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Description: During extension, compression or strike-slip motion, shear zones accommodate large amounts of strain in the crust. Our understanding of these processes critically depends on our ability to recognize shear zones in the subsurface. The exact signature of shear zones in seismic reflection data is however not well understood. To advance our understanding, we simulate how three outcrop examples of shear zones (Holsnøy, Cap de Creus, Borborema) would look in different types of seismic reflection data using 2-D convolution seismic modelling. We explore how geophysical effects (e.g. frequency, illumination) and geological properties (e.g. shear zone dip and aspect ratio) affect the seismic signature of shear zones. Our models show three consistent seismic characteristics of shear zones: (1) multiple, inclined reflections, (2) converging reflections and (3) cross-cutting reflections that can help interpreters recognizing these structures with confidence.