Parisi Laura Laura.Parisi@kaust.edu.sa King Abdullah University of Science and Technology KAUST https://www.kaust.edu.sa/en https://ror.org/01q3tbs38 Trippanera Daniele daniele.trippanera@kaust.edu.sa King Abdullah University of Science and Technology KAUST https://www.kaust.edu.sa/en https://ror.org/01q3tbs38 Augustin Nico Nico.Agustin@kaust.edu.sa 0000-0003-1905-4773 King Abdullah University of Science and Technology KAUST https://www.kaust.edu.sa/en https://ror.org/01q3tbs38 Jónsson Sigurjón Sigurjon.Jonsson@kaust.edu.sa King Abdullah University of Science and Technology KAUST https://www.kaust.edu.sa/en https://ror.org/01q3tbs38 Schmidt-Aursch Mechita mschmidt@awi.de 0000-0002-2393-4514 Alfred Wegener Institute, Helmholtz Centre for Polar and Marine Research, Bremerhaven AWI https://www.awi.de/ https://ror.org/032e6b942 2026 Project ZAFRAN: DEPAS ocean-bottom seismometer operations in the Northern Red Sea in 2021-2022 dataset https://doi.pangaea.de/10.1594/PANGAEA.995444 2026-06-18T09:12:10 The largest earthquakes in Saudi Arabia occur on transform faults, such as in the Gulf of Aqaba where a magnitude 7.3 earthquake struck in 1995. The Red Sea rift is composed of several offset ridge segments that likely are separated by transform faults, leading to significant seismic hazard at the nearby coastlines. One of the largest rift offsets (~100 km) is located in the northern Red Sea at latitudes 23N–26N and is usually referred to as the Zabargad Fracture Zone (ZFZ). This area is also the location of the most intensive seismic activity of the northern Red Sea. Historical and national earthquake catalogues report two earthquakes of magnitude larger than 6 within the ZFZ, indicating the potential for future large earthquakes in the area. The ZFZ extends from Zabargad Island in the south (near the Egypt/Sudan border) to the Al Wajh platform in the north on the Saudi side. Large earthquakes within the ZFZ would threaten neighboring coastal communities on both sides of the Red Sea, in particular on the more populated Saudi coast, e.g., the city of Yanbu with its large petrochemical facilities, the town of Umm Lujj, and a new major tourist resort in development (The Red Sea Project). Despite previous geophysical investigations focusing on rift extension, sedimentary cover, and transform fault formation, the structure and seismicity of the ZFZ remain poorly known due to thick salt deposits and incomplete seismological datasets. To overcome these limitations, we conducted the first passive seismic deployment in the Red Sea, specifically targeting the ZFZ. The ZAFRAN (Structure and earthquake potential of the Zabargad Fracture Zone, northern Red Sea) network comprised 14 ocean-bottom seismometers, 12 from German Instrument Pool of Amphibian Seismology (DEPAS) and 2 from a Fugro experiment, and four portable onshore broadband seismic stations from KAUST, installed on islands and along the Saudi coast. This dataset enables high-resolution observations of earthquakes occurring within the ZFZ and provides improved event locations and focal mechanisms. Together with offshore seafloor imaging, sub-bottom profiling, magnetic surveys, and the re-analysis of existing geophysical data, the OBS network forms the backbone of a new interdisciplinary approach. By combining these observations with analogue models of transform faults and salt tectonics, we aim to develop a conceptual model of the ZFZ evolution and to better constrain its seismic and volcanic hazard potential for the surrounding Red Sea region. Alfred-Wegener-Institut Helmholtz-Zentrum für Polar- und Meeresforschung et al. 2017 DEPAS (Deutscher Geräte-Pool für amphibische Seismologie): German Instrument Pool for Amphibian Seismology journal article Journal of large-scale research facilities JLSRF 3 https://doi.org/10.17815/jlsrf-3-165 Fittipaldi Margherita Trippanera Daniele daniele.trippanera@kaust.edu.sa Augustin Nico Nico.Agustin@kaust.edu.sa 0000-0003-1905-4773 van der Zwan Froukje M 0000-0002-3637-8609 Parisi Laura Laura.Parisi@kaust.edu.sa Jónsson Sigurjón Sigurjon.Jonsson@kaust.edu.sa 2025 Mabahiss Deep in the Northern Red Sea: New insights from high-resolution bathymetric mapping and analysis journal article Marine Geology 490 https://doi.org/10.1016/j.margeo.2025.107645 107645 Parisi Laura Laura.Parisi@kaust.edu.sa Augustin Nico Nico.Agustin@kaust.edu.sa 0000-0003-1905-4773 Trippanera Daniele daniele.trippanera@kaust.edu.sa Kirk Henning hkirk@awi.de Dannowski Anke adannowski@geomar.de 0000-0001-8581-7500 Matrau Rémi 0000-0002-8850-7791 Fittipaldi Margherita Nobile Adriano 0000-0001-9528-7611 Zielke Olaf Valero Cano Eduardo Hoogewerf Guus Aspiotis Theodoros 0000-0002-0247-7318 Manzo-Vega Sofia Espindola Carmona Armando Barreto Alejandra Juchem Marlin Suhendi Cahli 0000-0001-6572-2651 Schmidt-Aursch Mechita mschmidt@awi.de 0000-0002-2393-4514 Mai Paul Martin 0000-0002-9744-4964 Jónsson Sigurjón Sigurjon.Jonsson@kaust.edu.sa 2024 The First Network of Ocean Bottom Seismometers in the Red Sea to Investigate the Zabargad Fracture Zone journal article Seismica 3(1) https://doi.org/10.26443/seismica.v3i1.729 Shiddiqi Hasbi Ash 0000-0002-8927-0167 Parisi Laura Laura.Parisi@kaust.edu.sa Valero Cano Eduardo Fittipaldi Margherita Augustin Nico Nico.Agustin@kaust.edu.sa 0000-0003-1905-4773 Baby Guillaume Mai Paul Martin 0000-0002-9744-4964 Jónsson Sigurjón Sigurjon.Jonsson@kaust.edu.sa 2025 Transform Faulting in the Northern Red Sea Revealed by Ocean Bottom Seismometers Deployed in the Zabargad Fracture Zone journal article Geochemistry, Geophysics, Geosystems 26(8) https://doi.org/10.1029/2025GC012253 e2025GC012253 Valero Cano Eduardo Parisi Laura Laura.Parisi@kaust.edu.sa Shiddiqi Hasbi Ash 0000-0002-8927-0167 Jónsson Sigurjón Sigurjon.Jonsson@kaust.edu.sa Mai Paul Martin 0000-0002-9744-4964 2026 Transdimensional ambient-noise tomography of the Zabargad Fracture Zone, Red Sea journal article Geophysical Journal International 246(1) https://doi.org/10.1093/gji/ggag158 ggag158 36.1562 36.9619085 24.1188 25.7242 36.505796175 24.812729775000005 2021-11-23T10:55:00 2022-11-21T03:17:00 -1623.0 -743.0 King Abdullah University of Science and Technology KAUST https://www.kaust.edu.sa/en https://doi.org/10.13039/501100004052 URF/1/4076-01-01 Structure and earthquake potential of the Zabargad Fracture Zone, northern Red Sea (ZAFRAN) 5Q_OBS01 OBS01 24.1188 36.7885 -978.0 2021-11-27T10:45:00 2022-11-20T05:50:00 Ocean bottom seismometer OBS seismometers http://vocab.nerc.ac.uk/collection/L05/current/368/ 5Q_OBS02 OBS02 24.2662177 36.3861246 -1160.0 2021-11-23T10:55:00 2022-11-15T22:36:00 Ocean bottom seismometer OBS seismometers http://vocab.nerc.ac.uk/collection/L05/current/368/ 5Q_OBS03 OBS03 24.4363506 36.9619085 -743.0 2021-11-27T16:12:00 2022-11-15T02:09:00 Ocean bottom seismometer OBS seismometers http://vocab.nerc.ac.uk/collection/L05/current/368/ 5Q_OBS04 OBS04 24.815572 36.74814 -986.0 2021-11-23T19:55:00 2022-01-17T00:00:00 Ocean bottom seismometer OBS seismometers http://vocab.nerc.ac.uk/collection/L05/current/368/ 5Q_OBS05 OBS05 24.6073102 36.6079954 -1046.0 2021-11-27T19:33:00 2022-11-15T17:49:00 Ocean bottom seismometer OBS seismometers http://vocab.nerc.ac.uk/collection/L05/current/368/ 5Q_OBS06 OBS06 24.485857 36.423953 -1125.0 2021-11-23T12:55:00 2022-11-15T20:10:00 Ocean bottom seismometer OBS seismometers http://vocab.nerc.ac.uk/collection/L05/current/368/ 5Q_OBS07 OBS07 24.8087 36.2933 -1205.0 2021-11-23T15:40:00 2022-11-20T12:34:00 Ocean bottom seismometer OBS seismometers http://vocab.nerc.ac.uk/collection/L05/current/368/ 5Q_OBS08 OBS08 24.9650851 36.4718471 -1090.0 2021-11-23T17:41:00 2022-11-15T12:03:00 Ocean bottom seismometer OBS seismometers http://vocab.nerc.ac.uk/collection/L05/current/368/ 5Q_OBS09 OBS09 25.1225647 36.6156855 -1044.0 2021-11-28T13:49:00 2022-11-15T09:42:00 Ocean bottom seismometer OBS seismometers http://vocab.nerc.ac.uk/collection/L05/current/368/ 5Q_OBS10 OBS10 25.3178 36.4225 -1622.0 2021-11-28T11:56:00 2022-11-20T18:30:00 Ocean bottom seismometer OBS seismometers http://vocab.nerc.ac.uk/collection/L05/current/368/ 5Q_OBS11 OBS11 25.0843 36.1562 -1623.0 2021-11-28T02:25:00 2022-11-20T15:12:00 Ocean bottom seismometer OBS seismometers http://vocab.nerc.ac.uk/collection/L05/current/368/ 5Q_OBS12 OBS12 25.7242 36.1934 -1032.0 2021-11-28T08:10:00 2022-11-21T03:17:00 Ocean bottom seismometer OBS seismometers http://vocab.nerc.ac.uk/collection/L05/current/368/ 239 CC-BY-4.0 Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/ Event label Event Augustin Nico Nico.Agustin@kaust.edu.sa 0000-0003-1905-4773 Event Project Project Augustin Nico Nico.Agustin@kaust.edu.sa 0000-0003-1905-4773 Project Principal investigator PI Augustin Nico Nico.Agustin@kaust.edu.sa 0000-0003-1905-4773 PI Code Code Augustin Nico Nico.Agustin@kaust.edu.sa 0000-0003-1905-4773 FDSN Network Code Code (FDSN Network Code) Station label Station Augustin Nico Nico.Agustin@kaust.edu.sa 0000-0003-1905-4773 Station Date/time start Date/time start http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/ISO_8601 Augustin Nico Nico.Agustin@kaust.edu.sa 0000-0003-1905-4773 Synchronisation Date/time start (Synchronisation) Date/time start Date/time start http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/ISO_8601 Augustin Nico Nico.Agustin@kaust.edu.sa 0000-0003-1905-4773 Recording Date/time start (Recording) Date/time start Date/time start http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/ISO_8601 Augustin Nico Nico.Agustin@kaust.edu.sa 0000-0003-1905-4773 Deployment Date/time start (Deployment) LATITUDE Latitude http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/ISO_6709 Augustin Nico Nico.Agustin@kaust.edu.sa 0000-0003-1905-4773 Latitude LONGITUDE Longitude http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/ISO_6709 Augustin Nico Nico.Agustin@kaust.edu.sa 0000-0003-1905-4773 Longitude ELEVATION Elevation m a.s.l. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Elevation elevation http://purl.obolibrary.org/obo/PATO_0001687 Length L http://dbpedia.org/resource/Length Augustin Nico Nico.Agustin@kaust.edu.sa 0000-0003-1905-4773 Elevation [m a.s.l.] Date/time end Date/time end http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/ISO_8601 Augustin Nico Nico.Agustin@kaust.edu.sa 0000-0003-1905-4773 Recovery Date/time end (Recovery) Date/time end Date/time end http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/ISO_8601 Augustin Nico Nico.Agustin@kaust.edu.sa 0000-0003-1905-4773 Recording Date/time end (Recording) Date/time end Date/time end http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/ISO_8601 Augustin Nico Nico.Agustin@kaust.edu.sa 0000-0003-1905-4773 Synchronisation Date/time end (Synchronisation) Clock skew Skew µs https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Clock_skew Time T http://dbpedia.org/resource/Time Augustin Nico Nico.Agustin@kaust.edu.sa 0000-0003-1905-4773 Skew [µs] Recorder type Recorder Augustin Nico Nico.Agustin@kaust.edu.sa 0000-0003-1905-4773 Recorder Recorder, serial number Recorder SN Augustin Nico Nico.Agustin@kaust.edu.sa 0000-0003-1905-4773 Recorder SN Seismometer type Seismometer Augustin Nico Nico.Agustin@kaust.edu.sa 0000-0003-1905-4773 Seismometer Seismometer, serial number Seismometer SN Augustin Nico Nico.Agustin@kaust.edu.sa 0000-0003-1905-4773 Seismometer SN Seismometer gain Seismometer gain Augustin Nico Nico.Agustin@kaust.edu.sa 0000-0003-1905-4773 Seismometer gain Sampling rate Sampling rate Hz sampling rate Frequency http://dbpedia.org/resource/Frequency Augustin Nico Nico.Agustin@kaust.edu.sa 0000-0003-1905-4773 Sampling rate [Hz] Comment Comment Augustin Nico 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