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Characterizing the active tectonics in the Oran region (Algeria) and recasting the 1790 earthquake

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Abstract

In this work, we reappraise the seismogenic potential of the geologic structures in the western Tell Atlas of Algeria, considered active host to moderate to low magnitude earthquakes. The direct identification of active faults is generally a difficult task in northern Algeria. The active tectonics in the Oran Plio-Quaternary age basin (Northwestern Algeria) is analyzed and characterized through a morpho-structural study combining topographic, geomorphologic, geological, and neotectonic data. Folds and fault scarps affecting Quaternary deposits show that the region is affected by compressional deformation still active nowadays, as shown by the recorded seismic activity. Our new observations enable a better understanding of the present seismotectonic context of the Oran region, particularly with regard to the magnitude and source of the 1790 Oran damaging event. The obtained result helps to shed some light on the elusive active tectonics characterizing this coastal area, and to assess regional seismic hazard, particularly in coastal zones where large seismogenic areas straddle the onshore–offshore zones.

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Acknowledgments

This study has been supported by the CRAAG/Algiers, the FSTGAT USTHB/University, and the MEDYNA FP7-PEOPLE-2013-IRSES project. I.B., S.M., A.H., G.R., A.R, and F.D. are NAGET members (http://naget.ictp.it/).

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Laboratoire de Géodynamique, Géologie de l’Ingénieur et Planétologie (FSTGAT, USTHB), BP32, El Alia, Bab Ezzouar, Algiers, Algeria

    Imene Meriem Benbakhti, Djelloul Belhai, Ghilles Rabai & Ahmed Rezouk

  2. Agence du Service Géologique de l’Algérie, Lotissement 11 Décembre 1960 El Biar, Algiers, Algeria

    Imene Meriem Benbakhti & Ahmed Rezouk

  3. Centre de Recherche en Astronomie, Astrophysique et Géophysique, BP. 63, Bouzaréah, 16340, Algiers, Algeria

    Said Maouche & Assia Harbi

  4. Simons Fellow at AbdusSalam, International Centre for Theoretical Physics, Trieste, Italy

    Assia Harbi

  5. Géosciences Montpellier, CNRS, Université de Montpellier, UMR 5243, Montpellier, France

    Jean-François Ritz

  6. Istituto Nazionale di Geofisica e Vulcanologia, via di Vigna Murata, 605-00143, Rome, Italy

    Fawzi Doumaz

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  1. Imene Meriem Benbakhti
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  2. Said Maouche
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  3. Djelloul Belhai
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  8. Fawzi Doumaz
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Correspondence to Said Maouche.

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Benbakhti, I.M., Maouche, S., Belhai, D. et al. Characterizing the active tectonics in the Oran region (Algeria) and recasting the 1790 earthquake. J Seismol 22, 1549–1561 (2018). https://doi.org/10.1007/s10950-018-9784-3

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