Characteristic Ddepth distribution of crustal earthquakes in Southern Siberia

The key parameters of an earthquake are magnitude, epicenter coordinates, and depth. Depth often has a decisive influence on the macroseismic effect of certain earthquakes. In this regard, for example, to assess seismic risk, one should know information on the statistics of earthquake occurrence at certain depths. In this work, catalogs of continental crustal earthquakes in the Southern Siberia are analyzed. The distributions of earthquake depths are approximated by various functions. The Weibull distribution, with a maximum at 8 km, is shown to describe the depth distribution of these crustal earthquakes most accurately. When the western (Altai–Sayan) and eastern (Baikal Rift Zone) parts of the region are considered separately, the Weibull distribution is also preferable. The maximum of the distribution is found to be at 9 km for the Baikal rift zone and at 7 km for the Altai–Sayan zone.