Seismotectonics and Crustal Structure in the Southern Dominican Republic Offshore Margin: Implications on the Tsunami Potential
Abstract Many coastal areas of the southern Dominican Republic experience considerable population pressure accompanied by important economic activity. The southern offshore margin is characterized by significant seismicity and active geological processes. Because of the proximity of the seismogenic...
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Wiley
2025-06-01
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| Series: | Geochemistry, Geophysics, Geosystems |
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| Online Access: | https://doi.org/10.1029/2024GC012092 |
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| author | J. L. Granja‐Bruña J. M. Gorosabel‐Araus U. tenBrink A. Muñoz‐Martín A. Rodríguez‐Zurrunero S. Leroy A. López‐Venegas M. Llorente‐Isidro J. Macías Sánchez C. Sánchez‐Linares A. Carbó‐Gorosabel |
| author_facet | J. L. Granja‐Bruña J. M. Gorosabel‐Araus U. tenBrink A. Muñoz‐Martín A. Rodríguez‐Zurrunero S. Leroy A. López‐Venegas M. Llorente‐Isidro J. Macías Sánchez C. Sánchez‐Linares A. Carbó‐Gorosabel |
| author_sort | J. L. Granja‐Bruña |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | Abstract Many coastal areas of the southern Dominican Republic experience considerable population pressure accompanied by important economic activity. The southern offshore margin is characterized by significant seismicity and active geological processes. Because of the proximity of the seismogenic and tsunamigenic areas to the coastal regions, large seismic events are likely to result in significant damage. The interpretation of seismotectonic, structural, and morphological data allowed us to characterize the tsunamigenic features. The major tectonic sources involve large shallow faults that are capable of producing earthquakes with magnitudes ranging from Mw7.0 to Mw8.1. These seismic sources could release enough energy to deform and occasionally rupture the seafloor: Muertos frontal thrust, Muertos mega‐splay and the Muertos Trough fault zone. In addition, these tectonic sources show significant vertical seafloor deformation with the potential to generate tsunamis. The steeper seafloor slopes show frequent active gravitational processes, but generally have a relatively small size and their tsunamigenic potential is therefore low. However, the Complutense slump is an exception showing ≈30 km3 of mobilized material located along a large active fault. If a similar volume is rapidly mobilized in a single slope failure, it could generate a significant tsunami. The southern coast of the Dominican Republic faces a clear risk due to its proximity to potential tsunamigenic sources (30–50 km), resulting in a very short lead‐time for warning. The results of this study provide basic information for future tsunami simulations that ultimately allow practical implementation of tsunami preparedness and protection, and for coastal planning and marine resource use. |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj-art-19bb7469197a4ae8a7652540ca2e1a98 |
| institution | Kabale University |
| issn | 1525-2027 |
| language | English |
| publishDate | 2025-06-01 |
| publisher | Wiley |
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| series | Geochemistry, Geophysics, Geosystems |
| spelling | doaj-art-19bb7469197a4ae8a7652540ca2e1a982025-08-20T03:30:36ZengWileyGeochemistry, Geophysics, Geosystems1525-20272025-06-01266n/an/a10.1029/2024GC012092Seismotectonics and Crustal Structure in the Southern Dominican Republic Offshore Margin: Implications on the Tsunami PotentialJ. L. Granja‐Bruña0J. M. Gorosabel‐Araus1U. tenBrink2A. Muñoz‐Martín3A. Rodríguez‐Zurrunero4S. Leroy5A. López‐Venegas6M. Llorente‐Isidro7J. Macías Sánchez8C. Sánchez‐Linares9A. Carbó‐Gorosabel10Applied Tectonophysics Group Departamento de Geodinámica Estratigrafía y Paleontología, Universidad Complutense of Madrid Madrid SpainApplied Tectonophysics Group Departamento de Geodinámica Estratigrafía y Paleontología, Universidad Complutense of Madrid Madrid SpainU.S. Geological Survey Woods Hole Ma USAApplied Tectonophysics Group Departamento de Geodinámica Estratigrafía y Paleontología, Universidad Complutense of Madrid Madrid SpainApplied Tectonophysics Group Departamento de Geodinámica Estratigrafía y Paleontología, Universidad Complutense of Madrid Madrid SpainSorbonne Université CNRS ISTeP Institut des Sciences de la Terre de Paris Gières FranceDepartamento de Geología University of Puerto Rico Mayagüez Puerto RicoArea of Geological Hazards and Risks Geological Survey of Spain (IGME‐CSIC) Madrid SpainDepartamento de A.M., E. e I.O. y Matemática Aplicada Universidad de Málaga Málaga SpainDepartamento de A.M., E. e I.O. y Matemática Aplicada Universidad de Málaga Málaga SpainApplied Tectonophysics Group Departamento de Geodinámica Estratigrafía y Paleontología, Universidad Complutense of Madrid Madrid SpainAbstract Many coastal areas of the southern Dominican Republic experience considerable population pressure accompanied by important economic activity. The southern offshore margin is characterized by significant seismicity and active geological processes. Because of the proximity of the seismogenic and tsunamigenic areas to the coastal regions, large seismic events are likely to result in significant damage. The interpretation of seismotectonic, structural, and morphological data allowed us to characterize the tsunamigenic features. The major tectonic sources involve large shallow faults that are capable of producing earthquakes with magnitudes ranging from Mw7.0 to Mw8.1. These seismic sources could release enough energy to deform and occasionally rupture the seafloor: Muertos frontal thrust, Muertos mega‐splay and the Muertos Trough fault zone. In addition, these tectonic sources show significant vertical seafloor deformation with the potential to generate tsunamis. The steeper seafloor slopes show frequent active gravitational processes, but generally have a relatively small size and their tsunamigenic potential is therefore low. However, the Complutense slump is an exception showing ≈30 km3 of mobilized material located along a large active fault. If a similar volume is rapidly mobilized in a single slope failure, it could generate a significant tsunami. The southern coast of the Dominican Republic faces a clear risk due to its proximity to potential tsunamigenic sources (30–50 km), resulting in a very short lead‐time for warning. The results of this study provide basic information for future tsunami simulations that ultimately allow practical implementation of tsunami preparedness and protection, and for coastal planning and marine resource use.https://doi.org/10.1029/2024GC012092tsunamiearthquakemega‐splay faultmegathrustsubmarine landslideDominican Republic |
| spellingShingle | J. L. Granja‐Bruña J. M. Gorosabel‐Araus U. tenBrink A. Muñoz‐Martín A. Rodríguez‐Zurrunero S. Leroy A. López‐Venegas M. Llorente‐Isidro J. Macías Sánchez C. Sánchez‐Linares A. Carbó‐Gorosabel Seismotectonics and Crustal Structure in the Southern Dominican Republic Offshore Margin: Implications on the Tsunami Potential Geochemistry, Geophysics, Geosystems tsunami earthquake mega‐splay fault megathrust submarine landslide Dominican Republic |
| title | Seismotectonics and Crustal Structure in the Southern Dominican Republic Offshore Margin: Implications on the Tsunami Potential |
| title_full | Seismotectonics and Crustal Structure in the Southern Dominican Republic Offshore Margin: Implications on the Tsunami Potential |
| title_fullStr | Seismotectonics and Crustal Structure in the Southern Dominican Republic Offshore Margin: Implications on the Tsunami Potential |
| title_full_unstemmed | Seismotectonics and Crustal Structure in the Southern Dominican Republic Offshore Margin: Implications on the Tsunami Potential |
| title_short | Seismotectonics and Crustal Structure in the Southern Dominican Republic Offshore Margin: Implications on the Tsunami Potential |
| title_sort | seismotectonics and crustal structure in the southern dominican republic offshore margin implications on the tsunami potential |
| topic | tsunami earthquake mega‐splay fault megathrust submarine landslide Dominican Republic |
| url | https://doi.org/10.1029/2024GC012092 |
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