Seismic Wave Scattering by the Izmir–Ankara–Erzincan Suture Zone in the West of Turkey

Seismic wave scattering is commonly observed during wave propagation through heterogeneous media, providing important information about crustal and lithospheric structures. In this study, body-to-surface wave scattering caused by strong lateral heterogeneities in western Turkey is investigated using teleseismic data recorded by 82 broadband seismic stations from temporary and permanent networks. The analysis focuses on the conversion of SH body waves into Love surface waves generated by geological scatterers. The earthquake of 27 July 2014 (Mw 6.4) in the Atlantic Ocean was selected as the seismic source. Phase coherence analysis was applied to broadband recordings to detect weak but coherent scattered signals. The observed scattered Love waves exhibit a dominant period of approximately 10 s and propagate with an apparent velocity of about 3.17 km s⁻¹. Scatterer locations were estimated using a back-projection approach based on a straight-ray approximation. The results indicate that the main scattering sources are concentrated along the Izmir–Ankara–Erzincan Suture Zone. This major tectonic boundary, together with its pronounced structural contrasts and topographic gradients, likely plays an important role in scattering seismic waves. Our results demonstrate that strong lateral variations in seismic velocity or density associated with suture zones and fault systems can act as efficient seismic scatterers.