Papers by George Pararas-carayannis
The study of magnitude-frequency distribution of earthquake hazards in a region remains a crucial... more The study of magnitude-frequency distribution of earthquake hazards in a region remains a crucial analysis in seismology. Its significance has varied from seismicity quantification to earthquake prediction. The analysis of seismicity anomalies of magnitude M => 5.0 earthquakes in Chile from 1964 to 2015 was undertaken by the present study with a view of reporting the trend of earthquake occurrences in the region. Chile has an area of about 756, 950 km2 with an extensive coastline of approximately 6,435 kms. It is situated in a highly seismically and volcanically active zone with a long, narrow strip of land between the Andes Mountains to the east and the Pacific Ocean to the west.It borders Peru to the north, Bolivia to the northeast, Argentina to the east and the Drake Passage in the far south. Of a total of 3,893 earthquakes that have been documented historically, magnitudes Richter 5.0 to 5.9 represent 92.6%, magnitudes 6.0 to 6.9 represent 6.8%, magnitudes 7.0 to 7.9 represen...
There are only few documented moderate to strong earthquakes associated with active tectonics of ... more There are only few documented moderate to strong earthquakes associated with active tectonics of capable crustal faults in Ecuador’s northwestern coastal region. The short seismic record begins with the great earthquake and tsunami on January 31, 1906 (Mw 8.8), followed by other destructive earthquakes and tsunamis in the subduction zone, which are recorded on January 19, 1958 (Mw 7.6) and December 12, 1979 (Mw 7.7). Furthermore, modest earthquakes from capable faults have been registered on April 9, 1976 (Mw 6.7), January 2, 1981 (Mw 5.9), June 25, 1989 (Mw 6.3), April 20, 2016 (Mw 6.0) and January 31, 2017 (Mw 5.5, MLv 5.7). Earthquakes of minor magnitude have not been considered in this study, as they lack to cause coseismic ground effects. In this study, a catalog of geological fault has been delineated with 41 segments of capable and active faults on the sea floor and inland segments of Esmeraldas and Manabí provinces, as the instrumental seismic record does not provide suffici...
The Tsunami Society publishes this journal to increase and disseminate knowledge about tsunamis a... more The Tsunami Society publishes this journal to increase and disseminate knowledge about tsunamis and their hazards. DISCLAIMER: Although these articles have been technically reviewed by peers, The Tsunami Society is not responsible for the veracity of any statement, opinion or consequences.
The Colombia/Ecuador subduction zone is a region where high seismic stress is presently accumulat... more The Colombia/Ecuador subduction zone is a region where high seismic stress is presently accumulating. Statistical probability studies and GPS measurements of crustal deformation indicate that the region has an increased potential to generate in the near future a major or great tsunamigenic earthquake similar to the 1979 or 1906. Although most of the major earthquakes along this margin usually generate local tsunamis, the recurrence of a great mega-thrust, inter-plate earthquake, similar in magnitude and rupture to the 1906 event (M w =8.8, rupture 600 km.), can generate a tsunami with destructive near and far-field impacts. To understand the potential for such destructive tsunami generation in this region, the present study examines and evaluates: a) the controlling inter-plate coupling mechanisms of the tectonic regime of the margin ‐ including lithospheric structure deformation, sea-floor relief and the subduction or accretion of highly folded, hydrated sediments along the seismog...
Abstract : Theoretical time differences in the arrival of P-waves at different seismic stations a... more Abstract : Theoretical time differences in the arrival of P-waves at different seismic stations around the Pacific were compiled and plotted by digital computer and by hand. Time-difference curves were plotted for each pair of seismic stations; such curves will allow the quick determination of earthquake epicenters. The following seismic stations were used in the compilations: Honolulu, Hawaii; Tucson, Arizona; Hong Kong; College, Alaska; and Sitka, Alaska. Included in this report is a modified version of the spherical hyperbola program that was used in the compilation. Travel-time difference charts are included as appendices for all combinations of the seismic stations listed above. (Author)
On 23-rd of March 1988 a symposium was held in Bologna, Italy with the title: Tsunamis generated ... more On 23-rd of March 1988 a symposium was held in Bologna, Italy with the title: Tsunamis generated by earthquakes and volcanic eruptions: theory and observations. The meeting was organized in the framework of the XIII General Assembly (Bologna, 21-25 March, 1988) of the European Geophysical Societ y (EC; S), an organization that counts over 1,000 members among the european as well as the extraeuropean geophysicists. EGS publishes important scientific journals with worldwide circulation, such as Annales Geophysical, Tectonics and the Geophysical Journal, the publication recently formed by merging together the Geophysical Journal of the Royal Astronomical Society, the Journal of Geophysics and the solid earth part of Armales Geophysical. EGS promotes annual General Assemblies consisting of several symposia, workshops, special Iect ures, joint and interdisciplinary sessions.. . covering the whole spectrum of geophysics from planetary and solid earth sciences to hydrosphere and atmosphere sciences and external geophysics. Next year, the EGS General Assembly will take place in Barcelona, Spain from 13-th to 17-th of March. The tsunami meeting was convened by prof. W .M .Adams (USA), by prof. S. L. Soloviev (USSR) and by prof. S. Tinti (Italy) and received sponsorizations from the Istituto Nazionale di Geofisica (ING), Rome and from the Intergovernmental Oceanographic Commission of Unesco (IO C), Paris.
: The general purpose and reliability of bathymetric charts are discussed with regard to their us... more : The general purpose and reliability of bathymetric charts are discussed with regard to their usefulness in geological, geophysical, and oceanographical investigations. A short history is given of the bathymetric work around the Hawaiian Islands which has been conducted by the USC and GS and the U. S. Navy Hydrographic Office, and by other miscellaneous agencies, institutions, and individuals since the beginning of the century. All these sources of bathymetric information are listed in table form along with the date the work was completed and the area covered. A short discussion of the nearshore bathymetry of the island of Oahu is given as well as explanations on how the bathymetric charts were compiled, the scales that were used, the geographic datum, the sea level datum, the control of data, the possibility of errors, and the accuracy and reliability of bathymetric charts in general. Finally, a set of 11 photographically reduced charts is included to be used as an index, 10 of wh...
Science of Tsunami Hazards, 2020
The present study examines the crustal deformational characteristics caused by earthquakes occurr... more The present study examines the crustal deformational characteristics caused by earthquakes occurring primarily on the outer-rise of the oceanic lithosphere in zones of tectonic plate collision and subduction. Additionally it examines the possible reasons why more significant and catastrophic tsunamis are generated in such regions. The analysis is based primarily on observations of the extreme tsunami in the Samoan Islands region, which was generated by the large magnitude earthquake of 29 September 2009, which had its epicenter and tsunami generating area on the front end of the outer-rise of the seismically active northern end of the Tonga Trench and Arc. This is a region where there is greater obliquity of collision, substantial crustal deformation of the ocean floor, and a sharp change in direction of the zone of subduction towards the West. Also, this zone is characterized by extraordinary seismic activity of the oceanic slab, which subducts into the earth's mantle at the hi...
There is ample evidence indicating that on July 21, 365 AD a great earthquake near the west coast... more There is ample evidence indicating that on July 21, 365 AD a great earthquake near the west coast of the Island of Crete generated a mega-tsunami, which was responsible for extensive destruction throughout the Eastern Mediterranean, but particularly on Peloponnesus, the Greek Islands, Sicily, Libya, Cyprus, Palestine and Egypt. It is believed that the combined catastrophic impacts of the earthquake and tsunami were significant catalysts in furthering the declination of the Roman Empire and contributing to its subsequent final division between the East Roman and the West (Byzantine) empires in 395 A.D. In view of subsequent earthquakes and tsunamis in the region and the high probability that a similar great disaster will occur again, the present study reviews and summarizes the seismo-tectonic and kinematic characteristics of the Aegean and Anatolian micro-plates, their interaction with the African and Eurasian tectonic plates and examines and evaluates the historical records pertain...
Science of Tsunami Hazards, 2020
The whole Earth resonates like a bell with normal modes of resonance at distinct frequencies. Whe... more The whole Earth resonates like a bell with normal modes of resonance at distinct frequencies. When extremely large earthquakes strike, the Earth's free oscillations are excited. These excited, long period, enhanced earth oscillations have frequencies which have a tendency to resonate over long periods of time after a major earthquake. The Great Sumatra-Andaman Islands Earthquake of 26 December 2004 - the largest event in the last half century – was the first event in the Moment Magnitude (Mw 9) category to be recorded with modern digital instruments. The earthquake generated distinct stronger free oscillations of the Earth's lithosphere. Also, further coupling of these oscillations reportedly resulted in distinct atmospheric as well as ionospheric perturbations of certain modalities and frequencies. The present paper examines whether the excited stronger "spheroidal normal modes" of free earth oscilations could have contributed as well to tsunami generation enhance...
Close to 50 years ago, and in close cooperation with member states, UNESCO-IOC helped establish a... more Close to 50 years ago, and in close cooperation with member states, UNESCO-IOC helped establish a very successful Tsunami Warning System in the Pacific Ocean. This early warning system involved elements which needed to be supported by governance, coordination and collaboration mechanisms from national to local levels and additionally supported by appropriate and continuously improving instrumental infrastructure. The system was successful because it dealt with one marine hazard only-a potentially destructive Pacific-wide tsunami generated by a measurable large earthquake along a tectonic subduction zone. Such a system required observation and detection of an earthquake of large magnitude, assessment of potential risks to Pacific member countries, integration of risk information in warning messages and distributing, rapidly and reliably, understandable warnings to authorities, risk managers and the population at risk in the potentially vulnerable areas. Educational efforts under the ...
Publishing databases and ELSEVIER Publishing in Amsterdam. The vast dissemination gives the journ... more Publishing databases and ELSEVIER Publishing in Amsterdam. The vast dissemination gives the journal additional global exposure and readership in 90% of the academic institutions worldwide, including nationwide access to databases in more than 70 countries. OBJECTIVE: Tsunami Society International publishes this interdisciplinary journal to increase and disseminate knowledge about tsunamis and their hazards. DISCLAIMER: Although the articles in SCIENCE OF TSUNAMI HAZARDS have been technically reviewed by peers, Tsunami Society International is not responsible for the veracity of any statement, opinion or consequences.
The second edition of the book entitled Numerical Modeling of Water Waves is a well-written, comp... more The second edition of the book entitled Numerical Modeling of Water Waves is a well-written, comprehensive treatise of the evolving science of computer modeling of waves. Its author, Dr. Charles Mader-a pioneering researcher and a world authority on numerical modeling-presents an all-encompassing treatment based on his lifelong research on the subject, conducted mainly at the Los Alamos National Laboratory. In this second edition however-and in a very skillful and methodical manner-the author provides new insights on the subject and updates the reader with what is being done with state-of-the-art, high-performance computers which allow for the adaptation of new codes that can result in even more accurate simulations of waves generated from a variety of source mechanisms-whether earthquakes, landslides, explosions, or the impact of asteroids. The discussions in the second edition include thorough reviews of theoretical principles and of the development of codes for specific applicati...
Population expansion, technological improvements and economic growth in the Kingdom of Saudi Arab... more Population expansion, technological improvements and economic growth in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia have made the use of coastal zones and of selective inland areas more necessary than before. However, the same developments and advanced industries are contributing also to an increased threat of impact from natural, terrestrial and marine disasters. The combination of social and economic factors in the development-without adequate planning-makes the country particularly vulnerable. Also, man-made disasters such as chemical, industrial, nuclear and transportation accidents and conflicts, have the potential to create havoc on terrestrial and marine environments, resources and cultural sites. Slower term environmental disasters, with readily identified anthropogenic input, are also creating water and climate related hazards that will have a severe impact on the population of Saudi Arabia in the future. Equally threatening are potential biological disasters and epidemics. To mitigate fut...
Science of Tsunami Hazards, 2019
An earthquake with Richter magnitude 6.3 struck in the vicinity of Christchurch in New Zealand. I... more An earthquake with Richter magnitude 6.3 struck in the vicinity of Christchurch in New Zealand. It was the second largest seismic event to strike the area within a short time interval. Although of relatively small magnitude, the quake was extremely destructive as it struck much closer to the city than the previous earthquake of 4 September 2010. More than 180 people lost their lives. The earthquake occurred onshore, so there was no tsunami generated. Loss of power at the tide gauge of Lyttelton Port of Christchurch failed to record any wave activity. The GeoNet site at Sumner Head, which is located on the open coast, registered some longer period waves, but these were the result of weather related generation and not of seismic origin. According to eyewitnesses, the earthquake's motions were mild in Aoraki Mt. Cook National Park on the western side of New Zealand's South Island, but the shaking triggered an icefall off the end of the Tasman Glacier's lake and generated si...
Many sophisticated mathematical models have been developed in recent years that provide accurate ... more Many sophisticated mathematical models have been developed in recent years that provide accurate three-dimensional estimates of energy flux and flooding that can be caused by a passing hurricane. All numerical models, regardless of sophistication of
Ιη wrltlng thl $ paper orι the "E1ectro1ysls φί the azide 10n. 1I the wrlter has consulted a... more Ιη wrltlng thl $ paper orι the "E1ectro1ysls φί the azide 10n. 1I the wrlter has consulted a11 aval1ab1e lnformatiQn ιlηεθ 1885. when the azlde lοη was f1rst discover d by Curtlus. The wrlter started hls search wlth..", ",ι lp οί the two major $clence abstracting journalsc τη. Ge:tman Chemlsches Zentrab1att. and the Amerlcan Chemic~l Αbstraεt$. The search 1η the American ChΘm1cal Abstracts started from the year 1907 to the present time, whl1e Chemlsches Zentrablatt wss consulted from 1885 Ιο 1907. Much οί the lnfQrmatlon 1η thls ρβΡΘΧ has been trans1ated from German, French and Russian publicatlons lnto Engl1sh.
Global population expansion, technological improvements and economic growth have made the use of ... more Global population expansion, technological improvements and economic growth have made the use of the world’s coastal zones more necessary than before. However, the same developments and advanced industries, which are the basis of socioeconomic improvements of human living standards, are also contributing to an increased impact from natural, terrestrial and marine disasters around the globe. The combination of social and economic factors in the development of coastal regions – without proper planning- makes a number of developed and developing countries particularly vulnerable to natural disasters. Also in recent years, man-made disasters such as chemical, industrial, nuclear and transportation accidents and wars, are creating havoc on terrestrial and marine environments, resources and cultural sites. Slower term environmental disasters, with readily identified anthropogenic input, are also creating water and climate related hazards that will have a severe impact on humanity in the f...
Population expansion, technological improvements and economic growth in the Kingdom of Saudi Arab... more Population expansion, technological improvements and economic growth in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia have made the use of coastal zones and of selective inland areas more necessary than before. However, the same developments and advanced industries are contributing also to an increased threat of impact from natural, terrestrial and marine disasters. The combination of social and economic factors in the development – without adequate planning- makes the country particularly vulnerable. Also, man-made disasters such as chemical, industrial, nuclear and transportation accidents and conflicts, have the potential to create havoc on terrestrial and marine environments, resources and cultural sites. Slower term environmental disasters, with readily identified anthropogenic input, are also creating water and climate related hazards that will have a severe impact on the population of Saudi Arabia in the future. Equally threatening are potential biological disasters and epidemics. To mitigate ...
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Papers by George Pararas-carayannis