<p>The present thesis collects results of research applying theory and methods of statistical seismology to the seismicity of Central America, a region with a complex tectonic setting controlled by the interaction of four major plates, namely the Caribbean, Cocos, Nazca and North American plates.</p><p>Three different earthquake catalogues were used for studies focused on stress in a tectonic volume, seismic hazard maps and seismicity patterns (precursors), covering the region 94ºW to 81ºW and 5ºN to 20ºN.</p><p>Variations in the <i>b</i>-value, the parameter in Gutenberg & Richter’s equation Log<i>N</i>=<i>a</i>-<i>bM</i>, as a function of depth in the subduction zone were investigated. High <i>b</i>-values were identified in the upper part of the slab at depths of 80-110km beneath Guatemala-El Salvador and at depths 130-170km beneath Nicaragua. These anomalies may be related to the generation of volcanism occurring above them. Time dependence of the <i>b</i>-value was also studied. Five case studies were selected (events with <i>M</i><i>S</i> ≥7.2) for a detailed analysis. In three out of five cases, it was possible to link <i>b</i>-value minima to the time of occurrence of corresponding large events. </p><p>Seismic quiescence was mapped as a function of time and space by a griding technique. The characteristics of the quiescence were calculated using the statistics <i>Z</i> and <i>ß</i> and for Time Window lengths between 1 and 5 years. Five positive anomalies were found, which can be associated with large earthquakes (<i>M</i><i>S</i>≥7.2).</p><p>Finally, a Monte Carlo approach was utilized to evaluate the ground motion hazard and its uncertainties in northern Central America. A set of new seismic hazard maps exhibiting probabilistic values of peak ground acceleration (PGA) with 50%, 10%, and 5% probabilities of exceedance (PE) in 50 years is presented for a large area of northern Central America, including El Salvador and Guatemala.</p>
| Identifer | oai:union.ndltd.org:UPSALLA/oai:DiVA.org:uu-3613 |
| Date | January 2003 |
| Creators | Monterroso Juárez, David Aníbal |
| Publisher | Uppsala University, Department of Earth Sciences, Uppsala : Acta Universitatis Upsaliensis |
| Source Sets | DiVA Archive at Upsalla University |
| Language | English |
| Detected Language | English |
| Type | Doctoral thesis, comprehensive summary, text |
| Relation | Comprehensive Summaries of Uppsala Dissertations from the Faculty of Science and Technology, 1104-232X ; 897 |
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