KOPETDAG
In 2012, a network of seismic stations of Turkmenistan included 20 analog and 12 digital seismic stations, providing representative registration of earthquakes in the region with К3min=9-10. During the year, 178 earthquakes with КР≥8.6 were recorded, focal mechanisms were determined for 61 events. The total number of Kopetdag earthquakes and seismic activity A10 remained on the 2011 seismic activity level, and the total seismic energy released in 2012 in the region, ∑E=7.65*1012 J, increased compared with that in 2011 (∑E=5.98*1012 J), but remained at the background level. The largest seismic event of the year with КР=13.1 occurred on January 19 at 12h35m 3 km from the Iranian city of Nishapur, where it was felt with the intensity of 7 according to the Mercalli scale. In the Iranian cities of Mashhad (65 km) and Kuchan (100 km), the seismic in- tensity was 6, and in the capital of Turkmenistan, Ashgabat (196 km) - 3. Unusually high seismic activity was observed in the area of the Turkmenian city of Magtymguly, 15 kilometers from which the swarm №1 consisting of 50 weak earthquakes with КР=5.4-9.3 occurred on April 20, and swarms of 8-9 September (swarm № 2) and October 1-2 (swarm № 3) with the maximum events of КР=11.0 and КР 11.7 respectively were registered. A consistent increase in swarms № 1, № 2 and № 3 energy, as well as a change in the type of movement in the earthquake foci at the end of the swarm sequence № 3 were noted. If during earthquakes of the swarm №. 2 and at the initial stage of the swarm № 3 there were movements of an uplift type, then the last three earthquakes of the swarm № 3 had a normal fault motion type.