Akademik Veri Yönetim Sistemi
JOURNAL OF SEISMOLOGY, cilt.29, sa.6, ss.1515-1533, 2025 (SCI-Expanded, Scopus)
This study investigates Montenegro's seismic characteristics and tectonic stress distribution using the Gutenberg-Richter Law, stress inversion, and focal mechanism analysis. A dataset of 7727 earthquakes (0.8 <= Mw <= 7.1) is analyzed to evaluate seismicity patterns. A comprehensive statistical assessment includes cumulative earthquake numbers, cumulative seismic moment release, and magnitude-depth distributions. The spatial variation of seismicity is mapped. Additionally, b-value mapping is performed to identify regions of varying stress accumulation and seismic hazard potential. Focal mechanism solutions of 33 earthquakes (3.2 <= Mw <= 7.1) are analyzed to determine faulting styles and tectonic deformation patterns. Stress inversion techniques are applied to infer the orientation of principal stress axes and understand regional tectonic forces. These analyses provide a detailed characterization of Montenegro's seismotectonic regime, contributing to a better understanding of earthquake generation mechanisms and their implications for seismic hazard assessment. The findings of this study emphasize the seismic vulnerability of Montenegro, particularly in its southern and coastal regions. Considering the observed stress accumulation and historical seismicity, future large earthquakes are likely to occur. Strengthening seismic monitoring networks, updating building codes, and enhancing public awareness programs are crucial to improving regional resilience against future seismic events. To the best of our knowledge, this is the first study to comprehensively analyze Montenegro's seismicity using integrated b-value mapping, stress tensor inversion, and focal mechanism classification.