Gumbel's theory of largest values 153
3.22. The minimum earthquake 161
3.3. Seasonal and daily variations 161
3.4. Energy and strain release 163
4. Seismological maps 171
4.1. Epicentre maps 172
4.2. Map of maximum observed intensity 173
4.3. Energy release map 177
4.4. Seismic belts, regional survey 178
5. Earthquake mechanism 195
6. Tsunamis 203
7. Conclusions and recommendations 207
8. References 209
1. Introduction
This volume on the "Seismicity of Europe" pursues farther the investigations initiated
in 1954 by the European Seismological Commission. The first volume contains the
earthquake catalogue for the period 1901-1955 and also some of the statistical
characteristics and discussions on the seismic activity which were based directly on
the unified seismological information given in [1]. During the study of the seismo
logical data for the period 1901-1955 it was felt that additional information covering
a longer period of time should be used.
The main purpose for the investigation of the seismicity of Europe is to find
some regularities in seismic activity and its upper threshold. For most regions the
period of fifty five years is probably insufficient for the manifestation of earthquake
generating forces.
The 19th century still yields reliable macro seismic material, despite the fact
that its accuracy decreases for the earlier events and varies from region to region. In
general we may trust this information because in many European countries the
interest in natural sciences was roused at the end of the the 18th century and systema
tic earthquake observations had been organised. The seismic activity of a region is
in fact determined by the stronger shocks and it may be assumed that shocks of 10 ~
~ VII have not escaped notice.
Thus the first part of this volume contains a summary earthquake catalogue
1801-1900, 10 ~ VII, as a source of basic earthquake parameters. Its form is some
what different from that used for the period 1901-1955. For obvious reasons the
lower intensity threshold has been elevated compared with that used in the catalogue
for 1901-1955. The boundaries of the investigated area as well as the seismic re
gions have not been altered [1]. Serious difficulties were encountered in unifying
the information concerning the maximum intensity of individual shocks and often
epicentres were difficult to locate. The classification of old historical records involves
many non-seismological problems and belongs partly to the cultural and admini
strative history of each country. Information from the years prior to 1801 is much
more inaccurate and unhomogeneous, particularly fOf the more active regions of
the Balkan and of the Eastern Mediterranean.
Our compilation of earthquake parameters is being extended also to the years
prior to 1801 and following 1955 but the final version could not be realized in short
time to allow for publication in this volume.
7
Homogeneous seismological information, compiled in the first volume, was
used for the construction of seismic maps of a different type. Epicentres, maximum
intensities and seismic energy are mapped to the scale 1 : 7 500 000. These maps
give a general survey of seismic activity within the investigated area and can serve
also for practical purposes. Their preparation was laborious and delayed the pub
lication of this volume. They are appended in a special envelope. No detailed maps
for individual earthquake zones were constructed because it was understood that the
project should yield unified earthquake parameters for an overaIl comparative study
of seismicity of the European area. Regional or local studies can than be made
on the basis of a standard catalogue and maps by specialists from the corresponding
countries. FinaIly, the information was used for an additional statistical treatment
of data, and for the discussion of the magnitude-frequency relation because of its
primary importance. In this way the analysis of the N(M)-function made in the first
volume was continued and the investigation was aimed primarily at the problem of
regional and time variation of the parameter b in the magnitude-frequency relation,
at the ltmits of applicability of this simple relation and at the problem of smaIlest
and largest shocks. The trends in activity revealed by a comparison of the strain
release curves were studied in the example of the North Anatolian fault.
The volume ends with two brief chapters on the focal mechanism of earthquakes
and on the occurrence of tsunami in the European area. This review which completes
the basic information on earthquakes in the catalogues was compiled using the
studies and reports of the most competent experts, Dr. A.R. Ritsema and Dr.N.N.
Ambraseys. It must be noted that both volumes represent a certain stage in the
treatment of seimological information in the European area. Such research is never
ending and goes ahead step by step revealing newer and newer problems so that
neither the author nor the reader can be fully satisfied with the results reached at
a certain stage. The large number of new monographs dealing with European seismi
city which appeared after the deadlines of both manuscripts give evidence of the grow
ing interest in this field and about new and important achievements.
Acknowledgements
The compilation of catalogues and the handling of large sets of data require the
cooperation of many specialists. I wish to express my sincere thanks to all those
who contributed either with their catalogues or who assisted in selecting and classi
fying the parameters, in the calculations, the drawings, etc. My appreciation is due
particularly to Dr. N.N. Ambraseys for valuable remarks on the catalogue, to
Professors A. G. Galanopoulos, P. Caloi, M. de Panfilis, M. Peronaci, N. ()I;al,
K. Ergin, D. Trajic and M. Trapp for very efficient assistance in searching for ad
ditional information during my visits to Rome, Istanbul, Belgrade and Vienna.
8
This study trip was aimed at the improvement of this basic catalogue and maps and
was supported by UNESCO.
The discussions within the Sub-Commission for the Seismicity of the European
area were always encouraging and helpful for the continuous progress of the project;
I am grateful to the old and new members of the Sub-Commission (Bath, Galanopoulos,
Hiller, Medvedev, Munuera, de Panfilis, Ritsema, Rothe, Savarensky and Sponheuer)
for the very useful exchange of ideas. The theory of largest values was applied in
collaboration with Dr.Z.Hiibnerova who performed also the corresponding calculat
ions. The tables and graphs were made by Mr. B. Zavorka and Mr. J. Nykles, the
manuscript was typed by Mrs. S. Cernikova. Mrs. O. Zenklova assisted very actively
in the evaluation of historical reports.
Finally, I am very grateful to the Czechoslovak Academy of Sciences for good
working conditions which enabled me to fulfil the task set by the European Seismo
logical Commission to the Publishing House "Academia" for the publication ot both
volumes and also to "Kartografia" in Prague for the print of the seismic maps.
1.2. SOURCE LITERATURE
The compilation of earthquake parameters for the years prior to 1901 must be based
almost entirely on non-instrumental, macroseismic observation, although the end
of the 19th century is already marked by the first attempts to record earth vibrations
by physically defined devices. The quality and distribution of the first seismoscopes
and seismographs, however, was not sufficient to allow for the instrumental location
of epicentres and for objective statistics. On the other hand, many outstanding
pioneers of modern seismology started with the preparation and publication of earth
quake catalogues, containing a detailed compilation of data for historical shocks,
or an exhaustive description of recent shocks.
This period stimulated also intensified attempts to establish an intensity scale
as a tool for the classification of earthquakes [3]. Thus the catalogues from the
19th century differ in the mode of classification of earthquake effects. Understandably
it was felt by the investigators that some rating of the earthquake force must be intro
duced before any study could be started. The oldest catalogues of shocks from the
19th century only listed the observations and arranged them according to date,
place and type of effects; later works introduced a simple classification of weak,
medium and strong earthquakes. In 1858 Mallet already used three intensity classes
I, II, III with defined meanings, the same system being applied by Milne in 1911.
Rossi and later also Fore1 already divided the shocks into ten classes. The combined
Rossi-Forel scale was more widely used than any other of the old scales. This scale,
or its modified version, was used in Italy, Switzerland and Spain and this fact must
be taken into consideration when accepting the classifications made in the 19th
9
century. Later catalogues compiled in the 20th century used mostly the twelve-degree
scale of Mercalli - Cancani - Sieberg.
Before the compilation of the European catalogue 1801-1900 was started,
the member countries of the E. S. C. had been asked to compile tabular lists of shocks
within their countries, the intensities of which were 10 ?; VII. The response was not
as favourable as during the previous campaign concerning shocks of the 20th century,
however, the representatives of the following countries prepared and forwarded the
lists: Algeria, Czechoslovakia, France, Finland, Hungary, Norway, Poland, Portugal,
Rumania, Spain, Sweden, Turkey, Yugoslavia.
For Albania, Austria, Belgium, Holland, Germany, Denmark, Greece, Italy,
Israel, Morocco and the USSR, uniformly compiled catalogues had been published
before. Only some of them, however, contain epicentre coordinates and the infor
mation about the time used (local, universal) is given very rarely. It is difficult to
locate an epicentre when only macroseismic observation is available and an estimate
of its probable position is very valuable, particularly for a person without a detailed
knowledge of the geography of the respective country.
All the publications or manuscripts used for the compilation of the catalogue
1801-1900 are listed in para 2.42. A few catalogues appeared during the preparation
of the European list 1801-1900 or reached the author after the compilation work
had been finished in 1967, e. g. the catalogue of Ergin et al. for Turkey (EGU)*.
However, the national catalogues were not sufficient and world or regional
catalogues were found to be a very useful source of information for regions not
covered by national catalogues of for confrontation with other source literature.
The most important of them are those by R. Mallet and J. W. Mallet (MMC) and
by A. Perrey (PAA, etc.). These authors did not classify the intensity of the shocks
but gave a description of each event. However, the catalogues cover only the period
till 1872. The remaining period until 1885 is partly summarized in the catalogue by
C.V. Fuchs (FC), which is inconsistent with the two previous ones as far as the
details are concerned. There is no world or European catalogue for the time span
1886-1900 and we must rely entirely on national sources. It follows from the list
of references that most of the information was obtained from "second hand" sources,
not from the original ones. This fact implies the danger of possible distortions brought
about by faulty transcription or by changes made by the authors. The second hand
source means that the original records in chronicles, newspapers, letters, yearbooks,
etc., were not studied but that summarizing catalogues, frequently quoting the ori
ginal texts, were compiled. Most of the information in the catalogue 1801-1900 is
taken from these basic catalogues.
* For abbreviations see 2.42.
10
