Proceedings of the 12th International INQUA meeting on paleoseismology, active tectonic and archaeoseismology

Fig. 1: Satellite map view of the study area and Quaternary landforms extending northeast from the 2008 Nura surface rupture area (Image © 2023 Planet Labs PBC). Shaded area shows coverage of the digital surface model. Modified from Patyniak et al. in press. deformations or unclear relationships between earthquake foci and deformation, as seen in events like the 1974 Markansu earthquake and the 1944 San Juan earthquake (Nikonov et al., 1983; Rockwell et al., 2014). The ambiguity in such relationships poses a significant challenge in evaluating the seismogenic nature of certain neotectonic faults, potentially leading to underestimation of seismic hazards and hindering our understanding of earthquake history. To address these issues, we conducted a detailed geological and tectono-geomorphic field analysis in the northern Pamir Mountains, a region with a history of complex deformation. Situated at high elevations and characterizedby climate-controlled processes, theNorthern Pamir experiences ongoing tectonicmotion, resulting in faulted and folded rock formations (Coutand et al., 2002). The Kyzilsu River maintains a stable mountain front in most areas, but the Nura region exhibits out-of- sequence faulting due to insufficient erosional capacity, leading to material accumulation and an indistinct range front (Strecker et al., 2003). Seismic activity in the Northern Pamir is concentrated along the Pamir Thrust System (PTS), with the Pamir Frontal Thrust (PFT) serving as a primary fault system (Schurr et al., 2014). In 2008, the Mw 6.6 Nura earthquake struck along the PFT, causing significant damage to the adjacent Nura settlement and its inhabitants. Interestingly, surface rupture occurred in the footwall 10 km away from the source thrust fault, highlighting the role of strain and slip partitioning in the rupture process (Sippl et al., 2014; Teshebaeva et al., 2014).