Earthquakes and Coseismic Surface Faulting on the Iranian Plateau
- 1st Edition, Volume 17 - June 20, 2014
- Imprint: Elsevier
- Author: Manuel Berberian
- Language: English
- Hardback ISBN:9 7 8 - 0 - 4 4 4 - 6 3 2 9 2 - 0
- eBook ISBN:9 7 8 - 0 - 4 4 4 - 6 3 2 9 7 - 5
Earthquakes and Coseismic Surface Faulting on the Iranian Plateau is a comprehensive and well-illustrated multi-disciplinary research work that analyzes the human and physical… Read more
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Request a sales quoteEarthquakes and Coseismic Surface Faulting on the Iranian Plateau is a comprehensive and well-illustrated multi-disciplinary research work that analyzes the human and physical aspects of the active faults and large-magnitude earthquakes since ancient times on the Iranian Plateau. The long-term historical, archaeological, and sociological record of earthquakes discussed here gives insight into earthquake magnitudes, recurrences, fault segmentation, clustering, and patterns of coseismic ruptures from prehistoric times to the present. The first part of the book examines oral traditions and literature of the region concerned with earthquakes, particularly in folklore, epic literature, and theology. The second part assesses dynamic phenomena associated with earthquakes, including active tectonics, archaeoseismicity, and coseismic surface faulting throughout the twentieth century.
This work is a valuable technical survey and an essential reference for understanding seismic hazard analysis and earthquake risk minimization in earthquake-prone developing and developed countries throughout the world.
- Provides a reference for seismic hazard evaluation and analysis
- Covers data dealing with crustal deformations caused by earthquake faulting and folding since historic times
- Presents unique and complete data for use in empirical relation analyses in all regions
Earth scientists, earthquake geologists, seismologists, geotechnical and civil engineers, land-use planners, and earthquake hazard analysts
- Foreword
- Editorial Foreword
- Preface
- Organization of the Book
- Earthquake Origin Time
- Earthquake Magnitude
- Earthquake Centroid Depth
- Active Faults and Meizoseismal Areas of Earthquakes
- Transliteration
- Chronology
- Final Note
- Acknowledgments
- Introduction
- Abstract
- Historical Perspective
- Synopsis: Root Causes of the Seismic Past, Present, and Future
- Overview: Targeting the Root Causes of the Regional Earthquake-Fault Vulnerability
- Part One: Earthquake Hazard Warning in Oral Traditon and Literature on the Iranian Plateau
- Chapter 1: Place Names and Linguistic Traces Referring to Prehistoric Earthquakes: Earthquake Hazard Warnings in Oral Traditions
- Abstract
- 1.1 Earthquake Terms Used in Local Dialects on the Iranian Plateau and the Neighboring Regions
- 1.2 Place Names Referring to Frequent Earthquakes
- 1.3 Place Names Referring to Earthquake Faulting and Fracturing, Fractured or Broken Mountains, and Caves
- 1.4 Place Names Referring to Frequent Occurrences of Landslides, Slumpings, Rockfalls, Rockslides, and Earth Flows
- 1.5 Place Names Referring to Earthquake Springs
- 1.6 Place Names Referring to Deflected River Course
- 1.7 Overview
- Chapter 2: Earthquake Myths
- Abstract
- 2.1 Chashmag-e Div [Storm-Monster/Devil Chashmag] in Pagan Iran (Pre-1200 BCE)
- 2.2 Subterranean Writhing of Evil Spirit in Conflict with the Earth: Proto-Zoroastrian Tradition (Pre-1200 BCE)
- 2.3 Maruts, Vārunā, and Indra (in the Rig Vedā and the Avestā; ca. 1500–1200 BCE)
- 2.4 Shackled Giant/Paqua Causes Earthquake at Mount Elbruz [Elbrus, Alborz], Qāf Volcano, Caucasus
- 2.5 Earthquakes as a Fundamental Cause of Mountain Building in the Zoroastrian Iranian Creation Myth (~ 1200 BCE)
- 2.6 The Shaking of the Solid Sky Made of Stone (~ 1200 BCE)
- 2.7 Tremors Caused by Srosh's Strike
- 2.8 Attribution of Earthquakes to the Movements of Animals Holding the Earth
- 2.9 Apocalyptic Earthquakes and the Iranian Image of an Eschatological Leveling of the Mountains
- 2.10 Earthquakes in the Sumerian Texts [ca. Eighteenth Century BCE]
- 2.11 Earthquakes in the Babylonian Texts [ca. 1830–1531]
- 2.12 Assyrian Belief [934–609 BCE]
- 2.13 Earthquakes in the Armenian Myth: Dragons Living in a Ravine Created by an Earthquake at Mount Māssis [Ārārāt]
- 2.14 Overview
- Chapter 3: Earthquakes and Religious Thoughts
- Abstract
- 3.1 The Zoroastrian Scriptures [ca. 1200 BCE]
- 3.2 The Buddha [ca. Fifth Century BCE]
- 3.3 The Old Testament [ca. 450 BCE–200 AD]
- 3.4 The New Testament [ca. 50–150 AD]
- 3.5 Islam [ca. 644–656]
- 3.6 Divine Wrath, Will, Warning, Ordeal, and Punishment
- 3.7 God's Grace, Mercy, and Miracles
- 3.8 Earthquakes and Superstitions
- 3.9 Overview: Doctrine of Fatalism
- Chapter 4: Ancient Earthquake Theories
- Abstract
- 4.1 Air Movement (Wind) Through Subterranean Fissures [Pre-1500 BCE Belief]
- 4.2 More Recent Unconventional Thoughts
- 4.3 Overview
- Chapter 5: Earthquake Folklore and Legends
- Abstract
- 5.1 Planet Earth on the Horn of a Bull
- 5.2 Saturday Earthquakes in the Manichean Sogdian Belief
- 5.3 Earthquake-Induced Rock Avalanches and the Faith of the Infidels
- 5.4 Earth Movement Legends in Sistān and Baluchestān
- 5.5 Bursting of the Haftvād's Worm at the Bam Citadel and Shaking the Whole Region
- 5.6 Overview
- Chapter 6: Earthquakes in Epic Literature
- Abstract
- 6.1 The Shāhnāmeh (the Epic of the Kings) of Ferdowsi Tusi (1010)
- 6.2 The Fractured and Shaking Mountain
- 6.3 The Daredevils of Sāssoun [Sāssountsi Tāvit]
- 6.4 The Epic of Amir Hamza Sāheb Qarān
- 6.5 Overview
- Chapter 7: Earthquake Poems and Chronogrammatic Verses
- Abstract
- 7.1 Qavāmi Rāzi, the 855–856 Ray Earthquake
- 7.2 Dāvud Ibn Tahmān al-Baihaqi, the 22 December 856 Komesh Earthquake
- 7.3 Qatrān Tabrizi, the 4 November 1042 Tabriz Earthquake
- 7.4 IBN Funduq (d. 1169), the 2 May 1052 Baihaq (Sabzévār) Earthquake
- 7.5 Nezāmi Ganjavi [1141–1209], the 30 September 1139 Ganjeh [Ganja, Gāndzāk, Janza, Elizavetpol, Kirovābaād] Earthquake
- 7.6 Maulānā Jalāl U’ddin Balkhi (Rumi) [1207–1273], Earthquakes at the Qāf [Alborz] Mountain
- 7.7 Hamdollāh Mostaufi, the 1208–1209 and 1270 Neyshābur Earthquakes
- 7.8 Maulānā Tāj al-Din Purbahā Jāmi, the 7 October 1270 Neyshābur Earthquake
- 7.9 Majd al-Din Khāfi, the 19 October 1336 and the 21 October 1336 Jizd-Zuzan Earthquakes
- 7.10 Anonymous Poet in Hāfez Abru, the 10 February 1364 Harāt Earthquake
- 7.11 Maulānā Lotfollāh Neyshāburi, the 23 November 1405 Neyshābur Earthquake
- 7.12 Anonymous Poet in Khalifa Neyshāburi, the 1145, 1270, and 23 November 1405 Neyshābur Earthquakes
- 7.13 ‘Abdi Bayg Shirāzi, the 1567 Qaracheh Dāgh [Arasbārān] Earthquake
- 7.14 Mir Baqā’ Badakhshi, the 5 February 1641 Dehkhārqān (Āzarshahr) Earthquake
- 7.15 Anonymous Poet, the 30 July 1673 Mashhad Earthquake
- 7.16 Tabib Ordubādi, the 26 April 1721 Shebli Earthquake
- 7.17 Three Poets, the 15 December 1778 Kāshān Earthquake
- 7.18 Three Poets, the 8 January 1780 Tabriz Earthquake
- 7.19 Vesāl Shirāzi (1782–1845), the 25 June 1824 NW Shirāz Earthquake
- 7.20 Mirzā Ahmad Adib Shaibāni, the 12 May 1844 Kāmu Earthquake
- 7.21 The June 1851 Quchān-Ma’dan Earthquake
- 7.22 Vesāl Shirāzi's Sons, the 5 May 1853 Shirāz Earthquake
- 7.23 Afsar Kermāni, the 17 January 1864 Chatrud, Kermān Earthquake
- 7.24 Hāji ‘Alirezā Sayyāh, the 23 December 1871 Quchān Earthquake
- 7.25 Mollā Solaymān Khamiri, the 19 May 1884 Qeshm Island Earthquake
- 7.26 Garakāni, the 11 July 1890 Tāsh Earthquake
- 7.27 Anonymous Poet, the 17 November 1893 South Quchān Earthquake
- 7.28 Hāj Mohammad Taqi Baqā’i, the 17 January 1895 Quchān Earthquake
- 7.29 Mollā Solaymān Khamiri, the 10 January 1897 Qeshm Earthquake
- 7.30 Sa’mete (?) Borujerdi and Anonymous Poet, the 23 January 1909 Silākhor Earthquake
- 7.31 Two Poets, the 6 May 1930 Salmās Earthquake
- 7.32 Tebyān al-Malek (Rezā’i), the 3 August 1936 Tabriz Earthquake
- 7.33 Recent Events
- 7.34 Overview
- Chapter 8: Earthquake-Related Inscriptions
- Abstract
- 8.1 ca. 1263 BCE Nineveh-Āssur Earthquake
- 8.2 ca. 1170 BCE [1187–1150 BCE] Nineveh Earthquake
- 8.3 The 680–669 BCE Nimrud Earthquake
- 8.4 ca. 647 BCE Dur Shārrukin [Khorsābād] Earthquake
- 8.5 The 17 March 1016–16 March 1017 Shirāvākān, Āni Earthquake
- 8.6 The 1052 Arrajān Earthquake
- 8.7 The 1301 Farim [Parim] Earthquake
- 8.8 The 1319 St. Thāddeus Earthquake
- 8.9 The 8 May 1336 Kusheh, Central Qeshm Island Earthquake
- 8.10 The 1598 Mashhad Earthquake
- 8.11 The 20 April 1608 Alamutrud Earthquake
- 8.12 The 1614 Megreli, Western Georgia Earthquake
- 8.13 The 5 February 1641 Dehkhārqān [Āzarshahr] Earthquake
- 8.14 The 1665 Damāvand Earthquake
- 8.15 The 30 July 1673 Shāndiz Earthquake
- 8.16 The 1675–1678 (?) Winter Gonābād Earthquake
- 8.17 The 15 December 1778 Kāshān Earthquake
- 8.18 The 8 January 1780 Tabriz Earthquake
- 8.19 The 1805–1806 Māzandarān Earthquake
- 8.20 The 16 December 1808 Tāléqān Earthquake
- 8.21 The 1809 Āmol Earthquake
- 8.22 The 1812 Jolfā [Jughā] Earthquake
- 8.23 The 27 March 1830 Lavāsānāt Earthquake
- 8.24 The 12 May 1844 Kāmu Earthquake
- 8.25 The June 1851 Sarvélāyat Earthquake
- 8.26 The 21 December 1862 Shirāz Earthquake
- 8.27 The 23 March 1879 Se Bozqush Earthquake
- 8.28 Overview
- Chapter 1: Place Names and Linguistic Traces Referring to Prehistoric Earthquakes: Earthquake Hazard Warnings in Oral Traditions
- Part Two: Dynamic Phenomena Associated with Earthquakes on the Iranian Plateau
- Chapter 9: Active Tectonics and Geologic Setting of the Iranian Plateau
- Abstract
- 9.1 Tectonic Context: Structural Provinces of the Iranian Plateau
- 9.2 Tectonic Evolution of the Iranian Plateau
- 9.3 The Neogene Regional Change in Kinematics
- 9.4 Active Tectonics
- Chapter 10: Archeoseismicity
- Abstract
- Chapter 11: Pre-1900 Coseismic Surface Faulting
- Abstract
- 11.1 The Breakup of Komesh Mountain During the “Religion War” [ca. 1200 BCE]
- 11.2 ca. 280 BCE Ground Deformation at the Ancient City of Rhagae [Old Ray, Southern Tehrān]
- 11.3 The 22 December 856 Ms ~ 7.2+ Komesh Earthquake Ground Deformation
- 11.4 The 913 Dinévar Earthquake Ground Deformation
- 11.5 The 6 August–3 September 943 Ms ~ 7.4 Earthquake-Induced Ground Deformation of the Samalqān [Ashkhāneh] Valley
- 11.6 The 23 February 958 Ms ~ 7.1 Ruyān Earthquake Ground Deformation
- 11.7 The 27 April 1008 Ms ~ 7.0 Dinévar Earthquake Ground Deformation
- 11.8 The 4 November 1042 Ms ~ 7.0+ Tabriz Earthquake Ground Deformation
- 11.9 The 1066 May Ms 6.5 qā'en Earthquake Ground Rupture
- 11.10 The 1237–1238 and Winter 1678 Ms > 6.5 Gonābād Earthquakes
- 11.11 The 19 October 1336 (and 21 October 1336?) Ms 7.0 Jizd/Zuzan Earthquake(S?) Ground Deformation
- 11.12 The 10 January 1493 Ms ~ 7.0 Nauzād Earthquake Faulting
- 11.13 The 6 July 1505 Ms ~ 7.3 Paghmān, NW Kābol Earthquake Faulting
- 11.14 The 1550 Ms 6.0 Tabriz Earthquake Ground Deformation
- 11.15 The 5 February 1641 Ms ~ 6.8 Dehkhārqān [Modern Āzarshahr] Earthquake Ground Deformation
- 11.16 The 1678 Gonābād Earthquake
- 11.17 The 26 April 1721 Ms ~ 7.3 Shebli [se Tabriz] Earthquake Faulting
- 11.18 The 8 January 1780 Ms ~ 7.4 Tabriz Earthquake Faulting
- 11.19 The 1824 Ms ~> 6.5 Harāz Earthquake Dubious Faulting
- 11.20 The 27 March 1830 Ms ~ 7.1 Lavāsānāt Earthquake Faulting
- 11.21 The 1838 Ms ~ 7.0 Nosratābād Earthquake Faulting
- 11.22 The 5 May 1853 Ms ~ 6.2 Shirāz Earthquake
- 11.23 The 1877 Ms ~ 5.6 āb-e Garm (Sirch) Earthquake
- 11.24 The 22 March 1879 Ms ~ 6.7 SE Bozqush Earthquake
- 11.25 The 11 July 1890 Ms ~ 7.2 Tāsh Earthquake
- 11.26 The 4 January 1896 Ms ~ 6.7 Sangāvar Earthquake
- 11.27 Overview: Pre-Instrumental Period Coseismic Surface Ruptures
- Chapter 12: 1900–1963 Coseismic Surface Faulting
- Abstract
- 12.1 The 23 January 1909, Mw 7.4 Silākhor Earthquake
- 12.2 The 18 April 1911 Ms 6.4 Rāvar Earthquake
- 12.3 The 22 September 1923 Ms 6.7 Lālehzār Eartqhuake
- 12.4 The 1 May 1929 Ms 7.3 Bāghān Earthquake
- 12.5 The 15 July 1929 Ms 6.0 Andikā Earthquake
- 12.6 The 6 May 1930 Mw 7.1 Salmās Earthquake
- 12.7 The 28 November 1933 Mw 6.2 NW Behābād Earthquake
- 12.8 The 30 June 1936 Ms 6.0 Ābiz Earthquake
- 12.9 The 4 May 1940 Mw 6.4 Estāyesh Earthquake
- 12.10 The 16 February 1941 Ms 6.1 Kumirān Earthquake
- 12.11 The 27 July 1946 Ms 5.5 Penjéwin Eartqhuake Faulting
- 12.12 The 23 September 1947 Mw 6.8 Charmeh and 26 September 1947 Mw 6.0 Dustābād Eartqhuakes
- 12.13 The 19 January 1950 Ms 5.5 Dehnau ‘Assaluyeh Earthquake
- 12.14 The 12 February 1953 Ms 6.5 Torud Earthquake
- 12.15 The 2 July 1957 Mw 7.1 Band-E Pay Earthquake
- 12.16 The 13 December 1957 Mw 6.8 Fārsinaj Earthquake
- 12.17 The 14 and 16 August 1958 (Mw 5.5, 5.7, 6.6) Firuzābād Earthquake Sequence Faulting
- 12.18 The 21 September 1958 Ms 5.2 Kargsār Eartqhuake
- 12.19 The 24 April 1960 Ms 5.8 Lār Earthquake
- 12.20 The 1 September 1962 Mw 7.0 Bu’in Earthquake
- 12.21 Overview: 1900–1963 Coseismic Surface Ruptures
- Chapter 13: 1964–1997 Coseismic Surface Faulting
- Abstract
- 13.1 The 31 August 1968 Mw 7.1 Dasht-e Bayāz Earthquake
- 13.2 The 1 and 4 September 1968 (Mw 6.3 and Mw 5.5) Ferdows Earthquakes
- 13.3 The 14 February 1971 Mw 5.7 Serokhi Earthquake
- 13.4 The 10 April 1972 Mw 6.7 Kārzin Earthquake
- 13.5 The 2 July 1972 Mw 5.3 Mishān Earthquake
- 13.6 The 7 November 1976 Mw 6.0 Vondik Earthquake
- 13.7 The 24 November 1976 Mw 7.0 Chālderān Earthquake
- 13.8 The 21 March 1977 Mw 6.7 Khurgu Earthquake
- 13.9 The 6 April 1977 Mw 5.9 Nāghān Earthquake
- 13.10 The 19 December 1977 Mw 5.9 Dartangal Earthquake
- 13.11 The 16 September 1978 Mw 7.3 Tabas-E Golshan Earthquake
- 13.12 The 14 November 1979 Mw 6.6 Korizān Earthquake
- 13.13 The 27 November 1979 Mw 7.1 Koli [East Dasht-E Bayāz] Earthquake
- 13.14 The 7 December 1979 Mw 5.9 Kalāt-E-Shur Earthquake
- 13.15 The 11 June 1981 Mw 6.6 Golbāf Earthquake
- 13.16 The 28 July 1981 Mw 7.0 Sirch Earthquake
- 13.17 The 20 November 1989 Mw 5.8 South Golbāf Earthquake
- 13.18 The 20 June 1990 Mw 7.3 Rudbār Earthquake
- 13.19 The 6 November 1990 Mw 6.4 East Furg Earthquake
- 13.20 The 23 February 1994 Mw 6.2 Sefidābeh Earthquake
- 13.21 The 4 February 1997 Mw 6.4 Nāveh Earthquake
- 13.22 The 28 February 1997 Mw 6.0 Shirān Earthquake
- 13.23 The 10 May 1997 Mw 7.2 Zirkuh Earthquake
- 13.24 Overview: 1964–1997 Coseismic Surface Ruptures
- Chapter 14: 1998–2013 Coseismic Surface Faulting
- Abstract
- 14.1 The 14 March 1998 Mw 6.6 Fandoqā Earthquake
- 14.2 The 18 November 1998 Mw 5.3 Chahār Farsakh Earthquake
- 14.3 The 22 June 2002 Mw 6.4 Changureh Earthquake
- 14.4 The 26 December 2003 Mw 6.6 Bam Earthquake
- 14.5 The 22 February 2005 Mw 6.4 Dāhuiyeh Earthquake
- 14.6 The 31 March 2006 Mw 6.1 Chālānchulān Earthquake
- 14.7 The 20 December 2010 Mw 6.5 and 27 January 2011 Mw 6.2 South Rigān Earthquakes
- 14.8 The 11 August 2012 Mw 6.4 and 6.3 South Ahar Twin Earthquakes
- 14.9 The 16 April 2013 Mw 7.7 Gosht-Sarāvān Slab Earthquake
- 14.10 The 11 May 2013 Mw 6.1 Goharān Earthquake
- 14.11 Overview: Coseismic Surface Faulting of the Historical and Modern Earthquakes
- Chapter 15: Coseismic, Blind, Reverse-Fault-Related, Flexural-Slip Folding and Faulting at the Surface
- Abstract
- 15.1 Uplift and Incision
- 15.2 The 23 September 1947 Mw 6.8 Charmeh Eartqhuake
- 15.3 The 12 February 1953 Mw 6.5 Torud Earthquake
- 15.4 The 10 April 1972 Mw 6.7 Kārzin Earthquake
- 15.5 The 2 July, 1972 Mw 5.3 Mishān Earthquake
- 15.6 The 16 September 1978 Mw 7.3 Tabas-E Golshan Earthquake
- 15.7 The 20 November 1989 Mw 5.8 South Golbāf Earthquake
- 15.8 The 20 June 1990 Mw 7.3 Rudbār Earthquake
- 15.9 The 23–28 February 1994 Mw 5.5–6.2 Sefidābeh Earthquakes
- 15.10 The 4 February 1997 Mw 6.4 Nāveh Earthquake
- 15.11 The 14 March 1998 Mw 6.6 Fandoqā Earthquake
- 15.12 27 November 2005 Mw 5.8 Central Qeshm Island Earthquake
- Chapter 16: Patterns of Historical Earthquake Ruptures on the Iranian Plateau
- Abstract
- 16.1 Post-Neogene Change of Sense of Motion of Active Faults; Tectonic Reactivation of Inherited Structures
- 16.2 Late Neogene–Quaternary Migration of Active Faulting Away from the Mountain Range-Front to the Piedmont Area
- 16.3 Topographic Ridge-Top Strike-Slip Faulting
- 16.4 Spatial Shear-Strain Partitioning on the Iranian Plateau Faults
- 16.5 Fault-Bounded Block Rotation
- 16.6 Thrust Fault Earthquakes at the Termination of Strike-Slip Faults
- 16.7 Decoupled Earthquakes in the Zāgros Fold-and-Thrust Mountain Belt
- 16.8 Geomorphologically Featureless Active Faults
- 16.9 Faults with Large Areas of Intervening Unruptured Gaps
- 16.10 Temporal Earthquake Clustering and Complete Rupturing of Multisegmented Individual Faults
- 16.11 Temporally Clustered Earthquake Sequences Along Densely Populated, Interacting Subparallel Fault Zones
- 16.12 Spatially Clustered Sequences of Earthquakes on Tectonically Related Faults with Variables Strikes and Mechanisms
- 16.13 Cross-Strike Earthquake Interaction and Triggered Migration
- 16.14 Along-Strike Migration of Seismicity
- 16.15 Possible Lesser-Known Clusters
- 16.16 Faults with Gaps in the Historical Seismic Records
- 16.17 Overview
- Chapter 17: Earthquake History of Iran
- Abstract
- 17.1 Population Density and Changes Through Time
- 17.2 Time of the Earthquake and Death Ratio
- 17.3 Extreme Climate Conditions
- 17.4 Difficult Mountainous Terrain
- 17.5 Nomads in the Tents
- 17.6 Alarming Foreshocks
- 17.7 Statistical Data on Human Casualties and Structural Damage
- 17.8 Comprehensive List of the Re-Evaluated Iranian Earthquakes
- Chapter 9: Active Tectonics and Geologic Setting of the Iranian Plateau
- References
- Index
- Edition: 1
- Volume: 17
- Published: June 20, 2014
- No. of pages (Hardback): 776
- No. of pages (eBook): 776
- Imprint: Elsevier
- Language: English
- Hardback ISBN: 9780444632920
- eBook ISBN: 9780444632975
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Manuel Berberian
Manuel Berberian was born on October 27, 1945 into an immigrant Armenian ethnic-religious minority in Tehran. He received a BSc degree in geology from the University of Tehran in 1968, and a PhD degree in earthquake seismology and active tectonics from the University of Cambridge, United Kingdom in June 1981. He was the first Armenian and the second Iranian earth scientist ever to be accepted at the University of Cambridge, UK. He is Emeritus Professor of Geosciences at the Tehran and Tarbiat Modarres Universities, and at present teaches at the Ocean County College, Toms River, NJ, USA. He is a certified professional geologist in the USA and a member of the New York Academy of Sciences and American Geophysical Union. He is a leading international earthquake expert on the Iranian Plateau and the Middle East. With his wife and son he immigrated to the USA in 1990.
He is a world renowned research scientist on seismotectonics, earthquake seismology, historical earthquakes, archaeoseismicity, palaeo- and active-tectonics, geology, and geologic hazards of the Iranian plateau, with 43 years of academic and research experience. He pioneered the study of plate tectonics and seismotectonics in Iran and was the founder of the ‘Tectonics and Seismotectonics Research Department’ of the Geological Survey of Iran in Tehran in 1971; the first research center established in this field in the Middle East. He has been a pioneer in the application of plate tectonics to Iranian geology and seismology, and has been responsible for much of what is known about the geology, tectonics, seismotectonics, archaeoseismicity, active faulting/folding, and seismicity of the Iranian Plateau, as well as human aspects of earthquakes, earthquake-fault hazard and risk assessment, and history and mythology of the ancient Iranian-Armenian ancient civilizations.
He has authored more than 300 reports and books; out of which about 110 research studies were published as peer reviewed papers in Europe and the USA, and 10 books in English and Persian; and has prepared over 193 technical reports for seismic hazard and risk assessments of major projects such as nuclear power plants, hydroelectric dams, refineries, lifelines, and large urban developments. He began studying archaeology and the ancient history of Iran to use the rich archaeological and historical records to expand the knowledge of Iranian seismicity, active faulting, and their hazards and risks to the society. Lately he entered the domain of environmental science and engineering in the States.
Affiliations and expertise
Department of Science, Ocean County College; Onduni Grung Scientific Enterprise, Toms River, NJ, USARead Earthquakes and Coseismic Surface Faulting on the Iranian Plateau on ScienceDirect