A comparison between the Kazerun (Iran) and the North Anatolian (Turkey) fault systems in fault interaction and seismicity migration based on the spatiotemporal analysis of earthquakes

The Kazerun Fault System (KFS) is a right-lateral strike slip fault system in the middle part of the Zagros seismogenic zone in Iran. Historical and instrumental earthquake data catalogs of this fault system show good evidence of fault interactions and seismic migrations. This study provides evidence for the migration of seismicity in the middle part of the Zagros region along the segments of the KFS, as well as, among the Kazerun fault segments. North Anatolian Fault System (NAFS) is similar to the Kazerun Fault System (KFS) and there are also interactions among the segments of the NAFS. In this paper, we have described the fault interactions and seismic migrations in the KFS and NAFS based on the spatiotemporal analysis of the earthquake data of these two regions in a period of 5 years (from 2005 to 2010). The obtained results indicate that these migrations mainly occur along the trend of these fault systems. Additionally, we found a good agreement between these seismicity patterns and the overall ongoing plate tectonic movements in these parts of the World.