Análisis fractal de las fallas y el parámetro b de la Cordillera Bética

Abstract

Several phenomena in the nature present a self organized critically character; that is to say, they are maintained near a critical point (Bak et al., 1988). In the critical state here is no longer a natural length scale so that statistics are applicable. Among them they are the active faults and the earthquakes. In this work, a fractal study of the Betic Cordillera seismotectonic is presented. We consider the fractal characteristics of faults and seismicity. Using the box-counting approach, the DO dimension of faults in the Betic Cordillera is evaluated. Using the least squares method the b parameter is also calculated. In function of the obtained values of the fractal dimension of faults and of the b parameter of the earthquakes and keeping in mind the known seismotectonic characteristics we have been defined several regions inside the Betic Cordillera with specific fractal characteristics. Then, the relation between these parameters is analyzed by the typical DO-b plots for the new defined regions. It is notice negative and positive fits associated with the large and small faults, respectively. Negative correlation implies an increase in the probability of large earthquakes. Regions with positive correlation imply a greater faults fragmentation.