Information message about the earthquake in Afghanistan (Gindukush) on March 3, 2002

     On March 3, 2002 the deep destructive earthquake has happened in Afghanistan (North-Eastern part). It happened at 15:08 Moscow time (12:08 GMT). This earthquake has been felt on the vast territory of Central Asia.
     Parameters of the earthquake have been determined in the Alert Service (AS) of Information Processing Center (IPC) of Geophysical Survey of RAS in Obninsk with station data obtained from digital and analog seismic stations of Russia, countries of CIS and from abroad. Alert message on this earthquake has been delivered in 50 min after registration to the Ministry of Emergency of the Russian Federation (EMERCOM).
     Preliminary summary processing of this earthquake has been done with data from 20 stations for normal origin depth (h=33 km). Accurate processing with data from 30 stations has shown, that this earthquke had deep origin (h=200 km). Besides that, analysis of wave picture at search of deep phases has discovered presence of more strong following (10-12 sec from the moment of first arrival) arrival on records from all stations, this subsequent arrival could not be identified as one of the deep phases. It was taken the decision, that superposition of records from two different events was observed and arrival in 10-12 seconds belongs to the other, more intensive strike from the same origin zone. Accurate interpretation of all distinguished arrivals and results of summary processing prove availability of two deep earthquakes – FORESHOCK and the main strike, their parameters are given in table 1.
     Figure 1 presents fragments of records for vertical component (BHZ) from digital stations Arti (delta 21 degrees), Talaya (delta 28 degrees), Obninsk (delta 29 degrees), Lovozero (delta 37 degrees), obtained by IPC in a near to real time mode. Figure 2 presents vertical component (BHZ) from digital stations KONO (Norway, delta 44 degrees), Bilibino (delta 58 degrees), Petropavlovsk Kislovodsk (delta 60 degrees), COLA (Alaska, delta 63 degrees). Obtained wave picture is typical for deep earthquake: almost all stations have registered sharp deep phases for FORESHOCK (sPf), however confident extraction of this phase for the main strike (sPо) not always is possible because of interference with the following waves. This is especially visible on fig. 3, which presents records of 3 components (BHZ, BHN, BHE) obtained at digital station Magadan, which is located at distance of 54,5 degrees from hypocenter. Interference of waves PсPf takes place here, in the area of deep waves arrival from the main strike pPо, while waves PcPо interfere with sPf.

Figure 1
 

Figure 2
 

Figure 3
 
     IPC GS RAS also has obtained information with parameters of this event from some seismological centers, these data are given in table 1:
Note: [1]-FORESHOCK [2]-MAIN STRIKE
Table 1
NN Time in origin h-min-s (GMT) Lat degr. Lon degr. Depth km N s/st Ms/ N mb/ N I0 calc GAP Center
1 12-08-07.10 36 70  200  30   6.40/116.5-7 IPC GS RAS (accurate[1])
2 12-07-46.4 35 70  33  20  6.6/106.6/27.5 IPC GS RAS (preliminary[1])
3 12-08-22.9 36 70  250  18   6.9/106.5-7 IPC GS RAS ([2])
4 12-07-24.0 35 74  33  151  6.2-7.0 6.6   CSEM (preliminary[1])
5 12-08-06.8 36 70  200  268  6.2-7.0 6.6   CSEM (accurate[1])
6 12-08-06.16 36 70  195  52   6.2/33  NEIC ([1])
7 12-08-22.9 36 70  256  66   6.6/49  NEIC ([2])
  • IPC GS RAS - Informational Processing Center, Geophysical Survey, Russian Academy of Sciences
  • CSEM - European - Mediterranean seismological center
  • NEIC - National Earthquakes Information Center of US Geological Service
    • Macroseismic manifestations
         The earthquakes have happened on March 3 at 15:08 Moscow time in the mountains of seismically highly active region of Gindikush on Afghanistan-Pakistan border, in 75 km to the South-South-West from Faizebad or in 240 km to the North-North-East from Kabul – this is the region of deep focus earthquakes (http://wwwneic.cr.usgs.gov/neis/bulletin/020303120822.html, figure 4). Origin of the main strike was located at the depth of 250 km. Powerful strikes have involved seven countries of Central Asia: Afghanistan, Pakistan, India, Tadzhikistan, Uzbekistan, Kyrgyz Republic, Kazakhstan. More than 150 men have been lost in Afghan province Samangan (according to ITAR TASS on 04.03.2002). In Dahani Zoa settlement the disaster has destroyed the hotel and more than 100 houses with inhabitants buried under the debris. As a result of landslides caused by the earthquake the river bed has been blocked and 400 living houses in addition have been flooded. The whole Northern part of Pakistan has been covered by the zone of this earthquake with cities Islamabad, Ravalpindi, Lahor, Peshavar and others. The earthquake also has covered the vast territory of CIS countries. It was felt in many towns and living places of Tadzhikistan, Uzbekistan, Kyrgyz Republic, Kazakhstan: Dushanbe - intensity 6 MSK, Korshi – 5 MSK, Tashkent, Samarkand, Osh – 4-5 MSK, Andizhan, Namangan – 4 MSK, Batken, Sufikurgan – 3-4 MSK, Bishkek – 3 MSK, Chimkent, Dzhambul, Taraz – 3 MSK. The earthquakes have occured in the zone of subduction, on the border of collision between two plates – Euroasian and Indian. Convergence velocity of these two plates makes nearly 4.4 cm per year.

    Figure 4
    Focal mechanism and seismic moment of the earthquake
         Focal mechanism solutions of the main strike 03.02.2002 calculated from TMC (Tensor of Moment Centroid) method in different centers - National Earthquakes Information Center USA (NEIC), HARVARD center (USA), are given in table 2 and figures 5-6. Focal mechanism of the earthquake on March 3, 2002 according to NEIC data (fig. 5), HARVARD (fig. 6) As it is seen the solutions obtained by different centers are almost the same. Both nodal planes have North-Western spread direction, type of motion along both planes – thrust. Motion in origin was under the action of prevailing strengths of compression, oriented to the South-West. Motion in origin is under the action of both compressing and expanding strengths, oriented almost along meridian. The values of seismic moment Мо according to NEIC and HARVARD are close and make 1.1*10**27 D*CM and 1.2*10**27 D*CM respectively. The value of moment magnitude is the same from data of these two centers and makes - Mw=7.3.
    Table 2
    Axes of main strengths Nodal planes Center
    T P N NP1 NP2
    Pl Azm Pl Azm Pl Azm Stk Dp Slip Stk Dp Slip
    672423208 21173012294116 6888NEIC
    671723195 12852842288106 6891HARVARD
  • NEIC - National Earthquakes Information Center of US Geological Service
  • HARVARD - Harvard Geophysical Center (USA)

    • Figure 5
    Figure 6


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