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western quebec and southern ontario - Department of Geology

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Abstract:Earthquakes in <strong>western</strong> Quebec <strong>and</strong> <strong>southern</strong> Ontario present a major contribution to thenatural hazards in south eastern Canada due to their proximity to major populationcentres. However, the seismic characteristics <strong>of</strong> the events in these regions have not beenwell documented. Improved knowledge <strong>of</strong> earthquake distribution <strong>and</strong> seismiccontrolling mechanisms provides a great benefit for earthquake hazard analysis in easternCanada.The available information about the tectonic stress indicators, including focalmechanisms, was compiled for Canada prior to 1994. The present research isconcentrated mainly on determination <strong>of</strong> the focal mechanisms <strong>and</strong> hypocentre locations<strong>of</strong> the earthquakes after 1993 with M > 3.5 to characterize the present-day regional <strong>and</strong>local stress fields in <strong>southern</strong> Ontario <strong>and</strong> <strong>western</strong> Quebec. An attempt was also made todifferentiate local zones with comparatively homogeneous tectonic stresses orientation<strong>and</strong> seismic regimes, thus providing information for future re-assessment <strong>of</strong> the seismichazard in each region.Considering seismic parameters such as the trend <strong>of</strong> the epicentres, focal depths<strong>and</strong> the state <strong>of</strong> stress <strong>of</strong> the events along with their tectonic settings, ten distinct clustershave been proposed for <strong>western</strong> Quebec <strong>and</strong> two clusters <strong>of</strong> events were determined for<strong>southern</strong> Ontario with comparatively consistent focal mechanisms. The locations <strong>and</strong>characteristics <strong>of</strong> seismicity clusters appear to be consistent with the hypothesis that theyare near the locations <strong>of</strong> large historic <strong>and</strong> prehistoric events, <strong>and</strong> represent exceptionallypersistent aftershocks <strong>of</strong> past large earthquakes.ii

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