Abstract

RICALDI YARVI, Edgar Liborio. Conditions for seismicityin Bolivia. Revista Boliviana de Física [online]. 2015, vol.26, n.26, pp.17-29. ISSN 1562-3823.

A review of the literature about the seismicity in the central Andes region (mainly) allows us to conclude that the telluric movements known as earthquakes have greater magnitudes in the western side of the volcanic arc (western cordillera in Bolivian territory) while in the eastern side of this volcanic arc, and in general along the whole Andes cordillera, the earthquakes have lesser magnitudes. Seismicity in the Bolivian territory has an average magnitude of 3.5 degrees, eventually reaching magnitudes greater than 5 degrees (with superficial focus); high intensity earthquakes are exceptional (as the one in Aiquile, 1998) and occur by accommodation of blocks (deep focus) or by the slipping of rock masses, as the Consata-Mapiri earthquake in 1947. An exceptional earthquake with a magnitude of 8.6 degrees occurred in 1994 in the Iturralde-Ballivian province (Beni) with deep focus (630 km) resulting in a low surface intensity. Bolivian territory is well defined as having an intermediate seismicity which is confirmed by geological and structural observations, as well as by estimations drawn from GPS net-works measurements.

Keywords : Seismicity; Geographical regions: South America; Earthquakes.

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