Present Status of Monitoring Earthquakes in Kurdistan, Iraq

Volume 1 , Issue 1 , January 2016 , Pages 459-470

Authors

¹ Directorate General of Meteorology and Seismology, Erbil, Iraq

² Directorate of Meteorology and Seismology, Sulaimaniyah, Iraq

³ Array Information Technology, 5130 Commercial Drive, Suite B, Melbourne, FL 32940, USA,

⁴ Washington University in Saint Louis, Campus Box 1169, One Brookings Drive, Saint Louis, MO 63130, USA,

Kurdistan, Iraq, is located at the leading northeastern edge of the Arabian plate. Its

tectonic framework is a manifestation of the northeast translational and counterclockwise

rotational motion of the plate and its collision with the Iranian and Turkish plateaus.

Historically, this dynamic setting has subjected the region to frequent seismic activity.

Starting in 2005 Kurdistan embarked on collaborative projects to establish an advanced

seismographic network that covers the region. The goal is to collect an unprecedented

wealth of high quality data that can be effectively used to understand the seismotectonic

framework and eventually the seismic risk throughout the region. In 2006 the North Iraq

Seismographic Network (NISN) was deployed. It consists of ten three-component

broadband stations equipped with STS-2 seismometers, 24 bits Q330 digitizers and

20GB Baler storage devices. In 2008, the five-element KSIRS array was added to

further improve the network’s local and regional monitoring capabilities. KSIRS is

equipped with STS-2 seismometers, 26 bits Q330HR digitizers, 16GB Marmot data

loggers, and radio and satellite communication systems. The data are analyzed using the

Antelope software system installed at the centers in Sulaimaniyah and Erbil. Since

inception some of the NISN stations have been relocated. Plans are underway to build

permanent underground vaults and equip all the stations with telemetry. So far this

seismographic network has outperformed the international community’s reporting of the

regional seismicity by 8:1. Participation in the virtual Middle East Seismographic

Network (vMESN) has also greatly enhanced the NISN network performance.

Statistics