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Seismic hazard for the Central Group of the Azores Islands

A. Carvalho, M.L. Sousa, C.S. Oliveira, A. Campos-Costa, J.C. Nunes and V.H. Forjaz

Abstract: 

Probabilistic seismic hazards maps have been prepared either for the archipelago of the Azores in general terms, or for the islands of the Central Group using updated seismic information for the region, including a revision of the earthquake catalogue for the period 1522-1998. Two different approaches were used: (i) a standard seismic source model and (ii) a semi-zonified source model based on spatially smoothed seismicity where no delineation of seismic sources is needed. Preliminary data point out that high PGA values were obtained for an area located to the west of the Central Group and for an area between Terceira and the São Miguel Islands. Deaggregation of hazard for some counties was evaluated and results are presented in terms of mean and modal values of magnitude and distance, showing that the main contributions to hazard in all counties are from close-in and not very severe earthquakes.