The rate of Seismic deformation in the Gulf of Aqaba as inferred from moment tensor summation

Abstract The main goal of this study is to quantify the rate of seismic deformation in the Gulf of Aqaba. The moment tensor summation technique based on the seismicity data, for all available historical and instrumental data (1900-2019), and reliable fault plane solutions was used to calculate the size and the shape of deformation. For the period from 1900 to 2019, the seismicity data was used to calculate the seismicity parameters (representing by the Gutenberg-Richter and moment-magnitude relations) and the spatial extent of the deformation zone. The fault parameters of forty-four earthquakes, having moment magnitudes range from 3.2 to 7.2, were used to construct the moment tensor summation and subsequently to calculate the rate of seismic deformation. The calculations showed that a predominant shear deformation acting in the Gulf of Aqaba is taken up by extension in a direction of N40.8 o E at a rate of 0.83±0.21 mm/yr. and compression in a direction of N131.6 o E at a rate of 0.32±0.05 mm/yr.; reflecting the Gulf of Aqaba is undergoing from shear deformation accommodated along a strike-slip fault. The obtained results exhibited that the present-day deformation in the Gulf of Aqaba is acting by the interaction of relative tectonic motions among African, Sinai and Arabia plates.