Research Information System
Heliyon, vol.1, no.1, pp.1-11, 2023 (SCI-Expanded)
Various inaccurate traditional models have resulted in major ambiguities and gaps in the interpretation
of Anatolian plate deformation directions. To address this issue, a GIS-based spatial
statistical analysis method was used for the first time to detect the directional distribution of
deformation along the Anatolian Plate in Turkey. Two strategies were used in this study: firstly,
identifying the abnormally active seismic areas by detecting significant hotspot and cold spot
clusters and confirming this detection using optimized hotspot analysis for earthquake events that
occurred from 1900 to the end of 2019. Secondly, detecting the directional distribution of
deformation using a Standard Deviational Ellipse (SDE) by calculating the standard deviation of
the x and y coordinates from the mean center for each set of earthquake events in the Anaconda
Python Platform and ArcGIS 10.8 software. Our improved geostatistical analysis results confirmed
the existence of abnormal seismic hazard zones within the study area and three deformation
directions: the east-west trend, the southeast-northwest trend, and the south-north trend.