TerraNova

A Bayesian Framework for Probabilistic Seismic Hazard in Slow-Deforming Continental Interiors

Henrik Vasquez,Priya Nair

Posted March 3, 2025 · Submitted by Henrik Vasquez, ETH Zurich

Abstract

Probabilistic seismic hazard assessment in stable continental interiors is fundamentally constrained by short instrumental catalogues and recurrence intervals that span millennia. We develop a hierarchical Bayesian framework that jointly assimilates paleoseismic, geodetic, and historical observations to constrain earthquake recurrence parameters while propagating epistemic uncertainty explicitly. Applied to three intraplate provinces, the model demonstrates that neglecting epistemic uncertainty can underestimate hazard at long return periods by as much as forty percent, with direct implications for the design of critical infrastructure.

Details

Subject area
Geophysics & Seismology
License
CC BY 4.0
Keywords
seismic hazard, Bayesian inference, intraplate earthquakes
Posted
March 3, 2025
Downloads
783

How to cite

Henrik Vasquez, Priya Nair (2025). A Bayesian Framework for Probabilistic Seismic Hazard in Slow-Deforming Continental Interiors. TerraNova preprint.

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