A GEOGRAPHICAL EVALUATION OF SEISMIC EVENTS AT PUERTO RICO AREA FROM 2004 TO 2011

A geographical evaluation of seismic events was done at Puerto Rico Island from 2004 to 2011. The main objective of this evaluation is conducting a spatial analysis that helps to identify the geographical sites with higher occurrence and magnitude of seismic events at the Island for the study period. Seismic information (occurrence, magnitude and geographical location, among other variables) were collected from published data of The Puerto Rico Seismic Network for the study period. The information included 13,820 seismic events occurred from 17.00° to 20.00° N Latitude and from 63.50° to 68.00° W Longitude. Data was evaluated using graphs and maps based on geographical spatial analysis. General results showed an increase in seismic events from 2004 through 2009 at the Island. Also, data showed that areas with higher seismicity events have been located at the Puerto Rico Trench and El Sombrero Seismic Zone, where there were a total of 132 seismic swarms events reported until 2010. Spatial evaluation of these seismic events will help to understand the actual geological risk profile for the north coast of Puerto Rico.