Unified earthquake catalogue and mapping of Gutenberg–Richter parameters for the East African Rift System

Abstract

Abstract Background The initial phase of earthquake hazard assessment involves the consolidation of diverse magnitude scales, thereby requiring the homogenization of various magnitudes. Moment magnitude (Mw) emerges as the preferred descriptor for a range of magnitudes, encompassing local magnitude (ML), teleseismic magnitude (e.g., mb and MS), duration magnitudes (MD), and other magnitude proxies. Unlike alternative scales, Mw does not exhibit saturation at high magnitudes, enhancing its reliability. To achieve uniformity in magnitude representation, diverse regression techniques are employed, with the General Orthogonal Regression (GOR) method being widely regarded as the most dependable, accounting for uncertainty in both independent and dependent variables. Methods This study utilized the International Seismological Centre (ISC) Catalogue (http://www.isc.ac.uk/) to compile an array of events related to the East Africa Rift System (EARS). Subsequently, the General Orthogonal Regression method was applied to merge and harmonize the collected data. Furthermore, the research computed Gutenberg-Richter b-values using the newly unified magnitude. Results Notably, the conversion relationships between magnitude proxies, including MS-mb, mb-Mw, MS-Mw, and ML-Mw, exhibited robust correlations, with coefficients of 0.86, 0.80, 0.88, and 0.94, respectively. In contrast, the relationship between ML and mb proxies revealed a notably weaker correlation, registering a coefficient of 0.54. Ultimately, the study identified a magnitude of completeness and a b-value of 3.8 and 0.71, respectively, for the EARS region, providing valuable insights for earthquake hazard assessment in this area. Conclusion Generally, the homogeneous catalogue is a step forward in seismicity assessment and geodynamic activities in the EARS. Hence, developing the empirical equations for the area is essential for future studies on seismic hazards and engineering applications due to the peculiarity of EARS’s geological and tectonic characteristics.