Seismology

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Scientific Staff and Areas of Study International Cooperation
Scientific Achievements Publications
Seismology

 

Seismology Group

 

The group was established at the IGS within the Laboratory of Geo-archaeology and Geo-monitoring and the Laboratory of Volcanology to carry out advanced geodynamic studies of the Earth crust structural inhomogeneities and to identify their potential links with the active tectonics and volcanism of the Lesser Caucasus.

Group members include: Lilit Sargsyan (PHD, Group Leader), Elya Sahakyan (PHD, Leading Researcher), Ara Levonyan (Junior Researcher), Hovnatan Demirchyan (Engineer-Geologist).

 

Scientific Staff and Areas of Study

Sargsyan Lilit – Researcher, PHD (Candidate of Geological Sciences), Seismology Group Leader 

Scope of Scientific Interests

Seismic waves, analysis of wave patterns, compilation of earthquake catalogues, seismicity, earthquake epicenter re-calculations, seismic tomography, induced (triggered) seismicity, and volcanic seismology 

 Number of Publications – 37, of which 21 in international journals   

e-mail: s.sargsyan.lilit@gmail.com   

Elya Sahakyan– Senior Researcher, PHD (Candidate of Geological Sciences)

Scope of Scientific Interests 

Seismic tomography, assessment of seismic regime, recalculations of the coordinates of earthquake epicenters and hypocenters, focal mechanism solutions and catalogue compilation, studies of the strain field of the Earth crust, plotting of stress tensors, developing model of elastic seismic wave propagation velocities; geophysical studies, data processing and analysis. 

Number of Publications – 26, of which 14 in international journals     
e-mail: elya.sahakyan@gmail.com 

Levonyan Ara – Junior Researcher 

Scope of Scientific Interests 

Routine technical maintenance, repair and upgrading of hardware and software of the measuring devices installed at observation points, seismic record archiving, data format conversion, control of station operation and data quality (noise measurements, data updating, etc.), analysis of records, earthquake localization and recalculation, seismic tomography and structural seismology, seismometry  

Number of Publications 5, of which 4 in international journals

e-mail: seis@sci.am 

Demirchyan Hovnatan – Geology Engineer 

Scope of Scientific Interests 

Control of the operation and data quality of seismic stations (noise measurements, data updating, etc.), analysis of the recorded wave patterns, processing of the recorded data and supplementing of earthquake catalogue, and recalculation of the main earthquake data; testing of new advanced software for further applications, supplementing of data from the regional stations (Turkey, Georgia, Azerbaijan, Iran) from data archives of EMSC and ISC organizations 


Number of Publications – 1

e-mail:  demirtshyanhovnatan@gmail.com 

 

General description of the activities

Monitoring of the modern movements of the Earth crust. 

  • Monitoring and study of seismic activity in the RA and neighboring areas; 
  • Modeling of potential links between active tectonic structures and the Earth crust structure;
  • Advanced geodynamic studies of the inhomogeneity of the Earth crust structure and its relationship with the active tectonics and volcanism of the Lesser Caucasus.

Upgrading and provision for uninterrupted operation of the seismological networks set for the continuous monitoring and for temporary seismic observations; accumulation, storage and archiving of the recorded waveform patterns consistently with the international format and analysis of the waveforms, determination of the main earthquake parameters and maintenance of the local catalogue; study of inhomogeneities in the Earth crust structure by the method of seismic tomography; study of seismic swarms detected in the area of the Geghama Mountains; identification of any potential links between the earthquakes and the active geological processes observed in the studied area; calculation of earthquake focal mechanisms and mapping of the stress-strain field.

Contribution to the international and local projects

  1. “Uplift and Seismic Structure of the Greater Caucasus”, International Project A-2334, ISTC, 2017-2023
  2. “Extension of the Seismic Network of the Caucasus and Central Asia,” International Project ՄԳՏԿ /ISTC/  KR-2452 – 2019, ISTC, 2020-2025
  3. “Assessment of geothermal energy resources and natural hazards in Armenia” International Project under the “Partnerships for Enhanced Engagement in Research”, PEER, 2021-2023
  4. “Development of the Conceptual Model of Volcanism for the Vardenis  Plateau”, 18T-1E368, the State Committee on Science, 2018-2020
  5. “Geochemical evolution and character of transition from the polygenetic to the monogenetic types of volcanism in the Geghama Plateau, and the Vp/Vs heterogeneity modeling (Armenia)“,  21T-1E302, the State Committee on Science, 2021-2024
  6. Manifestations of features of the collision-type volcanism in the isotope chemistry  and geothermal characteristics of the fluid systems forming in the Lesser Caucasus, 18RF-126, the State Committee on Science,  2018

 

Published articles and thesis during the last 5 years

Articles

 

  1. Sargsyan L., Meliksetian Kh., Metaxian J-P., Levonyan A., Grigoryan E., Toghramajian N., Nаvasardyan G., Manucharyan D., Gevorgyan M., Harutyunyan K., “Volcano-tectonic seismicity in continental collision zone: earthquake swarms in Gegham volcanic ridge (Aremnia)”,Proceedings NAS RA, Earth Sciences, 2021, v.74, N1, pp.3-19.
  2. Patrick Sugden, Khachatur Meliksetian, Ivan P. Savov, Dan Barfod, Marjorie Wilson, Charles Connor, Gevorg Navasardyan, Edmond Grigoryan, David Manucharyan // Post-collisional shift from polygenetic to monogenetic volcanism revealed by new 40Ar/39Ar ages in the southern Lesser Caucasus (Armenia) / Journal of Volcanology and Geothermal Research, 2021, 107192, 107192.
  3. Khachatur Meliksetian, Iain Neill, Dan N. Barfod, Eilidh J.M. Milne, Emma C. Waters, Gevorg Navasardyan, Edmond Grigoryan, Valerie Olive, Nicholas Odling, Arkady Karakhanian // Pleistocene – Holocene volcanism at the Karkar geothermal prospect, Armenia / Quaternary Geochronology, 2021, 66, 101201
  4. Սարգսյան Լ.Ս., Սահակյան Է.Է., Գևորգյան Մ.Ռ., Բաբայան Հ.Ե., Գևորգյան Ա. Հ, Խաչկալյան Կ. Լ., Ջուհարյան Ա. Կ, Հարությունյան Կ.Ա, “2019թ. М4.8 մագնիտուդով Բավրայի երկրաշարժը եվ հետցնցումային ակտիվության ժամանակային մարումը”, ՀՀ, ԳԱԱ Տեղեկագիր, Գիտություններ Երկրի մասին, 2020, N3, էջ 19-32։
  5. Սահակյան Է․, Սարգսյան Լ․, Գևորգյան Մ․, «Ջավախքի հրաբխային լեռնաշղթայում «ենթադրյալ» խզվածքների սեյսմիկ ակտիվությունը և երկրաշարժերի ֆոկալ մեխանիզմների լուծումները», ՀՀ, ԳԱԱ Տեղեկագիր, Գիտություններ Երկրի մասին, N3, 2019, էջ 72-80։
  6. Meliksetian Kh., Nikogosian I., Jrbashyan R., Gevorgyan H., Navasardyan G., Grigoryan E., Mkrtchyan M. //Quaternary monogenic volcanism of the Kapan block: volcanology, geochronology and geochemistry (se part Republic of Armenia) / Proceedings NAS RA, Earth Sciences, 2018, 72 (2), 19-42.
  7. Shahinyan H. V., Meliksetian Kh. B., Lavroushin V. Y., Navasardyan G. Kh., Zaqaryan Sh. S., Gyulnazaryan Sh. A., Aidarkozhina A., Manycharyan D. A., Grigoryan E. S. // Additional and new data on some mineral waters of the RA and Artsakh Republic territories / Proceedings NAS RA, Earth Sciences, 2019, 72, 1, 21-56. 
  8. Sahakyan E., Sargsyan L., Babayan H., Gevorgyan M. “Study of the current seismic activity of the Volcanic Javakheti Highland (2005–2017)”; Sustainable development of mountain territories, Earth and planetary sciences, Environmental Sciences, V. 10; N 3(37); 2018, pp. 349-357.  
  9. Sahakyan E., “The features of stress field in the Javakheti volcanic highland determined by the earthquake focal mechanisms for the time period 2005-2017”, Earth Sciences, NAS RA, N2, 2018, pp. 38-51։
  10. Sargsyan L., Natasha E. Toghramadjian, and Alan L. Kafka; Cellular Seismology Analysis of Reservoir-Triggered Seismicity Associated with Armenian Dams, Bulletin of the Seismological Society of America, Vol. 108, No. 5B, pp. 3126–3140, November 2018, doi: 10.1785/0120180014
  11. Sargsyna L.S., Seismic activity studies and seismic risk assessment for some operating dams in Armenia. Earth Sciences, N2, 2018, p 30-37 . 

 

Abstracts_conferences_2018_2022

    1. Meliksetian, K., Gevorgyan, H., Savov, I., Connor, C., Connor, L., Halama, R., Jrbashyan, R., Navasardyan, G., Grigoryan, E., and Ishizuka, O.: // Plinian eruption of the Middle Pleistocene Irind volcano, Armenia / 2021
    2. Meliksetian, K., Avagyan, A., Sahakyan, L., Galoyan, G., Melik-Adamyan, H., Hovhanissyan, A., Grigoryan, A., Grigoryan, T., Arakelyan, D., Shahinyan, H., Sahakyan, K., Hovakimyan, H., Atalyan, T., Grigoryan, E., Misakyan, M., and Avagyan, S. // Geological Hazards Focused Geopark Proposal, Armenia / 2021
    3. Igityan, H. Grigoryan, E. Arakelyan, S. Gevorgyan, M. Nazaretyan, S. Gabrielyan, A. // The impact of climate change on slope geological processes (with the example of Hovk community landslide) / 2021 / abstract, 35-37
    4. Meliksetian Kh., Sargsyan L, Sugden P, Tseng T-L, Savov I, Navasardyan G & Grigoryan E // Spatial Geochemical Variations of Quaternary Collision Related Volcanism of Armenia Linked with Seismic Data on Regional Crustal Thickness / Goldschmidt 2019, Barselona, 18-23 August, https://goldschmidt.info/2019/abstracts/abstractView?id=2019005170\
    5. Sahakyan E., Sargsyan L., Gevorgyan M., Igityan H., Babayan H., “Tectonic activity in the Javakheti volcanic highland” Second Caucasus Mountain Forum, 30 October – 1 November 2019, Ankara University, Ankara, Turkey
    6. Grigoryan E., Meliksetian Kh., Wolf D., Sahakyan L., Faust D., Sugden P., Savov I.P., Koopers A. // Late Middle Pleistocene tephra from Vei=6 eruption of Nemrut volcano (SE Turkey) preserved 350 km away in loess sequences in NE Armenia. / 2019
    7. Meliksetian Kh., Navasardyan G., Jrbashyan R., Savov I., Gevorgyan H., Manucharyan D., Grigoryan E., Misakyan M. // New geochronological data and interactions between polygenetic and monogenetic volcanism of Syunik and Vardenis volcanic uplands. / 2019
    8. Elya Sahakyan, Ara Levonyan, Mikayel Gevorgyan, and Hektor Babayan «Earthquakes focal mechanism and stress field pattern in the Javakheti volcanic highland»; Geophysical Research Abstracts; Vol. 20, EGU General Assembly, Vienna, 2018 
    9. Lilit Sargsyan, Khachatur Meliksetian, Jean-Philippe Metaxian, Ara Levonyan, Arkadi Karakhanyan, Hovnatan Demirchyan, Gevorg Navasardyan, Sos Margaryan, Michael Gevorgyan  and Hektor Babayan. Preliminary results of the analysis of earthquake swarms in Gegham volcanic ridge (Armenia). Geophysical Research Abstracts.  Vol. 20, EGU2018-417, 2018. EGU General Assembly 2018.
    10. Lilit Sargsyan. The seismic network of IGS. Working Meeting in IPGP, Paris, France, 2018
    11. Sahakyan E., Sargsyan L., Levonyan A., Babayan H., Gevorgyan M., Igityan H., “The current crustal stress field in the Javakheti volcanic highland”, “30 Years after the Spitak earthquake: Experience and Perspectives”; International Conference; 3-7 Dec., 2018, Yerevan, Armenia; Abstracts Volume; pp. 59.
    12. N.Toghramadjian, A. Kafka, L. Sargsyan. “Cellular seismology analysis of seismicity associated with operating Armenian dams” “30 Years after the Spitak earthquake: Experience and Perspectives”; International Conference; 3-7 Dec., 2018, Yerevan, Armenia; Abstracts Volume; pp. 96
    13. A. Karakhanyan, H. Babayan, S. Arakelyan, L.Sargsyan. “Input databases for the development of the Probabilistic Seismic Hazard Assessment for the Republic of Armenia”. “Cellular seismology analysis of seismicity associated with operating Armenian dams” “30 Years after the Spitak earthquake: Experience and Perspectives”; International Conference; 3-7 Dec., 2018, Yerevan, Armenia; Abstracts Volume; pp. 83.
    14. L. Sargsyan, H. Babayan, M. Gevorgyan, E. Sahakyan, and H. Igityan “The network of geodynamic and seismological observations of the Institute of Geological sciences, NAS of RA” “30 Years after the Spitak earthquake: Experience and Perspectives”; International Conference; 3-7 Dec., 2018, Yerevan, Armenia; Abstracts Volume; pp. 59.
    15. H. Igityan, M. Gevorgyan, and E. Sahakyan “Study of near-surface active fault structures in the regional compression and extension zones of the Lesser Caucasus (by the example of the active Pambak-Sevan-Syunik fault)” “30 Years after the Spitak earthquake: Experience and Perspectives”; International Conference; 3-7 Dec., 2018, Yerevan, Armenia; Abstracts Volume; pp. 46.