Past and future of historical seismicity studies in France

Abstract

The Lisbon earthquake of 1755 heralded a host of historical seismicity catalogues. The XIX century gave rise to two famous French catalogue producers, A. Perrey and F. de Montessus de Ballore both compiling earthquakes worldwide. But the systematic investigation of French macroseismicity would not begin before 1908 and the creation of the seismological service of the Bureau Central Météorologique (BCM) in Paris. The seismological service was transferred to Strasbourg in 1921, with the creation of the Bureau Central Sismologique Français (BCSF). The BSCF performed macroseismic enquiries for every contemporaneous felt earthquake. Edmond Rothé and his son Jean Pierre Rothé succeeded one another as directors of the BCSF until 1975; their seismic catalogue mainly relied on the works of Perrey and Montessus. In 1975, the Bureau de Recherches Géologiques et Minières (BRGM) engaged in a major revision of French historical seismicity with the Projet Sismotectonique, directed by Jean Vogt until 1984. We present recent individual initiatives related to historical seismicity, including those of Jean Vogt, along with some results of our own research on the seismicity of the French Alps. We discuss these results and the evidence about improving the knowledge of French seismicity to which they attest. We then outline the new potential offered through digital libraries and archives. Our conclusions will underline the necessity of developing an academic programme devoted to French historical seismicity and seismic hazard.