Geologic Risk and Seismic Hazard Assessment in the Southeastern Caucasus Using Remote Sensing Data

Abstract

This study was devoted to the legacy geologic information on the geology, seismicity, infrastructure and mud volcano hazard of the Southeastern Caucasus. Caucasus region is home to a large number of the world's mud volcanoes, which are some of the most mobile, and potentially destructive to infrastructure, geologic features. Because, the seismic events have a much greater impact on this region than on most other regions of the world. In this connection, has been used several major remote sensing tools to provide base hazard maps for assembling the geologic and geophysical information about the South-eastern Caucasus for public policy use. It was focus on using Landsat, set of Synthetic Radar aperture (SAR) interferometry and spectral imaging tools such as ASTER to map and monitor the mud volcanoes and fault structures in the Caucasus region. This study will be of extreme importance to siting and maintaining of pipelines, roads, and other infrastructure, as well as for assisting with the mud volcano hazard planning for the Southeastern Caucasus in particular.