COMMUNICATING NORTHEASTERN CARIBBEAN EARTHQUAKES OVER THE PAST 100 YEARS USING ANIMATIONS AND ASSOCIATED TECTONIC SUMMARIES

Animations are effective tools for displaying spatiotemporal variations in seismicity associated with plate tectonics of the northeastern Caribbean. We have produced animations that allow users to view over 100 years of earthquakes to explore related spatial patterns, including locations of larger magnitude earthquakes. Detailed animations of earthquake sequences are also produced to clearly illustrate the evolution of the earthquake sequence with time, including the interaction of numerous faults as the sequence progresses.

We produce these animated maps and accompanying depth cross-section animations using a variety of Python mapping libraries and earthquake data from the USGS Comprehensive Earthquake Catalog (ComCat). In this presentation we will show animations of a century of earthquakes across the northeastern Caribbean that clearly illustrate that the largest, most damaging earthquakes are associated with North America-Caribbean plate interaction, but that significant seismicity occurs on structures associated with complex, broad scale deformation across the region. These animations are designed to complement the tectonic summaries posted by the USGS following notable earthquakes in the region.

Additionally, to improve the content of post-earthquake response products generated by the USGS, we have generated animations of earthquake sequences such as the ongoing aftershock sequence of the January 07, 2020 M 6.4 southern Puerto Rico earthquake. In these animations we change the earthquake marker coloration following large foreshock and/or aftershocks, which better illustrates active fault locations. Supporting seismicity cross-sections also help to visualize kinematics of ruptures. Our work on illustrative animations that span the instrumental period of seismology (1900 to present) can help to more effectively communicate broad scale tectonics and associated historical seismicity and associated hazards. We envision further developing these animations for other seismically active areas of the world (e.g. South America, the Aleutians) and in response to other notable earthquake sequences to further understanding of the variation in seismicity in these areas.