Fault plane solutions of the 1993 and 1995 Gulf of Aqaba earthquakes and their tectonic implications

Abstract

The stereographic projection of P-wave first motions for the 3 August 1993 Gulf of Aqaba earthquake, its largest aftershock (16 h 33 min), and for the 22 November 1995 earthquake were constructed using the polarity readings of regional and teleseismic stations. The focal mechanism solutions of the 3 August 1993 mainshock and its largest aftershock represent a normal faulting mechanism with some left lateral strike slip component. The nodal planes selected as the fault imply high similarity in strike and dip. They are related to a local fault striking NW-SE and dipping to the SW. The selected fault planes are in good agreement with the aftershock distribution. For the main shock of the 22 November 1995, the fault plane solution displays the same mechanism (normal faulting with left lateral strike slip component) with a plane striking N-S and dipping to the west. The fault plane is greatly conformable with the direction of the regional tectonics and also with the aftershock distribution. The main trend of the extension stress pattern is in a NE-SW direction, corresponding to the rifting direction of the Gulf of Suez and may be related to the paleostress along the Gulf of Suez and Aqaba during the Middle to Late Miocene.