It is well known that knowledge about convergent boundary geometry is crucial for global geodynamical reconstructions. At the same time, views related to the subject are controversial and speculative. For instance, island arcs, which are considered to be the most important convergent boundary structural elements, are thought to be either the parts of the small circles on the Earth's surface, or adjacent to each other as straig...

Past seismic catastrophes were unknown in Sakhalin Island before 1995 except those suggested from findings of paleoseismodislocations. The first time that dwellers have experienced such a catastrophe in the Sakhalin Island history was on 27 May 1995. The devastating Neftegorsk earthquake occurred in Northern Sakhalin (ϕ= 52.8° north; δ= 143.2° east; H = 18 km; M s = 7.2), killed almost 2000 people in the small city of Neftegor...