Development of the next generation Australian National Earthquake Hazard Map  

Authors / CoAuthors

Allen, T. | Burbidge, D. | Clark, D. | Collins, C. | Leonard, M. | McPherson, A.

Abstract

Geoscience Australia (GA) is currently undertaking a process of revising the Australian National Earthquake Hazard Map using modern methods and an updated catalogue of Australian earthquakes. This map is a key component of Australia's earthquake loading standard, AS1170.4. Here we present an overview of work being undertaken within the GA Earthquake Hazard Project and how it contributes to the next generation earthquake hazard map. Fundamental to any Probabilistic Seismic Hazard Assessment (PSHA) is knowledge of the recurrence and maximum magnitude of historic and pre-historic earthquakes. Palaeoseismological investigation of neotectonic features observed in the Australian landscape has lead to the development of a catalogue, from which we have derived a domains model to characterise the occurrence and style of seismicity for large intraplate earthquakes. The domains model suggests that earthquakes ranging between MW 7.0-7.5±0.2 can occur anywhere across the continent. In addition to gathering information on the pre-historic record, more rigorous statistical analyses of the spatial distribution of the historic catalogue are also being undertaken. Earthquake magnitudes in Australian catalogues were determined using disparate magnitude formulae, with many local magnitudes determined using Richter attenuation coefficients prior to about 1990. Consequently, efforts are underway to standardise magnitudes for specific regions and temporal periods. Finally, we will review the general procedure for updating the national earthquake hazard map, including consideration of Australian-specific ground-motion prediction equations. We will also examine the sensitivity of hazard estimates to the assumptions of certain model components in the hazard assessment.

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nonGeographicDataset

eCat Id

71209

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Keywords

• External PublicationAbstract

( Theme )

• earthquakes

( Theme )

• geohazards

Australian and New Zealand Standard Research Classification (ANZSRC)

• Earth Sciences

• Published_Internal

Publication Date

2011-01-01T00:00:00

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Australian Government Security ClassificationSystem    

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Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International Licence    

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geoscientificInformation

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