Discovering the Čirá-Kopanina Fault: Bridging the Gap between Surface Evidence and Seismic Activity

Result code in IS VaVaI

<a href="https://www.isvavai.cz/riv?ss=detail&h=RIV%2F67985891%3A_____%2F25%3A00637947" target="_blank" >RIV/67985891:_____/25:00637947 - isvavai.cz</a>

Alternative codes found

RIV/00216208:11310/25:10506142

Result on the web

<a href="https://doi.org/10.2113/2024/lithosphere_2024_192" target="_blank" >https://doi.org/10.2113/2024/lithosphere_2024_192</a>

DOI - Digital Object Identifier

<a href="http://dx.doi.org/10.2113/2024/lithosphere_2024_192" target="_blank" >10.2113/2024/lithosphere_2024_192</a>

Result language

angličtina

Original language name

Discovering the Čirá-Kopanina Fault: Bridging the Gap between Surface Evidence and Seismic Activity

Original language description

The West Bohemia region in Czechia is well known for its frequent seismic activity, particularly earthquake swarms with magnitudes up to 3-4. Seismicity has been documented since the sixteenth century, with pronounced activity since 1985. Earthquakes concentrate in the Nov & yacute, Kostel area where hypocenters align along a N-S trending fault zone over 15 km long and at depths of 6-13 km. Despite this activity, a clear surface trace of the responsible fault has remained elusive. This study reports the discovery and investigation of a surface manifestation of the & Ccaron,ir & aacute,-Kopanina fault (& Ccaron,KF), which aligns with the Nov & yacute, Kostel focal zone (NKFZ). A multidisciplinary approach, integrating geomorphological, geophysical, and seismological analyses, was used to explore the & Ccaron,KF trace and its near-surface structure. Aligned geomorphological features, including a NNW-trending scarp and linear springs and wet areas, suggest a fault trace extending southward from & Ccaron,ir & aacute, village. A combined geophysical survey, including electrical resistivity tomography (ERT), shallow seismic refraction, gravity survey, and electromagnetic induction, confirmed the presence and characteristics of the fault. ERT data revealed a continuous zone, up to 200 m wide, of low resistivity interpreted as fractured, weathered, water-saturated rocks, indicating multiple parallel fault strands. Measurements across the prominent scarp at & Ccaron,ir & aacute, village consistently confirmed the fault zone's presence with all applied methods. Relocation of earthquake hypocenters (1991-2022) showed a narrow, steeply dipping fault zone striking 169 degrees and descending from 6 to 13 km depth. Subparallel and oblique segments dipping west support the interpretation that the & Ccaron,KF trace represents the surface expression of the NKFZ. The fault scarp implies past surface-rupturing earthquakes, and both historical ruptures and present-day swarms with magnitudes up to ML 5 likely occur within the same fault system. These findings emphasize the & Ccaron,KF's recent tectonic activity and its role in regional seismic hazard assessment.

Czech name

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Czech description

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Type

J_imp - Article in a specialist periodical, which is included in the Web of Science database

CEP classification

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OECD FORD branch

10505 - Geology

Project

Result was created during the realization of more than one project. More information in the Projects tab.

Continuities

I - Institucionalni podpora na dlouhodoby koncepcni rozvoj vyzkumne organizace

Publication year

2025

Confidentiality

S - Úplné a pravdivé údaje o projektu nepodléhají ochraně podle zvláštních právních předpisů

Name of the periodical

Lithosphere

ISSN

1941-8264

e-ISSN

1947-4253

Volume of the periodical

2024

Issue of the periodical within the volume

15

Country of publishing house

US - UNITED STATES

Number of pages

24

Pages from-to

192

UT code for WoS article

001536327300001

EID of the result in the Scopus database

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