Mohammad Reza Gheitanchi - Institute of Geophysics, Tehran University, P.O.Box ۱۴۱۵۵-۶۴۶۶, Tehran, Iran

The source characteristics of five strong earthquakes which had occurred during ۱۹۷۷-۱۹۹۸ were studied by using the results of field investigations, waveform modeling and aftershock activities. Except the ۱۹۸۹ Shandad earthquake, all other earthquakes were associated with surface traces. The Sirch earthquake which was the largest event had two major subevents. Rupture during this earthquake initiated by a dip-slip mechanism in the epicentral area and extended to north-west by a large strike-slip displacement. The mechanism of other earthquakes were mainly strike-slip with a small reverse component. The mainshocks were shallow and the depth of the majority of locally recorded aftershocks did not exceed ۲۰ km. It was concluded that the earthquakes in Kerman province occurred in upper cast, and the seismogenic layer in this region had a thickness of about ۲۰ km