JERUSALEM, Nov. 26 (Xinhua) -- Israeli researchers from the University of Haifa (UH) and the Geological Survey of Israel have discovered that the Dead Sea Fault and the East Anatolian Fault in Türkiye are not tectonically connected, contrary to common assumptions, UH said in a statement on Tuesday.
Published in the journal Tectonophysics, the finding illuminates why the deadly earthquakes that struck southeastern Türkiye last year did not lead to secondary earthquakes in Israel.
According to this research, the seismic energy from the earthquakes in Türkiye did not transfer into the Dead Sea Fault, the northern part of the Great Rift Valley, but was instead absorbed by smaller tremors in Syria and Lebanon.
By analyzing seismic data and reviewing previous geological studies on earthquakes, tectonics, and volcanic activity related to the development of the Dead Sea Fault, researchers confirmed that the fault's northward progression has gradually separated the Sinai and Arabian plates over millions of years.
They also found that modern earthquakes are concentrated along the southern portion of the fault, from the Red Sea to the Sea of Galilee, while north of Lebanon, earthquakes spread across a wider area, including the Syrian Palmyra and Aleppo regions.
In these areas, displacement along the Dead Sea Fault diminishes significantly and disappears at its junction with the East Anatolian Fault.
"The findings help to understand how seismic energy is released in earthquake-prone areas and could aid in improving earthquake prediction and preparedness," the researchers said.
They concluded that the area of convergence between the two faults can be seen as a natural laboratory for studying the processes involved in forming connections between tectonic plate boundaries, giving it international significance. ■
