Coda Wave Attenuation Characteristics for North Anatolian Fault Zone, Turkey

North Anatolian Fault Zone, on which large earthquakes have occurred in the past, migrates regularly from east to west, and it is one of the most active faults in the world. The purpose of this study is to estimate the coda wave quality factor (Qc) for each of the five sub regionsthat were determined according to the fault rupture of these large earthquakes and along the fault. 978 records have been analyzed for 1.5, 3, 6, 9, 12 and 18 Hz frequencies by Single Backscattering Method. Along the fault, the variations in the Qc with lapse time are determined via, Qc = (136±25)f(0.96±0.027), Qc = (208±22)f(0.85±0.02)Qc = (307±28)f(0.72±0.025) at 20, 30, 40 sec lapse times, respectively. The estimated average frequency-dependence quality factor for all lapse time are; Qc(f) = (189±26)f(0.86±0.02) for Karliova-Tokat region; Qc(f) = (216±19)f(0.76±0.018) for Tokat-Çorum region; Qc(f) = (232±18)f(0.76±0.019) for Çorum-Adapazari region; Qc(f) = (280±28)f(0.79±0.021) for Adapazari-Yalova region; Qc(f) = (252±26)f(0.81±0.022) for Yalova-Gulf of Saros region. The coda wave quality factor at all the lapse times and frequencies is Qc(f) = (206±15)f(0.85±0.012) in the study area. The most change of Qc with lapse time is determined at Yalova-Saros region. The result may be related to heterogeneity degree of rapidly decreases towards the deep crust like compared to the other sub region. Moreover, the highest Qc is calculated between Adapazari – Yalova. It was interpreted as a result of seismic energy released by 1999 Kocaeli Earthquake. Besides, it couldn’t be established a causal relationship between the regional variation of Qc with frequency and lapse time associated to migration of the big earthquakes. These results have been interpreted as the attenuation mechanism is affected by both regional heterogeneity and consist of a single or multi strands of the fault structure