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Martin-Gonzalez, FidelCorresponding AuthorCrespo-Martin, CristinaAuthorGonzalez-Munoz, SandraAuthor

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August 14, 2023
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Understanding seismicity and seismotectonics in a stable continental region (NW Iberian Peninsula): Implications for the nature of intraplate seismicity

Publicated to: GLOBAL AND PLANETARY CHANGE. 227 104177- - 2023-08-01 227(), DOI: 10.1016/j.gloplacha.2023.104177

Authors:

Martín-González, F; Crespo-Martín, C; Cesca, S; González-Muñoz, S
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Affiliations

GFZ German Res Ctr Geosci, Telegrafenberg, D-14473 Potsdam, Germany - Author
Univ Rey Juan Carlos, Area Geol ESCET, TECVOLRISK Res Grp, C Tulipan S-N, Moszoles 28933, Madrid, Spain - Author

Abstract

Despite that earthquakes in stable continental regions (SCR) often cause more damage than interplate seismicity, they remain poorly understood. This is mainly because of the lower rate of intraplate seismicity and because of its different behaviour compared to the better-known seismicity at the plate boundary. Understand the character-istics of the intraplate seismicity is a challenge for the seismic risk studies. We study and characterise an SCR (NW Iberian Peninsula), which not only registers moderate instrumental intraplate seismicity, but also important historic seismicity and paleoseismic activity. To tackle some of the difficulties posed by intraplate seismicity, we analyse a wide and multidisciplinary data set (e.g., geological structures, seismicity, focal mechanisms, and geophysical data). Seismicity in this region is not associated with an old rift, but with inherited faults widely distributed throughout the region with a great variety of orientations. The reactivation kinematics of these faults are coherent with the current regional stresses. Instrumental seismicity is not associated with the large active faults nor with crustal limits. Seismicity is mainly clustered in swarms and sequences. Although seismic swarms present lower magnitudes, they are the most common. Based on swarms' characteristics (high b-values, upward spatiotemporal migration), reported mantellic CO2 in some thermal springs, and the reactivation of inherited steeply-dipping faults, we propose the migration of deep fluids through steeply-dipping fractured areas as the cause of the intraplate seismicity. These processes could increase the pore pressure and decrease the stresses necessary for the fault rupture in a fault-valve behaviour. In general, in intraplate context, the important control in the seismicity of the inherited fault systems favourable oriented under the current stress tensor is observed, and also the need for mechanisms that can decrease the effective stress for the fault ruptures. Mechanisms as hydrothermal fluids in arterial faults with fault-valve processes has been identified as an effective driver of intraplate seismicity, playing an important role in stability of tectonic faults. The large number and variety of these faults, that share the low strain rates in intraplate polyorogenic context, may explain the different char-acteristics of these intraplate regions compared with the interplate regions, as the "unanticipated" behaviour, variety of kinematics, the long quiescence periods without seismicity associated and erosion obliterating their morphotectonic expression.
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Keywords

A-stableCantabrian mountainsDeformationEarthquake catalogEarthquakesEffective stressEvolutionFaultFault rupturesFault slipsFault zoneFault-valveGeothermal springsHot springsIberian peninsulaInherited faultInherited faultsIntraplate seismicityLow ratesMomentPaleoseismicityPlate boundariesPore pressurePortugalScrSeismicitySeismotectonicsStable continental regionsStrain rateStress tensorTectonic activityZone

Quality index

Bibliometric impact. Analysis of the contribution and dissemination channel

The work has been published in the journal GLOBAL AND PLANETARY CHANGE due to its progression and the good impact it has achieved in recent years, according to the agency WoS (JCR), it has become a reference in its field. In the year of publication of the work, 2023, it was in position 41/254, thus managing to position itself as a Q1 (Primer Cuartil), in the category Geosciences, Multidisciplinary.

From a relative perspective, and based on the normalized impact indicator calculated from World Citations provided by WoS (ESI, Clarivate), it yields a value for the citation normalization relative to the expected citation rate of: 3.04. This indicates that, compared to works in the same discipline and in the same year of publication, it ranks as a work cited above average. (source consulted: ESI Nov 13, 2025)

This information is reinforced by other indicators of the same type, which, although dynamic over time and dependent on the set of average global citations at the time of their calculation, consistently position the work at some point among the top 50% most cited in its field:

  • Weighted Average of Normalized Impact by the Scopus agency: 2.5 (source consulted: FECYT Mar 2025)

Specifically, and according to different indexing agencies, this work has accumulated citations as of 2026-04-15, the following number of citations:

  • WoS: 14
  • Scopus: 11
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Impact and social visibility

From the perspective of influence or social adoption, and based on metrics associated with mentions and interactions provided by agencies specializing in calculating the so-called "Alternative or Social Metrics," we can highlight as of 2026-04-15:

  • The use, from an academic perspective evidenced by the Altmetric agency indicator referring to aggregations made by the personal bibliographic manager Mendeley, gives us a total of: 21.
  • The use of this contribution in bookmarks, code forks, additions to favorite lists for recurrent reading, as well as general views, indicates that someone is using the publication as a basis for their current work. This may be a notable indicator of future more formal and academic citations. This claim is supported by the result of the "Capture" indicator, which yields a total of: 21 (PlumX).

With a more dissemination-oriented intent and targeting more general audiences, we can observe other more global scores such as:

  • The Total Score from Altmetric: 7.
  • The number of mentions on the social network X (formerly Twitter): 7 (Altmetric).

It is essential to present evidence supporting full alignment with institutional principles and guidelines on Open Science and the Conservation and Dissemination of Intellectual Heritage. A clear example of this is:

  • The work has been submitted to a journal whose editorial policy allows open Open Access publication.
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Leadership analysis of institutional authors

This work has been carried out with international collaboration, specifically with researchers from: Germany.

There is a significant leadership presence as some of the institution’s authors appear as the first or last signer, detailed as follows: First Author (Martín González, Fidel) and Last Author (González Muñoz, Sandra).

the author responsible for correspondence tasks has been Martín González, Fidel.

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Awards linked to the item

This work was supported by the Spanish Ministry of Economy and Competitiveness and FEDER Funds of the European Union [project CGL2015-70970-P] , the Community of Madrid and Funds of European Union [grant award by PEJD-2017-PRE/AMB-3472] and the predoc-toral contract [PREDOC20-073] of the Rey Juan Carlos University. The authors wish to thank two anonymous reviewers and the editor Dr. Matenco for their comments and suggestions that have contributed to the improvement of the final version of the manuscript.
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