## 6 Conclusions  
This study investigates the spatial and temporal progression of Coulomb stress variations triggered by earthquakes exceeding 6 \(M\)w near the EAFZ from 1986 to 2023. The research involved the separate computation of Coulomb stress alterations induced by significant earthquakes near the EAFZ over distinct time frames. Furthermore, an examination was conducted to assess the impact of various parameters on these calculations. In addition, the specific values of \(\Delta CFS\) produced by these large earthquakes for subsequent earthquakes are also calculated and analyzed. By analyzing the results of the calculations, we found the following:  
1. The \(\Delta CFS\) resulting from the 7.7 \(M\)w and 7.6 \(M\)w earthquakes in 2023 near the East Anatolian fault zone exhibited significantly larger values and broader effects compared to several other seismic events. While the \(\Delta CFS\) induced by three earthquakes between 1986 and 2003 only influenced the subsurface up to 10 km, the 6.8 \(M\)w earthquake in 2020 impacted the subsurface up to 50 km. The major earthquakes in 2023 affected the subsurface up to 100 km. 2. Near 36.7 E, the value of \(\Delta CFS\) is very high in the range of 37 N-36.85 N. Especially near the depth of 10-20 km, the average value reaches about 1.74-2.41 bar, which is very likely to trigger new earthquakes. In the Cardak fault zone, there is a Coulomb stress drop zone, and the drop mean value is about \(-2.9\) bar, which significantly inhibits the continuation of earthquakes in this area. 3. The northeastern and southwestern segments of the EAFZ have experienced Coulomb stress increases with 1.5-2.5 bar, identifying these areas as high-risk zones for future seismic activity, particularly at shallow depths (10-20 km). These areas may be accumulating strain energy, increasing the possibility of future ruptures. On the contrary, there is a 0.25-1 bar Coulomb stress drop zone in the northwest of the Cardak fault zone, where stress shadows temporarily suppress seismic activity and significantly reduce seismic risk in this region. 4. The sensitivity analysis of \(\Delta CFS\) to various parameters revealed that the calculations were most influenced by the strike angle in the focal mechanism model, with averaging differences in results reaching up to 1.33 bar. Conversely, the direction of the principal stress axes in the study area had the least impact on Coulomb stress changes. This underscores the importance of utilizing a highly accurate focal mechanism model when conducting Coulomb stress change calculations to ensure reliable outcomes. 5. The three major earthquakes during 1986-2003 did not produce high \(\Delta CFS\) for subsequent nearby earthquakes. In contrast, the five major earthquakes between 2020 and 2023 resulted in a higher \(\Delta CFS\) for certain subsequent earthquakes in proximity. The 6.8 \(M\)w earthquake in 2020 produced a 2-year \(\Delta CFS\) greater than 0.1 bar on the subsequent surrounding earthquakes, which indicates that this earthquake has a promoting effect on the large earthquakes in 2023. While this study provides valuable insights into the relationship between Coulomb stress changes and earthquake occurrence, several limitations should be acknowledged. On the one hand, the analysis is based on data from a specific time period (1986-2023) and may not fully capture the long-term behavior of Coulomb stress changes in the study region. On the other hand, the study focuses on earthquakes with magnitudes greater than 6 \(M\)w, but the influence of smaller earthquakes on Coulomb stress changes may not have been thoroughly examined. In addition, the spatial resolution of the data and the complexity of the geological structure in the region may limit the accuracy of the Coulomb stress calculations. Future research could improve the accuracy of earthquake risk assessments from these aspects and inform more effective mitigation strategies.