Neotectonic crustal faults in Chile: Do they truly matter when it comes to understanding seismic hazards?

Séminaire de José Cembrano (Professeur à l’Université Pontificale Catholique du Chili)

Short abstract
The Chilean Andes are home to several significant neotectonic crustal faults. These include normal faults in the forearc region and strike-slip and reverse faults in the arc and backarc areas.
In this presentation, I will discuss our recent findings regarding the nature, geometry, kinematics, and slip rates of these important crustal faults. Traditionally, the primary seismic hazard in Chile has been associated with large-magnitude subduction zone earthquakes, which has led to an underestimation of the significance and seismogenic potential of the crustal faults.
Some crustal faults in the Chilean Andes are capable of generating earthquakes with magnitudes of 7 or greater at shallow depths. The recurrence intervals for such events range from a few hundred to several thousand years. Additionally, many densely populated cities and critical infrastructure are located on or near these potentially seismogenic crustal faults. This poses significant challenges in utilizing geological and geophysical knowledge to enhance seismic hazard and risk assessments in Chile and similar tectonic environments.