STUDY OF TECTONIC SURFACE AND SUBSURFACE STRUCTURES BY GPR SURVEY IN ACTIVE FAULTS AREA

Abstract

The Republic of Armenia (RA) is located in the Arabian and Eurasian plates collision zone. The Pambak-Sevan-Syunik (PSSF) active fault extends almost throughout the whole territory of Armenia. The issue of geometry of the surface and near-surface structures in the most segments of the PSSF remains open. In the Syunik segment of this fault there is a site called Karkar with a high hydrothermal potential. Surface and near-surface structures in the Karkar site were first identified and studied in Armenia with using of GPR survey. Ruptured and depletedzones representing secondary surface deformations of the active fault were revealed. In the initial stage, a GPR 2D survey was done in separated sites; afterwards, a GPR 3D survey was done in revealed anomalous sites. As a result, the 3D models of surface and near-surface structures (flower structure, pull-apart basin, and other structures) allowed to more accurately estimate the width of the active fault zone, to develop an adequate seismotectonic model of the territory. The carried out researches will have a great importance for the seismic hazard and risk assessment for the studied territory.