Integrated Studies for Assessment of Seismic Hazard in Harrat Lunayyir

Seismic activity in the western Saudi Arabia, together with rapid industrial development of the region, emphasizes the importance of reassessment of seismic hazard for the area. A swarm of earthquakes (maximum magnitude 5.4) occurred in 2009 within the Harrat Lunayyir - the relatively young Cenozoic lava field in western Saudi Arabia. The Harrat Lunayyir area was not considered as a seismic source zone in the current issue of Saudi Building Code (SBC-301-2007). In this study the characteristics of seismic hazard were estimated for the Harrat Lunayyir area. The up-to-date geophysical, geological and seismological databases, and results of new geophysical and seismological studies were used for construction of input models for seismic hazard assessment. The study allows revision of seismic hazard maps for the area and it provides information for deterministic seismic hazard assessment that is required for emergency response and recovery management. The combination of geophysical and seismological methods applied in his study may be considered as an example of integrated studies that aim at assessment of seismic hazard for similar volcanic areas in Saudi Arabia and the world