Earthquakes and Seismic Hazard in Southern New Caledonia, Southwest Pacific

We use 12 temporary and 9 permanent broadband seismometers that were operating for ∼400 days from October 2018 to November 2019 generate the first published earthquake catalog local magnitude function southern New Caledonia (SNC). Local hypocenters mostly have depths <20 km, but east of Hebrides-Vanuatu subduction zone they deepen >100 km. Our estimates ML 107 earthquakes in are consistently 1.1 units smaller than Mw mb over a range 4.5 7.5, as determined by United States Geological Survey. has 460 with Mw≥3.7 largest event SNC 3.8. Seismicity rates low, ML> 5 2.7 times more frequent elsewhere northern Australian plate. The probability an 50 years is 0.6 SNC. hazard damaging seismic shaking dominated moderate-magnitude earthquakes, rather large-magnitude events. predicted peak ground acceleration Nouméa at 10% exceedance 0.08 g. Residual analysis accelerations demonstrates currently overestimated new regionally specific motion prediction equations (GMPEs) needed. results highlight inadequacy current GMPEs footwall settings need additional studies this type setting.