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

influencing earthquake occurrence and seismic hazard in a region. Lower slip rates result in longer average recurrence intervals for earthquakes of a given magnitude. Consequently, earthquakes on low slip- rate faults are often absent from historical records and standard seismic hazard assessments. High-resolution geodetic techniques, such as GNSS and DInSAR, can detect silent faults, although signals may be affected by groundwater extraction, vegetation, and other factors. These techniques can be combined with traditional geomorphological and paleoseismological investigations to uncover the history of silent and slow faults, shedding light on the persistence of scarps and challenging the "One Shot" hypothesis sometimes proposed for SCR faults. An intriguing research question is whether the characteristic earthquake model applies to AIR and whether intraplate faults exhibit periodic recurrence intervals. We present contributions on active intraplate faulting that integrate modern methods to develop novel and comprehensive structural and paleoseismological approaches to hazard assessment in Central Germany and the Rhine Graben areas. Sinceapprox. 15years theRWTHAachenUniversity team with cooperation partners is elaborating tectonic and paleoseismic characteristics of intraplate faults in the Rhine Graben areas. Our studies aim also to develop a comprehensive segmentation model for the eastern Rhine Graben Boundary Fault (eastern RGBF) and assess the relative level of tectonic activity for each segment. The eastern RGBF is ca. 300 km long, and has seen earthquakes along the entire length, however, the maximum historical earthquake is the Basel 1356 CE with a tentative magnate of 6.7±0-3. To achieve this possible segmentation, we analyze the tectonic imprint on the landscape and examine the morphometric characteristics of the mountain range front and the drainage basins along the eastern margin of the Upper Rhine Graben (URG). Our analysis includes the computation of morphotectonic indices using Digital ElevationModels (DEMs) obtained from the Shuttle Radar Topographic Mission (SRTM) and high-resolution airborne LiDAR data. These observations are integrated with regional geological and seismological data. Comprehending the geological, geomorphic, and tectonic processes leading to surface deformation is crucial for establishing criteria to identify and assess the seismic potential of faults. It is imperative to systematically and explicitly document the characteristics and relationships of faults to arrive at a defensible conclusion regarding the causative process. This report aims to (1) outline the features of faults resulting from both tectonic and nontectonic mechanisms, emphasizing diagnostic traits useful for determining their origin, and (2) establish criteria for distinguishing between tectonic and nontectonic faults. We discover limited exclusively diagnostic criteria for making this differentiation. The most effective method for discerning and recording the origin of a fault involves determining its geological context by integrating diverse observations and data. Attributes such as scale, geometry (both plan view and cross-sectional), and timing (recurrence, rate of deformation) are crucial to comprehend in order to confidently assess the origin and, consequently, the potential hazard of a fault. INTRAPLATE TECTONICS OF CENTRAL EUROPE The Upper Rhine Graben (URG) and the Lower Rhine Graben (LRG) represent some of the most seismically active areas within the plate interiors of Europe, exhibiting low to moderate seismicity. The eastern margin of the URG is defined by the eastern RGBF, which extends for 300 km from Frankfurt am Main (Germany) to Basel (Switzerland) in a sinistral normal tectonic environment. In contrast, the LRG stretches from Bonn to the Netherlands and west into eastern Belgium, where the tectonic activity is purely extensional. Previous studies along portions of the eastern RGBF have identified its clear geomorphological expression in the landscape, suggesting its activity during the Quaternary. Despite its significance, the segmentation and active tectonics along its entire length have yet to