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Current motion and short term deformation in the Sinai-Suez area from GPS observations
Author(s)
Language
English
Status
Published
JCR Journal
JCR Journal
Peer review journal
Yes
Title of the book
Issue/vol(year)
/ 41 (2006)
Publisher
Elsevier
Pages (printed)
485-499
Issued date
2006
Keywords
Abstract
We analyze observations from eight GPS campaigns carried out between 1997 and 2005 on a network of 13 sites in the Suez–Sinai
area, where separation between the African and the Arabian plates takes place. This is the key area to understand if and in which
way Sinai behaves like a sub-plate of the African plate and the role played by seismic and geodetic (long-term) deformation release.
Our analysis shows that, on average, the Suez–Sinai area motion, in terms of ITRF00 velocities, matches the African plate motion
defined by the NNR-NUVEL-1A model.
The horizontal principal strain rate axes estimated separately in the Gulf of Suez area and in the northern Sinai vary from
compression across the Gulf (−2.2±1.2)×10−8 year−1 to NE extension (1.0±1.5)×10−8 year−1 in the North, showing the
presence of two distinct domains, so that in our opinion Sinai cannot be considered simply a unique rigid block.
The analysis of GPS baseline length variations shows short-term deformations across the Gulf of Suez, reaching up a maximum
value of more than 1 cm in 8 years.
Since current geodynamical models do not predict significant tectonic deformation in this area, we work under the hypothesis
that a contribute may be expected by post-seismic relaxation effects. Under this hypothesis, we compare the baselines length
variations with the post-seismic relaxation field associated with five major local earthquakes occurred in the area, testing two
different viscoelastic models. Our results show that the detected short-term deformations are better modeled for viscosity values of
1018 Pa s in the lower crust and 1020 Pa s in the asthenosphere. However, since the modeled post-seismic effect results modest and a
certain amount of the detected deformation is not accounted for, we think that an improved modeling should take into account the
lateral heterogeneities of crust and upper mantle structures.
area, where separation between the African and the Arabian plates takes place. This is the key area to understand if and in which
way Sinai behaves like a sub-plate of the African plate and the role played by seismic and geodetic (long-term) deformation release.
Our analysis shows that, on average, the Suez–Sinai area motion, in terms of ITRF00 velocities, matches the African plate motion
defined by the NNR-NUVEL-1A model.
The horizontal principal strain rate axes estimated separately in the Gulf of Suez area and in the northern Sinai vary from
compression across the Gulf (−2.2±1.2)×10−8 year−1 to NE extension (1.0±1.5)×10−8 year−1 in the North, showing the
presence of two distinct domains, so that in our opinion Sinai cannot be considered simply a unique rigid block.
The analysis of GPS baseline length variations shows short-term deformations across the Gulf of Suez, reaching up a maximum
value of more than 1 cm in 8 years.
Since current geodynamical models do not predict significant tectonic deformation in this area, we work under the hypothesis
that a contribute may be expected by post-seismic relaxation effects. Under this hypothesis, we compare the baselines length
variations with the post-seismic relaxation field associated with five major local earthquakes occurred in the area, testing two
different viscoelastic models. Our results show that the detected short-term deformations are better modeled for viscosity values of
1018 Pa s in the lower crust and 1020 Pa s in the asthenosphere. However, since the modeled post-seismic effect results modest and a
certain amount of the detected deformation is not accounted for, we think that an improved modeling should take into account the
lateral heterogeneities of crust and upper mantle structures.
References
Barzaghi, R., Borghi, A., Crespi, M., Pietrantonio, G., Riguzzi, F., 2004. GPS permanent network solution: the impact of temporal correlation. In:
Sanso’, F. (Ed.), Proceedings of V Hotine-Marussi Symposium on Mathematical Geodesy. IAG Symposia, vol. 127, Springer.
Ben-Menahem, A., Nur, A., Vered, M., 1976. Tectonics, seismicity and structure of the Afro-Eurasian junction—the breaking of an incoherent plate.
Phys. Earth Planet. Int. 12, 1–50.
Beutler, G., Bock, H., Brockmann, E., Dach, R., Fridez, P., Gurtner, W., Hugentobler, U., Ineichen, D., Johnson, J., Meindl, M., Mervart, L.,
Rothacher, M., Schaer, S., Springer, T., Weber, R., 2001. In: Hugentobler, U., Schaer, S., Fridez, P. (Eds.), Bernese GPS Software Version 4.2.
Astronomical Institute, University of Berne.
Blewitt, G., Lavallee, D., 2002. Effect of annual sisgnals on geodetic velocity. J. Geophys. Res. 107, B7.
Bonatti, E., 1985. Punctiform initiation of seafloor spreading in the Red Sea during transition from a continental to an oceanic rift. Nature 316,
33–37.
Bosworth,W., Taviani, M., 1996. Late quaternary reorientation of stress field and extension direction in the southern Gulf of Suez, Egypt: evidence
from uplifted coral terraces, mesoscopic fault arrays, and borehole breakouts. Tectonics 15 (4), 791–802.
Calais, E., DeMets, C., Nocquet, J.-M., 2003. Evidence for a post-3.16-Ma change in Nubia-Eurasia-North America plate motions? EPSL 216,
81–92.
Caporali, A., 2003. Average strain rate in the Italian crust inferred from a permanent GPS network-I. Statistical analysis of the time-series of
permanent GPS stations. Geophys. J. Int. 155, 241–253.
Cochran, J.R., 2005. Northern Red Sea: nucleation of an oceanic spreading center within a continental rift. Geochem. Geophys. Geosyst. 6 (3),
Q03006, doi:10.1029/2004GC000826.
Crespi, M., Riguzzi, F., 1998. Software Available for analyzing GPS deformation. EOS Electronic Supplement, http://www.agu.org/eos elec/
98059e.html.
Crespi, M., Pietrantonio, G., Riguzzi, F., 2000. Strain tensor estimation by GPS observations: software and applications. Boll. Geod. Sci. Aff. 3,
261–280.
De Mets, C., Gordon, R., Argus, D.F., Stein, S., 1994. Effect of recent revisions to the geomagnetic reversal time scale on estimates of current plate
motions. Geophys. Res. Lett. 21, 2191–2194.
Doglioni, C., 1990. The global tectonic pattern. J. Geodyn. 12, 21–38.
Doglioni, C., Carminati, E., Bonatti, E., 2003. Rift asymmetry and continental uplift. Tectonics 22 (3), 1024, doi:10.1029/2002TC001459.
Dong, D., Fang, P., Bock, Y., Cheng, M.K., Miyazaki, S., 2002. Anatomy of apparent seasonal variations from GPS-derived site position time series.
J. Geophys. Res. 107, B4.
Dziewonski, A.M., Ekstrom, G., Salganik, M.P., 1997. Centroid moment tensor solutions for October–December 1995. Phys. Earth Planet. Int. 101,
1–12.
Egyptian Seismological Bulletins from 1995 to 2005. National Research Institute of Astronomy and Geophysics, Helwan, Cairo, Egypt.
Fattah, A.K.A., Hussein, H.M., Ibrahim, E.M., El Atta, A.S.A., 1997. Fault plane solutions of the 1993 and 1995 Gulf of Aqaba earthquakes and
their tectonic implications. Annali Geofisica XL (6), 1555–1564.
Israeli Seismological Bulletins from 1995 to 2005. The Geophysical Institute of Israel, online access: http://www.gii.co.il/.
Jackson, J.A., White, N.J., Garfunkel, Z., Anderson, H., 1988. Relations between normal-fault geometry, tilting and vertical motions in extensional
terrains: an example from the southern Gulf of Suez. J. Struct. Geol. 10 (2), 155–170.
Koch, K.R., 1988. Parameter Estimation and Hypothesis Testing in Linear Models. Springer-Verlag.
Le Pichon, X., Gaulier, J.-M., 1988. The rotation of Arabia and the Levant fault system. Tectonophysics 153, 271–294.
Lindquist, S.J., 1998. The Red Sea province: Sudr-Nubia and Maqna Petroleum Systems. Open File Report 99-50-A, USGS.
Mahmoud, S.M., 2003. Seismicity and GPS-derived crustal deformation in Egypt. J. Geodyn. 35, 333–352.
Mahmoud, S., Reilinger, R., McClusky, S., Vernant, P., Tealeb, A., 2005. GPS evidence for northward motion of the Sinai Block: implications for
E. Mediterranean tectonics. EPSL 238, 217–224.
Malkawi, A.I., Numayr, K.S., Barakat, S.A., 1999. The Aqaba earthquake of November 22, 1995. Earthq. Spectra 15, 397–415.
McClay, K., Khalil, S., 1998. Extensional hard linkages, eastern Gulf of Suez, Egypt. Geology 26 (6), 563–566.
McClusky, S., Reilinger, R., Mahmoud, S.M., Ben Sari, D., Tealeb, A., 2003. GPS constraints on Africa (Nubia) and Arabia plate motions. Geophys.
J. Int. 155, 126–138.
Morellato, C., Redini, R., Doglioni, C., 2003. On the number and spacing of faults. Terra Nova 15 (5), 315–321, doi:10.1046/j.1365-
3121.2003.00501.x.
Nostro, C., Piersanti, A., Antonioli, A., Spada, G., 1999. Spherical versus flat models of coseismic and postseismic deformations. J. Geophys. Res.
104, 13115–13134.
Piersanti, A., Spada, G., Sabadini, R., Bonafede, M., 1995. Global post-seismic deformation. Geophys. J. Int. 120, 544–566.
Piersanti, A., Spada, G., Sabadini, R., 1997. Global post-seismic rebound of a viscoelastic Earth: theory for finite faults and applications to the 1964
Alaska earthquake. J. Geophys. Res. 102, 477–492.
Piersanti, A., Nostro, C., Riguzzi, F., 2001. Active displacement field in the Suez–Sinai area: the role of post-seismic deformation. EPSL 193, 13–23.
Pietrantonio, G., 2002. The analysis of GPS permanent network solutions: main features and the impact of temporal correlations. Ph.D. Thesis in
Geodetic and Survey Sciences. Politecnico of Milan.
Pietrantonio, G., Riguzzi, F., 2004. Three-dimensional strain tensor estimation by GPS observations: methodological aspects and geophysical
applications. J. Geodyn. 38, 1–18.
Riguzzi, F., Mahmoud, S., Tealeb, A., 1999. Displacement pattern of the Sinai area: first result from GPS. Annali Geofisica 42 (4), 755–762.
Ron, H., Eyal, Y., 1985. Intraplate deformation by block rotation and mesostructure along the Dead Sea Transform, northern Israel. Tectonics 4,
85–105.
Salamon, A., Hofstetter, A., Garfunkel, Z., Ron, H., 2003. Seismotectonics of the Sinai subplate—the eastern Mediterranean region. Geophys. J.
Int. 155, 149–173.
Sella, G.F., Dixon, T.H., Mao, A., 2002. REVEL: a model for recent plate velocities from space geodesy. J. Geophys. Res. 107, B4,
doi:10.1029/2000JB000033.
Steckler, M.S., Berthelot, F., Liberis, N., Le Pichon, X., 1988. Subsidence in the Gulf of Suez: implications for rifting and plate kinematics.
Tectonophysics 153, 249–270.
Steckler, M.S., Feinstein, S., Kohn, B.P., Lavier, L.L., Eyal, M., 1998. Pattern of mantle thinning from subsidence and heat flow measurements in
the Gulf of Suez: evidence for the rotation of Sinai and along-strike flow from the Red Sea. Tectonics 17 (6), 903–920.
Wdowinski, S., Bock, Y., Baer, G., Prawirodirdjo, L., Bechor, N., Naaman, S., Knafo, R., Forrai, Y.,Melzer, Y., 2004. GPS measurements of current
crustal movements along the Dead Sea Fault. JGR 109, B05403, doi:10.1029/2003JB002640.
Wessel, P., Smith, W.H.F., 1995. The Generic Mapping Tools (GMT) Version 3.0 Technical Reference & Cookbook. SOEST/NOAA.
Sanso’, F. (Ed.), Proceedings of V Hotine-Marussi Symposium on Mathematical Geodesy. IAG Symposia, vol. 127, Springer.
Ben-Menahem, A., Nur, A., Vered, M., 1976. Tectonics, seismicity and structure of the Afro-Eurasian junction—the breaking of an incoherent plate.
Phys. Earth Planet. Int. 12, 1–50.
Beutler, G., Bock, H., Brockmann, E., Dach, R., Fridez, P., Gurtner, W., Hugentobler, U., Ineichen, D., Johnson, J., Meindl, M., Mervart, L.,
Rothacher, M., Schaer, S., Springer, T., Weber, R., 2001. In: Hugentobler, U., Schaer, S., Fridez, P. (Eds.), Bernese GPS Software Version 4.2.
Astronomical Institute, University of Berne.
Blewitt, G., Lavallee, D., 2002. Effect of annual sisgnals on geodetic velocity. J. Geophys. Res. 107, B7.
Bonatti, E., 1985. Punctiform initiation of seafloor spreading in the Red Sea during transition from a continental to an oceanic rift. Nature 316,
33–37.
Bosworth,W., Taviani, M., 1996. Late quaternary reorientation of stress field and extension direction in the southern Gulf of Suez, Egypt: evidence
from uplifted coral terraces, mesoscopic fault arrays, and borehole breakouts. Tectonics 15 (4), 791–802.
Calais, E., DeMets, C., Nocquet, J.-M., 2003. Evidence for a post-3.16-Ma change in Nubia-Eurasia-North America plate motions? EPSL 216,
81–92.
Caporali, A., 2003. Average strain rate in the Italian crust inferred from a permanent GPS network-I. Statistical analysis of the time-series of
permanent GPS stations. Geophys. J. Int. 155, 241–253.
Cochran, J.R., 2005. Northern Red Sea: nucleation of an oceanic spreading center within a continental rift. Geochem. Geophys. Geosyst. 6 (3),
Q03006, doi:10.1029/2004GC000826.
Crespi, M., Riguzzi, F., 1998. Software Available for analyzing GPS deformation. EOS Electronic Supplement, http://www.agu.org/eos elec/
98059e.html.
Crespi, M., Pietrantonio, G., Riguzzi, F., 2000. Strain tensor estimation by GPS observations: software and applications. Boll. Geod. Sci. Aff. 3,
261–280.
De Mets, C., Gordon, R., Argus, D.F., Stein, S., 1994. Effect of recent revisions to the geomagnetic reversal time scale on estimates of current plate
motions. Geophys. Res. Lett. 21, 2191–2194.
Doglioni, C., 1990. The global tectonic pattern. J. Geodyn. 12, 21–38.
Doglioni, C., Carminati, E., Bonatti, E., 2003. Rift asymmetry and continental uplift. Tectonics 22 (3), 1024, doi:10.1029/2002TC001459.
Dong, D., Fang, P., Bock, Y., Cheng, M.K., Miyazaki, S., 2002. Anatomy of apparent seasonal variations from GPS-derived site position time series.
J. Geophys. Res. 107, B4.
Dziewonski, A.M., Ekstrom, G., Salganik, M.P., 1997. Centroid moment tensor solutions for October–December 1995. Phys. Earth Planet. Int. 101,
1–12.
Egyptian Seismological Bulletins from 1995 to 2005. National Research Institute of Astronomy and Geophysics, Helwan, Cairo, Egypt.
Fattah, A.K.A., Hussein, H.M., Ibrahim, E.M., El Atta, A.S.A., 1997. Fault plane solutions of the 1993 and 1995 Gulf of Aqaba earthquakes and
their tectonic implications. Annali Geofisica XL (6), 1555–1564.
Israeli Seismological Bulletins from 1995 to 2005. The Geophysical Institute of Israel, online access: http://www.gii.co.il/.
Jackson, J.A., White, N.J., Garfunkel, Z., Anderson, H., 1988. Relations between normal-fault geometry, tilting and vertical motions in extensional
terrains: an example from the southern Gulf of Suez. J. Struct. Geol. 10 (2), 155–170.
Koch, K.R., 1988. Parameter Estimation and Hypothesis Testing in Linear Models. Springer-Verlag.
Le Pichon, X., Gaulier, J.-M., 1988. The rotation of Arabia and the Levant fault system. Tectonophysics 153, 271–294.
Lindquist, S.J., 1998. The Red Sea province: Sudr-Nubia and Maqna Petroleum Systems. Open File Report 99-50-A, USGS.
Mahmoud, S.M., 2003. Seismicity and GPS-derived crustal deformation in Egypt. J. Geodyn. 35, 333–352.
Mahmoud, S., Reilinger, R., McClusky, S., Vernant, P., Tealeb, A., 2005. GPS evidence for northward motion of the Sinai Block: implications for
E. Mediterranean tectonics. EPSL 238, 217–224.
Malkawi, A.I., Numayr, K.S., Barakat, S.A., 1999. The Aqaba earthquake of November 22, 1995. Earthq. Spectra 15, 397–415.
McClay, K., Khalil, S., 1998. Extensional hard linkages, eastern Gulf of Suez, Egypt. Geology 26 (6), 563–566.
McClusky, S., Reilinger, R., Mahmoud, S.M., Ben Sari, D., Tealeb, A., 2003. GPS constraints on Africa (Nubia) and Arabia plate motions. Geophys.
J. Int. 155, 126–138.
Morellato, C., Redini, R., Doglioni, C., 2003. On the number and spacing of faults. Terra Nova 15 (5), 315–321, doi:10.1046/j.1365-
3121.2003.00501.x.
Nostro, C., Piersanti, A., Antonioli, A., Spada, G., 1999. Spherical versus flat models of coseismic and postseismic deformations. J. Geophys. Res.
104, 13115–13134.
Piersanti, A., Spada, G., Sabadini, R., Bonafede, M., 1995. Global post-seismic deformation. Geophys. J. Int. 120, 544–566.
Piersanti, A., Spada, G., Sabadini, R., 1997. Global post-seismic rebound of a viscoelastic Earth: theory for finite faults and applications to the 1964
Alaska earthquake. J. Geophys. Res. 102, 477–492.
Piersanti, A., Nostro, C., Riguzzi, F., 2001. Active displacement field in the Suez–Sinai area: the role of post-seismic deformation. EPSL 193, 13–23.
Pietrantonio, G., 2002. The analysis of GPS permanent network solutions: main features and the impact of temporal correlations. Ph.D. Thesis in
Geodetic and Survey Sciences. Politecnico of Milan.
Pietrantonio, G., Riguzzi, F., 2004. Three-dimensional strain tensor estimation by GPS observations: methodological aspects and geophysical
applications. J. Geodyn. 38, 1–18.
Riguzzi, F., Mahmoud, S., Tealeb, A., 1999. Displacement pattern of the Sinai area: first result from GPS. Annali Geofisica 42 (4), 755–762.
Ron, H., Eyal, Y., 1985. Intraplate deformation by block rotation and mesostructure along the Dead Sea Transform, northern Israel. Tectonics 4,
85–105.
Salamon, A., Hofstetter, A., Garfunkel, Z., Ron, H., 2003. Seismotectonics of the Sinai subplate—the eastern Mediterranean region. Geophys. J.
Int. 155, 149–173.
Sella, G.F., Dixon, T.H., Mao, A., 2002. REVEL: a model for recent plate velocities from space geodesy. J. Geophys. Res. 107, B4,
doi:10.1029/2000JB000033.
Steckler, M.S., Berthelot, F., Liberis, N., Le Pichon, X., 1988. Subsidence in the Gulf of Suez: implications for rifting and plate kinematics.
Tectonophysics 153, 249–270.
Steckler, M.S., Feinstein, S., Kohn, B.P., Lavier, L.L., Eyal, M., 1998. Pattern of mantle thinning from subsidence and heat flow measurements in
the Gulf of Suez: evidence for the rotation of Sinai and along-strike flow from the Red Sea. Tectonics 17 (6), 903–920.
Wdowinski, S., Bock, Y., Baer, G., Prawirodirdjo, L., Bechor, N., Naaman, S., Knafo, R., Forrai, Y.,Melzer, Y., 2004. GPS measurements of current
crustal movements along the Dead Sea Fault. JGR 109, B05403, doi:10.1029/2003JB002640.
Wessel, P., Smith, W.H.F., 1995. The Generic Mapping Tools (GMT) Version 3.0 Technical Reference & Cookbook. SOEST/NOAA.
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