Submarine Hazard Assessment for the Right-lateral Kefalonia Transform Fault System (SHARK)

• Applicants: Professorin Dr. Anne Bernhardt; Dr. Gareth Crutchley; Dr. Felix Gross; Dr. Jens Karstens
• Subject Area: Geophysics
• Term: since 2025
• Project identifier: Deutsche Forschungsgemeinschaft (DFG) - Project number 560303281

The Kefalonia Transform Fault Zone is considered one of the most active transform faults in Europe, responsible for numerous recorded earthquakes over the past century. The SHARK project (Submarine Hazard Assessment for the Right-lateral Kefalonia Transform Fault System) will investigate the offshore section of the Kefalonia Transform Fault Zone near the Greek islands of Kefalonia and Lefkada to understand active faulting processes in the upper 1500 meters below the seafloor. By collecting and evaluating new geophysical and geological high-resolution data on fault geometry and offset, insights from the study will be used to assess plate-scale processes, from oblique oceanic to continental collision, and to inform physical rupture models for seismic and tsunami hazard assessments. Although transform faults are characterized by lateral displacement, large earthquakes have the potential to trigger tsunamis if the fault movement involves significant vertical displacement or if ground acceleration triggers submarine landslides. To better understand these hazards, it is essential to carry out detailed analysis of the upper sedimentary layers of the continental shelf and slope affected by the transform fault system. The SHARK project aims to conduct a marine expedition to determine whether the targeted segment of the Kefalonia Fault is capable of generating tsunamis and to constrain the detailed architecture and Quaternary activity of the Kefalonia Fault system using high-resolution 3D and 2D seismic reflection data, as well as ultra-high-resolution micro-bathymetry obtained through underwater photogrammetry. In this context, we will detect and characterize submarine mass transport deposits associated with the Kefalonia Transform Fault Zone using multi-beam bathymetry, sediment echosounder data, and sediment sampling to evaluate the potential of submarine landslides to trigger local tsunami events. Additionally, SHARK will collect geophysical, geodetic, and oceanographic data from the seafloor to establish a baseline for a long-term fault activity monitoring system. SHARK is closely aligned with other projects within SPP DEFORM and will obtain important moropho-tectonic insights into the offshore regions to capture the entire land-to-sea system. The outcomes of this project will not only contribute to the broader goals of the SPP DEFORM program but will also advance our general understanding of subduction-to-strike-slip transition zones globally.

• DFG Programme: Priority Programmes
• Subproject of: SPP 2497: Plate Deformation and Geohazards: The Eastern Margin of the Adriatic Plate (DEFORM)
• International Connection: Greece
• Co-Investigators: Professor Dr. Christian Berndt; Dr. Jan Oliver Eisermann; Professorin Dr. Heidrun Kopp; Professor Dr. Sebastian Krastel; Dr. Tom Kwasnitschka
• Cooperation Partner: Professorin Dr. Paraskevi Nomikou