Unraveling the AMORGOS 1956 Tsunamigenic Earthquake: Advancing Seismic and Tsunami Risks Assessment in the Eastern Mediterranean

Last Publication

IN SHORT:
The AMORGOS project intends to advance our understanding of telluric hazards in the Hellenic arc. In the Mediterranean Sea, the probability that a large earthquake-triggered tsunami will occur in the coming decades is high. However, the sources of historical tsunamis, i.e., the faults that slipped during earthquakes and displaced the seafloor to generate tsunamis, are often unknown. This lack of knowledge impede our ability to accurately understand the tsunami sources, predict the likelihood of future significant nearby earthquakes, and determine parameters that influence seismic and tsunami hazards. This is the case for the largest Mediterranean tsunami in the last two centuries, which occurred offshore Amorgos island (09/07/1956). Based on new geological constraints, our multidisciplinary project aims to establish plausible slip scenarios for this major event, validated by tsunami modelling, existing seismological records, and new ground acceleration data, derived from damage studies of buildings. Geological and human archives will also be explored in order to reconstruct the unknown rupture and tsunami history in the region.
PI: Frédérique Leclerc
Contact: frederique.leclerc@geoazur.unice.fr
Duration: 1st January 2025 - 31 December 2029
ANR Funding: 805 k€