Papazachos, B.C.¹, Comninakis, P.E.², Karakaisis, G.F.¹, Karakostas, B.G.¹, Papaioannou, Ch.A.³, Papazachos, C.B.¹ and Scordilis, E.M.¹

This catalogue includes information (date, origin time, epicenter coordinates, focal depth, magnitude and maximum macroseismic intensity [when available]) for all known earthquakes of the following time intervals with the corresponding magnitudes:

The completeness of the catalogue varies from region to region in this area but the catalogue is complete for the whole area and for the following time intervals and the corresponding magnitudes:

All magnitudes are given in a scale equivalent to the moment magnitude and are converted from other magnitude scales in which there were originally calculated (local magnitude, surface wave magnitude, body wave magnitude, signal duration magnitude, macroseismic magnitude) by proper formulae (Papazachos et al., 1997; Papazachos and Papaioannou, 1997; Margaris and Papazachos, 1999). The errors in the magnitudes are in the interval ± 0.25 for the instrumental period (1911-1999). For the historical data these errors are ± 0.35 when the number of available macroseismic observations (number of places where the intensity is known) is ³ 10. When the number of macroseismic observations is less than 10 the magnitude errors reach up to a half of the magnitude unit and the value of the magnitude in the catalogue is in parenthesis.

The epicenter coordinates for the earthquakes of the period 1965-1999 have been calculated by instrumental data and their errors are up to 20km for the older ones (1965-1980) and up to 10km for the new ones (1981-1999). These coordinates for the period 1901-1964 were calculated by both instrumental and macroseismic information and their errors can be up to 30km. For the historical earthquakes the epicenters have usually an error of about 30km but this error can reach up to 50km when the number of available macroseismic information is less than 5.

The symbol n (=normal depth) is used to denote the focal depth for all shallow earthquakes. Although this symbol typically means focal depth less than 60km, the shallow earthquakes in this area have a focal depth less than 20km, except for some of them along the Hellenic arc where their depths can reach up to 50km. For the intermediate depth earthquakes the value of the focal depth is given when its error is less than 20km and the symbol i (=intermediate depth) is used when this error is larger (historical earthquakes).

The dates of the catalogue are given in the old (Julian) calendar for the earthquakes which occurred till 1582. For the earthquakes which occurred after that, the dates are given in the Gregorian calendar and the origin times in GMT. The macroseismic intensities are in the MM scale unless it is written otherwise.

The catalogue includes also 16 smaller (M<6.0) historical earthquakes which are connected with historical tradition (important historical events, stories, etc.). No accurate information concerning the size of these shocks is available. There is also information for 18 events, which are listed as earthquakes in the present catalogue, of which the occurrence is not certain because this occurrence was inferred from indirect evidence. These events are marked by an asterisk ( * ) next to the name of the site where they were felt.

A very large number of basic information sources have been used to make the present catalogue, among which are previous parametric catalogues (Ergin et al., 1967; Galanopoulos, 1960, 1963, 1977; Karnik, 1969; Sulstarova et al., 1971; Papazachos and Comninakis, 1972; Shebalin et al., 1974; Alsan et al., 1975; Comninakis and Papazachos, 1978, 1986; Makropoulos, 1978; Glavcheva, 1993; ISC, NEIC, CSEM bulletins).

A detailed description of the macroseismic effects for the strong earthquakes (M³ 6.0) of this catalogue can be found in Papazachos and Papazachou (1997).