eprintid: 1446
rev_number: 15
eprint_status: archive
userid: 2
dir: disk0/00/00/14/46
datestamp: 2015-02-16 08:37:57
lastmod: 2017-02-08 12:21:36
status_changed: 2015-04-27 12:10:55
type: article
metadata_visibility: show
creators_name: Kijko, Andrzej
creators_id: kijko@geoscience.org
corp_creators: Council for Geoscience, South Africa
title: Estimation of the Maximum Earthquake Magnitude, m max
ispublished: pub
subjects: MP2_2
subjects: MP3_1
divisions: EPOS-P
full_text_status: none
keywords: Seismic hazard, maximum earthquake magnitude m max
abstract: This paper provides a generic equation for the evaluation of the maximum earthquake magnitude m max for a given seismogenic zone or entire region. The equation is capable of generating solutions in different forms, depending on the assumptions of the statistical distribution model and/or the available information regarding past seismicity. It includes the cases (i) when earthquake magnitudes are distributed according to the doubly-truncated Gutenberg-Richter relation, (ii) when the empirical magnitude distribution deviates moderately from the Gutenberg-Richter relation, and (iii) when no specific type of magnitude distribution is assumed. Both synthetic, Monte-Carlo simulated seismic event catalogues, and actual data from Southern California, are used to demonstrate the procedures given for the evaluation of m max.
The three estimates of m max for Southern California, obtained by the three procedures mentioned above, are respectively: 8.32 ± 0.43, 8.31 ± 0.42 and 8.34 ± 0.45. All three estimates are nearly identical, although higher than the value 7.99 obtained by Field et al. (1999). In general, since the third procedure is non-parametric and does not require specification of the functional form of the magnitude distribution, its estimate of the maximum earthquake magnitude m max is considered more reliable than the other two which are based on the Gutenberg-Richter relation.
date: 2004
date_type: published
publication: Pure and Applied Geophysics
volume: 161
number: 8
publisher: Springer Verlag
pagerange: 1655-1681
id_number: doi:10.1007/s00024-004-2531-4
refereed: TRUE
issn: 0033-4553
official_url: http://dx.doi.org/10.1007/s00024-004-2531-4
access_IS-EPOS: limited
owner: Publisher
citation:   Kijko, Andrzej  (2004) Estimation of the Maximum Earthquake Magnitude, m max.  Pure and Applied Geophysics, 161 (8).  pp. 1655-1681. DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s00024-004-2531-4 <https://doi.org/10.1007/s00024-004-2531-4>