Advanced Applied Geology

Advanced Applied Geology

A review of the Seismotectonic factors of the Tehran area with emphasis on paleoseismological data Abstract

Authors
Mahsa Abdollahi 1
Seyed Morteza Moussavi 2
MohammadMahdi Khatib 3
Mahmoudreza Heyhat 4
Zeynab Taslimi 5
1 Ph.D Student in Structural Geology, , University of Birjand
2 Assistant professor,Department of Geology, University of Birjand
3 professor, Department of Geology, Faculty of Science, University of Birjand, Birjand, Iran
4 Associate professor, Department of Geology, Faculty of Science, University of Birjand, Birjand, Iran
5 Geological Expert, Department of Geosciences, Geological Survey of Iran
10.22055/aag.2025.49264.2507
Abstract
Over the past two decades, extensive studies have been conducted on the paleoseismology of faults around Tehran. the lack of integration in these studies and the lack of comprehensive evaluation of the results have reduced their effectiveness in earthquake hazard analysis and seismotectonic modeling of the region. lack of sufficient dating data, the limited number and inappropriate location of trenches, and differences in the interpretation of seismic data have prevented a comprehensive view of the prehistoric and historical seismicity of Tehran. However, data analysis confirms the occurrence of more than 38 major earthquakes in the past 50,000 years in this area. The irregular return period of these earthquakes may be due to shortcomings in the study method or natural characteristics of the fault systems of the region. The findings of this study indicate that the precipices of south and southwest Tehran, including the precipices of North Rey, South Rey, Kahrizak, and Eshtehard, are morphological in nature and are considered to be the remains of an ancient super-lake. Accordingly, a review of the prehistoric seismic data of these regions was necessary. The results of this study indicate that the historical earthquakes that destroyed the city of Rey (Raga) were influenced by the activity of large faults in the region, including Pishva and North Tehran, rather than the activity of morphological precipices. In addition, sedimentary evidence indicates that conditions for the occurrence of seismic phenomena such as liquefaction and vibration intensification existed in the region, which increased the destruction caused by earthquakes.
Keywords
Fault
prehistoric earthquake
paleo seismology
Tehran earthquake
Paleo Mega Lake
Subjects
Allen, M.B., Vincent, S.J., Alsop, G.I., Ismail-zadeh, I., Flecker, R., 2003. Late Cenozoic deformation in the South Caspian region: effects of a rigid basement block within a collision zone. Tectonophysics 366, 223-239. http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/S0040-1951(03)00098-2.
Ambraseys, N., 1978. The relocation of epicentres in Iran. Geophysical Journal International 53(1), 117-121. https://doi.org/10.1111/j.1365-246x.1978.tb04256.x.
Ambraseys, N.N., 1963. The Buyin-Zahra (Iran) earthquake of September 1962: A field report. Bulletin of the Seismological Society of America 53 (4), 705-740. https://doi.org/10.1785/BSSA0530040705.
Ambraseys, N.N., Melville, C.P., 1982. A History of Persian Earthquakes. Cambridge University Press, Cambridge 1, 219 pp. https://doi.org/10.1002/eqe.4290110412.
Ambraseys, N.N., Tchalenko, J.S., 1969. Dasht-e-Bayaz earthquake of 31 August 1968. Bulletin of the Seismological Society of America 59 (5), 1751-1792. https://doi.org/10.1785/BSSA0590051751.
Amini, B., Emami, M., Jamshid, K., Afsharianzadeh, A.M., 1993. Geological Map of Tehran. Geological Survey of Iran, Tehran, Iran.
Bachmanov, D., Trifonov, V.G., Hessami, K., Kozhurin, A., Ivanova, T.P., Rogozhin, E., Hademi, M.C.,          Jamali, F., 2004. Active faults in the Zagros and Central Iran. Tectonophysics 380, 221-241.         http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.tecto.2003.09.021
Berberian, M., Qorashi, M., Arzhangravesh, B., Mohajer-Ashjai, A., 1983. Recent tectonics, seismotectonics and earthquake-fault hazard investigation in the Greater Qazvin region: Contribution to the seismotectonics of Iran 61, 197p.
Berberian, M., Qorashi, M., Arzhangravesh, B., Mohajer-Ashjai, A., 1985. Recent Tectonics, Seismotectonics, and Earthquake-Fault Hazard Study of the Greater Tehran region, Tehran Quadrangle Area. Contribution to the Seismotectonics of Iran Part, V56, 316p.
Berberian, M., Qorashi, M., Jackson, J., Priestley, K., Wallace, T., 1992. The Rudbar-Tarom earthquake of 20 June 1990 in NW Persia: preliminary field and seismological observations, and its tectonic significance. Bulletin of the Seismological Society of America 82(4),1726-1755.     https://doi.org/10.1785/BSSA0820041726.
Berberian, M., Yeats, R.S., 1999. Patterns of historical earthquake rupture in the Iranian plateau. Bulletin of the Seismological Society of America 89,120-139. https://doi.org/10.1785/BSSA0890010120.
Berberian, M., Yeats, R.S., 2016. Tehran: An Earthquake Time Bomb; In Tectonic Evolution, Collision, and Seismicity of Southwest Asia: In Honor of Manuel Berberian’s Forty-Five Years of Research Contributions. The Geological Society of America 1(Special Paper 525), 84. http://dx.doi.org/10.1130/2016.2525(04).
Bolourchi, M.J., 1998. Paleoseismology of South Eshtehard Fault. Islamic Azad University, North Tehran Branch, Tehran, Iran, 133 pp.
Dellenbachs, J., 1964. Contribution a letude geologique de la region situee a lest de Tehran (Iran). University of Strasbourg France, 117 pp.
DeMartini, P.M., Hessami, K., Pantosti, D., D'Addezio, G., Alinaghi, H., Ghafory-Ashtiani, M., 1998. A geologic contribution to the evaluation of the seismic potential of the Kahrizak fault (Tehran, Iran). Tectonophysics 287, 187-199. http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/S0040-1951(98)80068-1.
Engalence, M., 1968. Contribution a la géologie, Geomorphologie, Hydrogeologie de la region de Tehran (Iran). France, 365 pp.
Ghassemi, M.R., Fattahi, M., Landgraf, A., Ahmadi, M., Ballato, P., Tabatabaei, S.H., 2014. Kinematic links between the eastern Mosha fault and the North Tehran fault, Alborz range, northern Iran. Tectonophysics 622, 81-95. http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.tecto.2014.03.007.
Ghodrati Amiri, G., Mahmoodi, H., Razavian Amrei, S.A., 2008. Seismic Hazard Assessment of Tehran Based on Arias Intensity Parameter. Int. Seismic Engineering Conference Commemorating the 1908 Messina and Reggio Calabria Earthquake (MERCEA08) S. Reggio Calabria Italy, 270-276.                 http://dx.doi.org/10.1063/1.2963844.
Ghodrati Amiri, G., Motamed, R., ES-Haghi, H.R., 2003. Seismic Hazard Assessment of Metropolitan Tehran, Iran. Journal of Earthquake Engineering 7(3), 347-372 . http://dx.doi.org/10.1080/13632460309350453.
Gholipur, Y., Bozorgnia, Y., Rahnama, M., Berberian, M., Qureshi, M., Talebian, M., Nazari, H., ShojaTaheri, J., Shafei, A., 2008. Probabilistic Seismic Hazard Analysis-Phase I, Greater Tehran Range, Optimization Research Group Engineering. Tehran University.
Habibi, R., Pourkermani, M., Ghorashi, M., Almasian, M., Jarahi, H., 2023. The Effects of Quaternary Sediments on Earthquake Acceleration. Himalayan Geology 44, 71-80.
Hayes, G.P., Briggs, R.W., Sladen, A., Fielding, E.J., Prentice, C., Hudnut, K., Mann, P., Taylor, F.W., Crone, A., Gold, R., 2010. Complex rupture during the 12 January 2010 Haiti earthquake. Nature Geoscience 3(11), 800-805. http://dx.doi.org/10.1038/NGEO977.
Hedayati, A., Brander, J., Berberian, M., 1976. Microearthquake survey of Tehran region, Iran. Bulletin of the Seismological Society of America 66(5), 1713-1725. https://doi.org/10.1785/BSSA0660051713.
Hessami, K., Jamali, F., Tabassi, H., 2003. Active fault maps of Iran. Department of Seismotectonic, Seismology Research Center, International Institute of Erathquake Engineering and Seismology.
Hollingsworth, J., Fattahi, M., Walker, R., Talebian, M., Bahroudi, A., Bolourchi, M., Jackson, J., Copley, A., 2010. Oroclinal bending, distributed thrust and strike-slip faulting and the accommodation of Arabia-Eurasia convergence in NE Iran since the Oligocene. Geophysical Journal International.          https://doi.org/10.1111/j.1365-246X.2010.04591.x.
Jafari, M.K., 2003. Complementary Microzonation Studies for South of Tehran. International Institute of Erathquake Engineering and Seismology1, 2-9.
Jarahi, H., Golabatunchi, I., Pourkermani, M., Nadalian, M., 2013. Effect of Seismic Hazard Analysis Methods Selection on Economic Switching at Behjatabad Dam Plan. Journal of Applied Geology 9(1), 11-20.
Jarahi, H., Moghimi, S., Tan, O., Saygılı, O., Karagöz, O., 2022a. Paleo Mega Lake of Rey Sediments and Its Effect on Earthquake Acceleration Case Study Tehran City. Seismological Society of America (SSA) Annual Meeting 2022,Washington D.C., USA.
Jarahi, H., Moghimi, S., Tan, O., Saygılı, O., Karagöz, O., 2022b. Revision of Iranian Seismic Design Code for Tehran Region Based on Paleo Mega Lake of Rey Theory, Seismological Society of America (SSA) Annual Meeting, 2022, Washington D.C., USA.
Jarahi , H., 2024b. Historical Background of Paleo Mega Lake of Rey. History of Geology and Space Science 15(2), 12-24. http://dx.doi.org/10.5194/hgss-2024-3.
JICA, 2000. The Study on Seismic Microzoning of the Greater Tehran Area in the Islamic Republic of Iran. Japan International Cooperation Agency (JICA), Centre for Earthquake and Environmental Studies of Tehran (CEST).
Kaveh Firouz, A., Nazari, H., Arian, M., Shafei, A., Majidi, T., Shokri, M., 2012. Paleoseismologic Activity and Subsidence Rate on Tehran Alluvium Deposits in Chitgar Section; using Paleoseismological Data. Scientific Quarterly Journal of Geosciences 21(84), 169-178. https://doi.org/10.22071/gsj.2012.53978.
Knill, J.L., Jones, K.S., 1968. Ground-water conditions in Greater Tehran. Quarterly Journal of Engineering Geology and Hydrogeology 1(3), 181-194. https://doi.org/10.1144/gsl.qjeg.1968.001.03.04.
Majidi Niri, T., Nazari, H., Qarashi, M., Talebian, M., 2011. Paleoseimology study on Pishva fault (South Tehran), Iran, European Geosciences Union, general Assembly, Austria, p. 1511.
Mousavi, S., Moayeri, M., Vali, A.A., Ranjbar, A., M.R., I., Ghazavi, R., 2013. Geomorphological mapping of processes and forms in HajAliGholi playa, Central Iran. Journal of Social Issues and Humanities1(4), 9-13. https://doi.org/10.22092/ijrdr.2016.107607.
Najafian A., Jarahi, H., Bayraktutan M.S., 2022. Challenges Facing Discovery of Largest Lake in World History Geotechnical Investigation, Seismological Society of America (SSA) Annual Meeting 2022, Washington D.C., USA.
Namdar, D., Jarahi, H., Maghami Moghim, G., 2025a. Introduction to Hecatompylos Lake in Damghan, 17th Conference of the Iranian Paleontological Society, Hormozgan University, pp. 8.
Namdar, D., Jarahi, H., Maghami Moghim, G., 2025b. Paleo Mega Lake of Rey, An Introduction to Water Level-Volume Changes Over Time from a Morphological Perspective, 7th International Conference of Biology and Earth Science, Hamadan, pp. 1-9.
Navar Noveiri, M., 2021. South Eshtehard Scarp: a fault system or a morphologic scarp. Institute of Earth Sciences, Tehran, Iran.178 pp.
Navar Noveiri, M., Nazari, H., Shokri, M., Mohammadi Vijeh, M., Salamati, R., Sheikh, M., 2021. South Eshtehard Scarp: a fault system or a morphologic scarp. Quaternary Journal of Iran 7(2), 798-820.
Nazari, H., 2006. Analyse de la tectonique recente et active dans l'Alborz Central et la region de Tehran: Approche morphotectonique et paleoseismologique. Montpellier, 247 pp.
Nazari, H., Battista, G., Najar, E., Ritz, J.F., Shokri, M., fathian, a., Rezaei, f., Rahim, A., nashli, H.F., Baharfirouzi, K., vahdatinasab, h., shahidi, a., borzooii, m., Aghaali, E., 2021. The Iranian Plateau at the end of the Quaternary: new synthesis of geological, archaeological and historical data. Iranian Journal of Geology 60(15), 101-116.Nazari, H., Ritz, J.‌F., Ghassemi, A., Bahar-Firouzi, K., Salamati, R., Shafei, A., Fonoudi, M., 2011. Paleoearthquakes Determination of Magnitude~6.5 on the North Tehran Fault. Journal of  Seismolgical Earthquake Engineering 13, 17-24.
Nazari, H., Ritz, J.‌F., Salamati, R., Shafei, A., Ghassemi, A., Michelot, J., Massault, M., Ghorashi, M., 2009. Morphological and palaeoseismological analysis along the Taleghan fault (Central Alborz, Iran). Geophysical Journal International 178, 1028-1041. https://doi.org/10.1111/j.1365-246x.2009.04173.x.
Nazari, H., Ritz, J.‌F., Salamati, R., Shahidi, A., Habibi, H., Ghorashi, M., Karimi Bavanpur, A., 2010. Distinguishing between fault scarps and shorelines: the question of the nature of the Kahrizak, North Rey and South Rey features in the Tehran plain (Iran). Terra Nova 22(3), 227-237.     https://doi.org/10.1111/j.1365-3121.2010.00038x..        
Nazari, H., Ritz, J.‌F‌,‌ Salamati, R., Solaymani, S., Balescu, S., Michelot, J., Ghassemi, A., Talebian, M., Lamothe, M., Massault, M., 2007. Paleoseismological analysis in central Alborz, Iran. 50th Anniversary earthquake conference commemorating.
Nazari, H., Ritz, J., Talebian, M., Moosavi, A., 2005. Seismotectonic map of the central Alborz. Gelogical Survey of Iran, Seismotectonic Department, Scale, 1: 250000.
Nazari, H., Ritz, J.F., Walker, R., Salamati, R., Rizza, M., Patnaik, R., Hollingsworth, J., Alimohammadian, H., Jalali, A., Firouz, A., Shahidi, A., 2014. Palaeoseismic evidence for a medieval earthquake, and preliminary Cross Mark estimate of late Pleistocene slip-rate, on the Firouzkuh strike-slip fault in the Central Alborz region of Iran. Journal of Asian Earth Sciences 82, 124-135‌.           https://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.jseaes.2013.12.018.      
Rieben, E.H., 1955. The geology of the Tehran Plain. American Journal of Siesmology 253,‌ 617-639. https://doi.org/10.2475/ajs.253.11.617.
Rieben, E.H., 1966. Geological observations on alluvial deposits in northern Iran. Gelogical Survey of Iran 9, 39.
Ritz, J.‌F., Balescu, S., Soleymani, S., Abbassi, M., Nazari, H., Feghhi, K., Shabanian, E., Tabassi, H., Farbod, Y., Lamothe, M., Michelot, J.L., Massault, M., Chery, J., Vernant, P., 2003. Determining the Long-term Slip Rate along the Mosha Fault, Central Alborz. Iran, Implications in Terms of Seismic Activity. 4th International Conference on Seismology and Erarthquake Engineering.
Ritz, J.‌F., Nazari, H., Balescu, S., Lamothe, M., Salamati, R., Ghassemi, A., Shafei, A., Ghorashi, M., Saidi, A., 2012. Paleoearthquakes of the past 30,000 years along the North Tehran Fault (Iran). Journal of Geophysical Research Solid Earth. https://doi.org/10.1029/2012jb009147.
Ritz, J.F., Nazari, H., Ghassemi, A., Salamati, R., Shafei, A., Solaymani, S., 2006. Active transtension inside Central Alborz: A new insight in to the northern Iran-Southern Caspian geodynamics. Geology 34 (6), 477-480. https://doi.org/10.1130/g22319.1.
Solaymani Azad, S., Hoseini, M., 1998. Deterministic Seismic Hazard Assessment for Montazer-Ghaem Power plant; using neotectonic and morphotectonic approaches: W Tehran-Karaj, report, International Institute of Erathquake Engineering and Seismology, Tehran, Iran.
Solaymani Azad, S., Ritz, J.‌F., Abbassi, M., 2011. Analyzing the junction between the Mosha and the North Tehran active faults. Tectonophysics 497, 1-14.
Stocklin, J., Nabavi, M.H., 1973. Tectonic map of Iran, 1:2500000. Geological Survey of Iran, Tehran.
Tchalenko, J.S., Berberian, M., Iranmanesh, H., Baily, M., Arsovsky, M., 1974. Tectonic framework of the Tehran region. Geological Survey of Iran 29, 7-46.
Trifonov, V.G., Hessami, K.T., Jamali, F., 1996. West-trending oblique sinistral-reverse fault system in northern Iran. International Institute of Erathquake Engineering and Seismology, special publication, 75.
Walpersdorf, A., Hatzfeld, D., Nankali, H., Tavakoli, F., Nilforoushan, F., Tatar, M., Vernant, P., Chery, J., Masson, F., 2006. Difference in the GPS deformation pattern of North and Central Zagros (Iran). Geophysical Journal International, 167, 1077-1088. https://doi.org/10.1111/j.1365-246x.2006.03147.x.
Wells, D.L., Coppersmith, K.J., 1994. New Empirical Relationships among Magnitude, Rupture Length, Rupture Width, Rupture Area and Surface Displacement. Bulletin of the Seismological Society of America 84(4), 974-1002. https://doi.org/10.1785/bssa0840040974.
Yeats, R.S., Huftile, G.J., 1995. The Oak Ridge fault system and the 1994 Northridge earthquake. Nature 373, 418-420. 10.1038/373418a0.
 
 
 
Advanced Applied Geology
Volume 15, Issue 2
Summer 2025
Pages 109-137