Background earthquakes and aftershock sequences of the strongest intraplate earthquakes in Central Asia

Abstract

Within the analyzed observation period (1971–2021), the values of the total magnitude of the scalar seismic moment obtained from the aftershocks of the strongest earthquakes (Мw ≥ 7.6) Asia (φ=20–50  N, λ=60–105° E), are weakly correlated with the total magnitude of the scalar seismic moment of background seismicity in the region of the main earthquake. A high level of seismic activity is manifested in the zones of large active faults and is reflected in the total magnitude of the scalar seismic moment of aftershock sequences. The types of movements in the foci of the main events do not affect the degree of aftershock activity (the total values of the scalar seismic moment) and occur at different background levels. Over the past 50 years, the magnitude of the strongest earthquakes has increased compared to the previous fifty-year period.