Russian Journal of Earth Sciences
Vol. 4, No. 3, June 2002
Seismic and tectonic activity of faults
on the south slope of the NW Caucasus
E. A. Rogozhin, S. L. Yunga, A. V. Marakhanov,
E. A. Ushanova, A. N. Ovsyuchenko,
and N. A. Dvoretskaya
Abstract
Paleoseismologic studies of recent years on the southern slope of the Northwest
Caucasus show major earthquakes of up to M 7.0 to have occurred in the past in the
number of geologically active fault zones. Recurrence interval of such seismic events
is on the order of 2000 years. The rate of geologic displacement (creep) on the faults
over the past 100 years is assessed at 1.5 to 2.0 mm/yr.