A fast topographic characterization of seismic station locations in Iran through integrated use of digital elevation models and GIS

• Published in: Journal of seismology Vol. 19; no. 4; pp. 949 - 967
• Main Authors: Karimzadeh, Sadra, Miyajima, Masakatsu, Kamel, Batoul, Pessina, Vera
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Dordrecht Springer Netherlands 01-10-2015; Springer Nature B.V
• Subjects: Amplification; Digital Elevation Models; Earth and Environmental Science; Earth Sciences; Earthquakes; Elevation; Geophysics/Geodesy; Geotechnical Engineering & Applied Earth Sciences; Ground motion; Hydrogeology; Mathematical models; Networks; Original Article; Ridges; Seismic activity; Seismology; Stations; Structural Geology; Tiles; Topography; ISW, Iran; GIS; Digital elevation model; Iran; Topographic amplification factor; Topographic position index
• ISSN: 1383-4649; 1573-157X
• DOI: 10.1007/s10950-015-9505-0

We present topographic slope positions of seismic stations within four independent networks (IGUT, IIEES, GSI, and BHRC) in Iran through integrated use of digital elevation models and GIS. Since topographic amplification factor (TAF) due to ground surface irregularity could be one of the reasons of earthquake wave amplification and unexpected damage of structures located on the top of ridges in many previous studies, the ridge stations in the study area are recognized using topographic position index (TPI) as a spatial-based scale-dependent approach that helps in classification of topographic positions. We also present the correlation between local topographic positions and
V
s
30
along with Voronoi tiles of two networks (IGUT and IIEES). The obtained results can be profitably used in seismology to establish homogeneous subnetworks based on Voronoi tiles with precise feedback and in the formulation of new ground motion prediction equations with respect to topographic position and topographic amplification factor.