Active fault characterization and seismotectonic zoning of the Hispaniola island

Abstract

AbstractDesigning a seismic source model based on the most complete description of potentially active faults and on the kinematics of their latest movements is an essential requirement in seismic hazard studies, at regional and local scales. A study to characterize active faults in the Hispaniola island (today’s Haiti and Dominican Republic) has been conducted in the framework of the probabilistic seismic hazard assessment for Santo Domingo (capital of the Dominican Republic). In this work, we present a seismotectonic map of Hispaniola and its surroundings, based on a compilation and synthesis of geological, geophysical, geodetic and seismological data. Based on these data, distinct seismic zone sources are proposed and classified as either intercrustal domains, major active faults or subduction zones. Each seismic source is described according to several parameters, including its mechanism and current rate of deformation, the associated seismicity and its estimated maximal magnitude. These results constitute an essential database for a homogeneous evaluation of the seismic hazards of Hispaniola.