Modern Studies of Earthquake Focal Mechanisms in Eastern Kazakhstan
Source abstract
Abstract
This study presents the results of a detailed investigation of earthquake focal zones in Eastern Kazakhstan using modern methodologies for determining focal parameters and focal mechanisms. The stress regime and the elastic stress field of the Earth’s crust were analyzed based on seismic events recorded during the period 1990–2020. An information base was established for the investigation of regional deformation conditions using earthquake focal mechanism catalogs and data acquired from the regional seismological monitoring network. The installation of new seismic stations along the perimeter of Kazakhstan has enabled a more detailed investigation of seismicity in Eastern Kazakhstan and an assessment of the stress–strain state of the deep layers of the Earth’s crust in the region and adjacent territories. An electronic database of stress tensor parameters and seismotectonic deformation increments was developed using the method of cataclastic analysis of seismic data implemented in the STRESS seismic software package. The stress–strain state of the Earth’s crust was analyzed based on the spatial distribution of stress tensor parameters and seismotectonic strain increments. Zones characterized by contrasting stress regimes were identified, along the boundaries of which strong earthquake sources are most likely to occur. Analysis of the orientations of the principal stress axes indicates a reset-type stress regime.
Source: crossref · Quality: baseline
Research context
OpenAlex topics: earthquake and tectonic studies · High-pressure geophysics and materials · Geotechnical and Geomechanical Engineering
SciVX discovery tags are terminology-based. OpenAlex topics are source-provided classifications.
Affiliations
National Scientific Center for Seismological Observations and Research of the Republic of Kazakhstan, 75a Al-Farabi Avenue, 050060 Almaty, Kazakhstan
Department of Geophysics and Seismology, Satbayev University, 22 Satbayev Str., 050013 Almaty, Kazakhstan
Funding
Committee of Science of the Ministry of Science and Higher Education of the Republic of Kazakhstan · Akimat of Almaty
References (49)
Show source-provided references
1. Statistics Department of East Kazakhstan Region (2014). East Kazakhstan in Figures 2013: A Brief Collection.
2. Statistics Department of East Kazakhstan Region (2013). Gross National Product of VKO for 2013: Brief Compendium.
3. Potential of East Kazakhstan
4. Oitseva, T., Serikbayev, D., Mizernaya, M., Oitseva, T., Mizernaya, A.M., and Kuzmina, P.O. (2023, January 3–9). Prospects of the Medvedko-Akhmetkinsky ore field for rare metal lithium mineralization (East Kazakhstan). Proceedings of the 23rd International Multidisciplinary Scientific GeoConference SGEM, Albena, Bulgaria.10.5593/sgem2023/1.1/s01.15 ↗
5. Amralinova, B., Agaliyeva, B., Lozynskyi, V., Frolova, O., Rysbekov, K., Mataibaeva, I., and Mizernaya, M. (2023). Rare-Metal Mineralization in Salt Lakes and the Linkage with Composition of Granites: Evidence from Burabay Rock Mass (Eastern Kazakhstan). Water, 15.10.3390/w15071386 ↗
6. D’yachkov, B.A., Bissatova, A.Y., Mizernaya, M.A., Khromykh, S.V., Oitseva, T.A., Kuzmina, O.N., Zimanovskaya, N.A., and Aitbayeva, S.S. (2021). Mineralogical Tracers of Gold and Rare-Metal Mineralization in Eastern Kazakhstan. Minerals, 11.10.3390/min11030253 ↗
7. New data on non-traditional types of East Kazakhstan rare metal ore10.33271/nvngu/2020-4/011 ↗
8. Forecasting resources of rare metal deposits based on the analysis of ore-controlling factors
9. The role of three-dimensional models of deposit and thermodynamic conditions of its formation at selecting and evaluating resources of perspective sites10.32014/2019.2518-170X.139 ↗
10. Structural-formational zones with porphyry copper mineralization—A promising mineral resource base for copper in Eastern Kazakhstan10.33271/mining19.01.107 ↗
11. Vvedenskaya, A.V. (1969). Investigation of Stresses and Ruptures in Earthquake Foci Using Dislocation Theor, Nauka.
12. Nurmagambetov, A., Sydykov, A., Timush, A.V., Khaidarov, M.S., Vlasova, A.A., Mikhailova, N.N., Sabitov, M.M., Umirzakova, A., and Gapich, V.A. (1996). Zaisan Earthquake on June 14, 1990. Proceedings of the Earthquakes in the USSR in 1990, GS RAS.
13. Mikhailova, A.I., Nedelkov, E.N., and Sokolova, E.N. (2001). On Seismic Events in Low-Active and Aseismic Regions of Kazakhstan. Proceedings of the Modern Geodynamics, Deep Structure and Seismicity of Platform Territories and Adjacent Regions, “Nauchnaya Kniga” Publishing and Printing Center.
14. Abdrakhmatov, K. (2009). Central Asia Earthquake Catalog 1991–2005. Final Technical Report for ISTC Project No. KR-1176: Seismic Risk Assessment in Central Asia, International Science and Technology Center (ISTC).
15. Kurskeev, A.K., Timush, A.V., Sydykov, A.S., and Shatsilov, V.I. (2003). General Seismic Zoning of the Territory of Kazakhstan/OSR Map of Kazakhstan; Explanatory Note, Institute of Seismology.
16. Starovoit, O.E. (2009). Earthquakes in Northern Eurasia: Annual Collection, Geophysical Survey of the Russian Academy of Sciences.
17. Malovichko, A.A., Petrova, N.V., Kadirov, F.A., Etirmishli, G.D., Ferrari, G., Mackey, K.G., Storchak, D.A., Abdrakhmatov, K.E., Aronov, A.G., and Vinogradov, Y.A. (2017). Catalog of earthquakes in Central Asia for 2016–2017. Earthquakes of Northern Eurasia, 2016–2017, Federal Research Center Unified Geophysical Service of the Russian Academy of Sciences. Appendix on CD-ROM.
18. International Seismological Centre (ISC) (2015). ISC Bulletin 2016–2017, ISC. Available online: https://www.isc.ac.uk/iscbulletin/search/bulletin.
19. (2026, May 15). USGS National Earthquake Information Center, Available online: https://earthexplorer.usgs.gov/.
20. Dosaybekova, S.K., Dalebaeva, J.A., Dosymbekova, Z.B., and Zhunusova, J.K. (2023). Analysis of the results of observations by the permanent seismic monitoring network of Kazakhstan. Proceedings of the Earthquake Forecast, Seismic Hazard and Seismic Risk Assessment in Central Asia; XI Kazakhstan-Chinese International Symposium, National Scientific Center for Seismological Observations and Research.
21. Gashimov, R.A., Shiman, D.V., and Eskendirov, D.A. (2023). Comprehensive field seismological studies and prospects for expanding the seismological network of the Republic of Kazakhstan. Proceedings of the Earthquake Forecast, Seismic Hazard and Seismic Risk Assessment in Central Asia; XI Kazakhstan-Chinese International Symposium, National Scientific Center for Seismological Observations and Research.
22. Suetsugu, D. (1998). Source Mechanism, IISEE.
23. Stress State of the Earth’s Crust in Eastern Kazakhstan from Earthquake Focal Mechanism Data
24. Mikhailova, N.N., and Aristova, I. (2014, January 24–29). Magnitude and energy parameterization of earthquakes in practice of earthquakes processing in Kazakhstan. Proceedings of the Abstracts of the Second European Conference on Earthquake Engineering and Seismology, Istanbul, Turkey.
25. Tectonophysical Methods for Studying Natural Stresses from Seismological Data
26. (2015). Modern Tectonophysics. Methods and Results. Materials of the Fourth Youth Tectonophysical School-Seminar, IFZ.
27. Determination of focal mechanism solution using initial motion polarity of P and S waves10.1016/S0031-9201(01)00306-5 ↗
28. The 2015–2017 Pamir earthquake sequence10.1093/gji/ggac473 ↗
29. Seismotectonic Setting of Eastern Kazakhstan Based on Focal Mechanism Studies
30. (2026, May 19). Global CMT Project. Available online: https://www.globalcmt.org/CMTsearch.html.
31. Methods of Tectonic Stress Reconstruction and Seismotectonic Deformation Based on Modern Plasticity Theory
32. Geophysical data complex interpretation techniques
33. Rebetsky, Y.L. (2007). Tectonic Stresses and Strength of Rock Massifs, Science.
34. D’Amico, S. (2018). The stress state of seismic areas of Central and Eastern Asia. Moment Tensor Solutions—A Useful Tool for Seismotectonics, Springer.10.1007/978-3-319-77359-9 ↗
35. Batdorf, S.B., and Budiansky, B. (1952). Mathematical Theory of Plasticity Based on the Slip Concept. Proceedings of the First U.S. National Congress of Applied Mechanics, American Society of Mechanical Engineers (ASME).
36. Probing the upper end10.1029/2022TC007300 ↗
37. Dynamics10.1093/gji/ggw415 ↗
38. Huang, J., Song, Z., Huang, C., and Liang, Q. (2023). Lode Angle-Dependent Fracture Mechanisms in Brittle Rock Under 3D Stress Conditions. Appl. Sci., 15.10.3390/app151810200 ↗
39. Voronina, E.V. (2004). Mekhanika Ochaga Zemletryaseniya [Mechanics of the Earthquake Source], Faculty of Physics, Lomonosov Moscow State University. Special Course.
40. Seismotectonics
41. Harmonizing seismicity information in Central Asian countries: Earthquake catalogue and active faults10.5194/nhess-24-2597-2024 ↗
42. Tectonic stress10.1080/00206814.2024.2315556 ↗
43. Stress evolution10.1016/j.jog.2022.101939 ↗
44. Timush, A.V. (2011). Seismotectonics of the Lithosphere of Kazakhstan, Luxe Media Group.
45. Starovoit, O.E. (2016). Seismological Bulletin for 2016–2017, GS RAS.
46. Firooze, Z., Taran, S., Asaadi, N., and Safari, H. (2024). Relationships of Earthquake Moment Magnitude with Body and Surface Waves Using MCMC Approach. arXiv.
47. Vassilyev, I., Mendakulov, Z., Zhumabayev, B., Kozin, I., Beloslyudtsev, O., and Dossaibekova, S. (2025). Improving the quality of magnetograms. Appl. Sci., 15.10.3390/app151810129 ↗
48. Active deformation in Central Asia from geodetic and seismological data
49. Recent geodynamics10.5800/GT-2018-9-4-0385 ↗