Paleoearthquakes of the Duzce fault (North Anatolian Fault Zone): Insights for large surface faulting earthquake recurrence

The 12 November 1999 Mw 7.1 earthquake ruptured the Du¨zce segment of the North
Anatolian Fault Zone and produced a 40-km-long surface rupture. To improve
knowledge about earthquake recurrence on this fault, we undertook paleoseismological
trench investigations. We found evidence for repeated surface faulting paleoearthquakes
predating the 1999 event during the past millennium. Dating was based on radiocarbon,
210Pb analyses, and archaeological considerations. In addition to the 1999 earthquake,
prior surface faulting earthquakes are dated as follows: A.D. 1685–1900 (possibly end of
19th century), A.D. 1495–1700, and A.D. 685–1020 (possibly A.D. 890–1020). The
A.D. 967 and A.D. 1878 historical earthquakes are good candidates to have ruptured the
Du¨zce fault correlating with the oldest and penultimate paleoearthquakes. No obvious
correlation for the third paleoearthquake (A.D. 1495–1700) exists. These results shows
that the Du¨zce fault considerably participates, along with the parallel Mudurnu fault
sections, in the seismogenic deformation taking place along this part of the North
Anatolian Fault. Four events since A.D. 685–1020 (possibly A.D. 890–1020) would yield
an average recurrence time for the Du¨zce fault of 330–430 years (possibly 330–
370 years). The three most recent earthquakes, including 1999, occurred within 500 years.
Merging results from other paleoseismological studies along the Du¨zce fault show a
consistency of results and yields average recurrence times for the past 2000 years of 320–
390 years. Assuming that the 1999 slip (2.7 m average, 5 m maximum) is representative of
the behavior of this fault, the above recurrence times yield a reference figure of fault slip
rate in the range 6.9–15.6 mm/a

EU project RELIEF (EVG1-CT-2002-00069)

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