Modeling the ML4.7 mainshock of the February–July 2001 earthquake sequence in Aegion, Greece

An earthquake sequence comprising almost 2000 events occurred in February–July 2001 on the southern coast of the Corinth Gulf.Several location methods were applied to 171 events recorded by the regional network PATNET. The unavailability of S-wave readings precluded from reliable depth determination. For the mainshock of April 8, M_L= 4.7, the depth varied from 0 to 20 km. The amplitude spectra of complete waveforms at three local stations (KER,SER, DES; epicentral distances 17, 26 and 56 km) were inverted between 0.1 and 0.2 Hz for double-couple focal mechanism and also for the depth. The optimum solution (strike 220°, dip 40°, rake ‒160°, and depth of 8 km) was validated by forward waveform modeling.Additionally, the mainshock depth was further supported by the P- and S-wave arrival times from the local short-period network CRLNET (Corinth Rift Laboratory).The scalar seismic moment was 2.5e15 Nm,and the moment rate function was successfully simulated by a triangle of the 0.5 second duration. This is equivalent to a 1–1.5 km fault length, and a static stress drop 2–6 MPa. This value is important for future strong ground motion simulation of damaging earthquakes in Aegion region, whose subevents may be modeled according to the studied event. The T axis of the mainshock (azimuth 176° and plunge 67°), is consistent with the regional direction of extension N10°. However, none of the nodal planes can be associated to an active structure seen at the surface. The relationship of this earthquake sequence with deeper faults (e.g. possible detachment at about 10 km) is also unclear.     

The Weak-Motion Modeling of the Skyros Island,Aegean Sea,M w = 6.5 Earthquake of July 26, 2001

The earthquake was modeled using regional broad-band stations in Greece (epicentral distances up to 340 km). Inversion of the amplitude spectra of complete waveforms (0.05–0.08 Hz), later confirmed by the forward waveform modeling, provided strike = 150°, dip = 70°, rake = 10°, scalar moment M _o = 4.1e18 Nm, and depth of 8 km. As the aftershock distribution had the same strike, the earthquake was interpreted as a left-lateral strike slip. The fault length was estimated by combining observed mainshock spectra and synthetic spectra of a weak event, representing impulse response of the medium. This gave the fault length estimate of 16 to 24 km. Similar results were obtained by means of a true M _w = 5 aftershock. The waveform modeling (0.05–0.20 Hz) was performed for the 20 × 10 km finite-extent fault, with a homogenous slip of 0.63 m. It showed that the rupture propagation along the 150° strike was predominantly unilateral, from NW to SE.     

A detailed source study of the Orta (Çankırı) earthquake of June 6, 2000 (MS = 6.1): An intraplate earthquake in central Anatolia

The devastating zmit and Düzce earthquakes were followed by theOrta intra-plate earthquake (M_S = 6.1) occurred in the central Anatolianblock on June 6, 2000. The focal mechanism, aftershock distribution andthe field studies (Emre et al., 2000) suggest a movement on a 21-km longDodurga fault striking nearly N-S where the sense of motion is left-lateralstrike-slip with considerable amount of normal component. We applied theconstrained linear finite-fault inversion method of Hartzell and Heaton(1983) to the teleseismic P and SH waveforms to derive a coseismic slipdistribution model for the earthquake. Time windows approach is appliedallowing variable rise times and rupture velocities. The source-rise timefunction is discretized into consecutive time intervals that stand for slipcontribution of individual subfaults. Although no clear surface ruptureswere associated with the earthquake, the resulting slip model suggestscoseismic slip in the order of several tens of centimetres. Our coseismicslip distribution model identifies two slip patches with the followingmaximum slip values: (1) the larger one (42 cm) is located to the southof the hypocenter at depth range of 4–8 km and (2) the smaller one(31 cm) is located just above and north of the hypocenter. Theslip-model yield a seismic moment of 1.0 × 10¹⁸ Nm, most of whichis released from the rupture over the depth of 8 km.     

2018年11月26日台湾海峡M_S6.2地震发震构造研究

本文利用福建省地震台网、广东省地震台网和台湾"中央"气象局17个台的宽频带记录,使用CAP方法反演了2018年11月26日台湾海峡M_S6.2地震震源机制解,得到节面1走向/倾角/滑动角为89°/82°/-173°,节面2走向/倾角/滑动角为358°/84°/-7°,最佳拟合深度14km,矩震级5.8.使用双差定位获取了94个M_L2.0以上地震的精定位结果,结果显示,主震位于北纬23.36°,东经118.62°,震源深度10.43km.根据小震分布和构造应力场反演得到余震断层面走向和倾角分别为88°和60°.研究认为,台湾海峡6.2级地震发震构造为近EW向的台湾浅滩断裂,受南海板块张裂拉伸发育而成,孕震过程中有东山隆起东缘断裂的参与,推测在菲律宾板块对欧亚板块NW-SE向挤压碰撞背景下,近EW向的台湾浅滩断裂与近NS向的东山隆起东缘断裂交接部位属于强度薄弱区,最终产生高倾角右旋走滑错动而引发地震,余震主要沿台湾浅滩断裂分布.     

Discrimination of a seismic source doublet in the Northridge, California earthquake of 17 January 1994

The January 17, 1994 Northridge earthquake (Mw = 6.7, 34.213° N, 118.537° W, depth = 18.4 km) was recorded extensively in the immediate source region by strong, ground motion accelerometers. The resulting seismograms show complex S wave patterns. Nevertheless, visual correlations of the strong-ground-motion velocity and displacement time-histories clearly identify two significant wave pulses: a secondary S pulse (called S2) arriving 3–5 seconds after the initial S wave pulse (called S1). A plausible assumption is that these phases are generated at areas on the rupturing thrust fault that experienced especially large slip. Conventional travel-time computations, relating the relative arrival times between the onsets of the primary S1 and secondary S2 phases, yield a hypocenter of the initiation point, constrained to a independently etimated fault plane, of the secondary wave source (called H2) at 34.26°N, 118.54° W, with a depth of 14.1 km; the 68% confidence error in depth is 1.3 km. This location is about 6 km up-dip and north from the estimated hypocenter, on the fault plane of the initial principal seismic source (called H1). The seismic moment for both the initial H1 and secondary source H2 was estimated from the SH displacement pulse. Values averaged over eight stations were 8.61 ± 9.56 × 10²⁴ dyne-cm and 2.49 ± 2.31 × 10²⁵ dyne-cm respectively. Reasons why the sum of the two seismic moments is smaller than the total estimated seismic moment of 1.2 × 10²⁶ dyne-cm for the Northridge earthquake are discussed. The location of the initiation point of a second source H2 in the Northridge thrust faulting is consistent with independent computations of the fault slip pattern. The estimated stress drop for the initial and secondary sources are 1 = 150 ± 15 bars and 2 = 110 ± 11 bars, respectively.     

Modeling coseismic displacements resulting from SAR interferometry and GPS measurements during the 1997 Umbria-Marche seismic sequence

In this study we analyse coseismic GPS displacements and DInSAR data to constrain a dislocation model for the three largest earthquakes of the 1997 Umbria-Marche seismic sequence. The first two events, which occurred on September 26 at 00:33 GMT (Mw 5.7) and 09:40 GMT (Mw 6.0) respectively, are investigated using both GPS displacements and DInSAR interferograms. We discuss and compare the results of previous studies which separately modeled a smaller subset of geodetic data. We provide a dislocation model for these two earthquakes which fits well both GPS and DInSAR data and agrees with the results of seismological and geological investigations. The first event consists of a unilateral rupture towards the southeast with a uniform dislocation. The strike, rake and dip angles are those resulting from the CMT solution. The second event consists of an unilateral rupture towards the northwest and a variable slip distribution on the fault plane. The strike and the rake are consistent with the CMT solution, but the dip angle has been slightly modified to improve the simultaneous fit of GPS and DInSAR data. While the second rupture (09:40 GMT) arrived very close to the surface, the fit to geodetic data shows that the first rupture (00:33 GMT) is deeper (2 km), despite the more evident surface geological effects. The analysis of new SAR interferograms allows the identification of a 5–6 cm additional displacement caused by the October 3 (Mw 5.2) and 6 (Mw 5.4) seismic events.We use data from a new DInSAR interferogram to model the displacement field of the Sellano earthquake of October 14, 1997. For this event significant GPS measurements were not available. We tested two different fault plane geometries: a blind, planar fault (top depth = 2.4 km), and a curved (listric) fault reaching the surface. The two models provide a generally similar fit to the data, and show that most of the slip was released at depths greater than 2.4 km along a gently dipping (40^°–45^°) fault surface. They also show that a unilateral rupture does not allow fitting the interferometric fringes since there is evident surface deformation to the northwest of the hypocenter. Moreover, we suggest that the concentration of high residuals in the southern part of our uniform slip model may in fact indicate a certain slip variability in this area.We conclude that, despite the moderate magnitudes and the lack of significant surface faulting, the space geodetic data allowed to constrain dislocation models giving new insights in the rupture process of the three largest events of the sequence.     

2013年甘肃岷县—漳县M 6.6地震序列精定位研究

采用双差定位法对2013年7月22日甘肃岷县—漳县交界地区M 6.6地震及主震后48小时内388次余震序列进行重新定位,得到350个精定位地震数据。结果表明,余震优势展布以北东向较大倾角的铲状结构为特征,长约12 km,以主震为中心两侧对称分布;震源深度主要集中在4—10 km范围内,但余震震级由10 km左右深度的3—4级向3 km深度之上近地表的2—3级迁移变化;余震分布清晰呈现双层结构,较深层分布在4—10 km深度,而较浅层分布3 km深度之上,2层之间地震分布较少。分析认为,浅层地震可能为本次地震地表破坏较强原因之一。震源深度剖面显示,破裂面向NE倾斜,推测此次地震的发震断裂为临潭—宕昌断裂。     

基于InSAR和GPS观测数据的尼泊尔地震发震断层特征参数联合反演研究

利用日本ALOS-2和欧空局Sentinel-1A卫星获得的尼泊尔地震同震形变场,结合GPS同震位移数据,联合反演了断层滑动分布特征和空间展布.结果表明:尼泊尔地震的同震形变场主要集中在150km×100km的范围内,且分为南北两个相邻的形变中心,南形变中心的视线向抬升量约为1.2m,北形变中心的视线向沉降量约为0.8m,均位于发震断层上盘.位于形变抬升区的KKN4和NAST两个GPS站,抬升量和南向运动量均达到了m级,而远离震区的其他GPS台水平和垂直观测量均在1cm以内.联合反演得到的断层位错分布主要集中在沿走向150km,沿倾向70km的范围内,最大滑动量为5.59m,平均滑动量为0.94m.断层面倾角在浅部约为7°,随着深度增加,倾角逐渐变大,到垂直深度20km时倾角接近12°;5月12日MW7.2级余震位于主震破裂区的"凹"型滑动缺损区域;主震破裂区的上边界与MBT空间位置十分吻合,主震破裂区主要集中的MBT以北50~60km处,垂直深度为8~9km,倾角为9°,继续向北时主震破裂面以10°~12°的倾角向深延伸,在18~20km可能与MHT交汇.因此,初步判定MBT为此次地震的发震断层.     

The 20 April 2013 Lushan,Sichuan, mainshock,and its aftershock sequence: tectonic implications

Using the double-difference relocation algorithm, we relocated the 20 April 2013 Lushan, Sichuan, earthquake (M _S 7.0), and its 4,567 aftershocks recorded during the period between 20 April and May 3, 2013. Our results showed that most aftershocks are relocated between 10 and 20 km depths, but some large aftershocks were relocated around 30 km depth and small events extended upward near the surface. Vertical cross sections illustrate a shovel-shaped fault plane with a variable dip angle from the southwest to northeast along the fault. Furthermore, the dip angle of the fault plane is smaller around the mainshock than that in the surrounding areas along the fault. These results suggest that it may be easy to generate the strong earthquake in the place having a small dip angle of the fault, which is somewhat similar to the genesis of the 2008 Wenchuan earthquake. The Lushan mainshock is underlain by the seismically anomalous layers with low-V_P, low-V_S, and high-Poisson’s ratio anomalies, possibly suggesting that the fluid-filled fractured rock matrices might significantly reduce the effective normal stress on the fault plane to bring the brittle failure. The seismic gap between Lushan and Wenchuan aftershocks is suspected to be vulnerable to future seismic risks at greater depths, if any.     

The April 1996 Irpinia seismic sequence: Evidence for fault interaction

The analysis of the Irpinia earthquake of 3 April 1996 (ML = 4.9), based on strong motion and short period local data, shows that it was a normal faulting event located within the epicentral area of the MS 6.9, 1980, earthquake. It was located at 40.67° N and 15.42° E at a depth of 8 km. The local magnitude (4.9) has been computed from the VBB stations of the MedNet network. The moment magnitude is Mw = 5.1 and the seismic moment estimated from the ground acceleration spectra is 5.0 1023 dyne cm. Spectral analysis of the strong motion recordings yields a Brune stress drop of 111 bars and a corner frequency of 1 Hz. The source radius associated to these values of seismic moment and stress drop is 1.3 km. The focal mechanism has two nodal planes having strike 297°, dip 74°, rake 290° and strike 64°, dip 25° and rake 220°, respectively. A fault plane solution with strike 295° ± 5°, dip 70° ± 5°, and rake 280° ± 10° is consistent with the S-wave polarization computed from the strong motion data recorded at Rionero in Vulture. We discuss the geometry and the dimensions of the fault which ruptured during the 1996 mainshock, its location and the aftershock distribution with respect to the rupture history of the 1980 Irpinia earthquake. The distribution of seismicity and the fault geometry of the 1996 earthquake suggest that the region between the two faults that ruptured during the first subevents of the 1980 event cannot be considered as a strong barrier (high strength zone), as it might be thought looking at the source model and at the sequence of historical earthquakes revealed by paleoseismological investigations.     

Preliminary analysis on the source properties and seismogenic structure of the 2017 <Emphasis Type="Italic">M</Emphasis><Subscript>s</Subscript>7.0 Jiuzhaigou earthquake

At GMT time 13:19, August 8, 2017, an M_s7.0 earthquake struck the Jiuzhaigou region in Sichuan Province, China, causing severe damages and casualties. To investigate the source properties, seismogenic structures, and seismic hazards, we systematically analyzed the tectonic environment, crustal velocity structure in the source region, source parameters and rupture process, Coulomb failure stress changes, and 3-D features of the rupture plane of the Jiuzhaigou earthquake. Our results indicate the following: (1) The Jiuzhaigou earthquake occurred on an unmarked fault belonging to the transition zone of the east Kunlun fault system and is located northwest of the Huya fault. (2) Both the mainshock and aftershock rupture zones are located in a region where crustal seismic velocity changes dramatically. Southeast to the source region, shear wave velocity at the middle to lower crust is significantly low, but it rapidly increases northeastward and lies close to the background velocity across the rupture fault. (3) The aftershock zone is narrow and distributes along the northwest-southeast trend, and most aftershocks occur within a depth range of 5–20 km. (4) The focal mechanism of the Jiuzhaigou earthquake indicates a left-lateral strike-slip fault, with strike, dip, and rake angles of 152°, 74° and 8°, respectively. The hypocenter depth measures 20 km, whereas the centroid depth is about 6 km. The co-seismic rupture mainly concentrates at depths of 3–13 km, with a moment magnitude (M_w) of 6.5. (5) The co-seismic rupture also strengthens the Coulomb failure stress at the two ends of the rupture fault and the east segment of the Tazang fault. Aftershocks relocation results together with geological surveys indicate that the causative fault is a near vertical fault with notable spatial variations: dip angle varies within 66°–89° from northwest to southeast and the average dip angle measures ~84°. The results of this work are of fundamental importance for further studies on the source characteristics, tectonic environment, and seismic hazard evaluation of the Jiuzhaigou earthquake.     

Source properties of the 1997–98 Central Italy earthquake sequence from inversion of long-period and broad-band seismograms

We study source properties of the main earthquakes of the 1997–98 Umbria-Marche (central Italy) sequence by analysis of regional-distanceand teleseismic long period and broadband seismograms recorded by MedNet and IRIS/GSN stations. We use a modified Harvardcentroid-moment tensor (CMT) algorithm to allow inversion of long period waveforms, primarily Rayleigh and Love waves, for small earthquakes (4.2 M_W 5.5) at local to regional distances (<15^°). For the seven largest earthquakes (M_W>5.2) moment tensors derived from local and regional data agree well with those determined using teleseismic waveforms and standard methods of analysis. We also determine moment tensors for a foreshock and 12 other aftershocks, that were too small for global analysis. Focal depth and rupture propagation are analyzed for three largest shocks by inversion of teleseismic broadband body waves. The earthquakes are generally located at shallow depth (5 km or shallower) and are characterized by normal faulting mechanisms, with a NE-SW tension axis. The presumed principal fault plane dips at a shallow angle towards the SW. Only one of the events analyzed has an entirely different faulting geometry, indicating instead right-lateral strike-slip motion on a plane approximately E-W, or left-lateral faulting on a N-S plane. The other significant exception to the regular pattern of mechanisms is represented by the March 26, 1998, event, located at 51 km depth. Its connection with the shallow earthquake sequence is unclear and intriguing. The time evolution of the seismic sequence is unusual,with the mainshock accounting for only approximately 50% of the total moment release. The broadband teleseismic waveforms of the main, September 26, 09:40, earthquake are very complicated for the size of the event and suggest a complex rupture. In our favored source model, rupture initiated at 5 km depth, propagated updip and was followed, 3 seconds later, by a shallower subevent with a slightly rotated mechanism.     

The Lemnos 8 January 2013 (M w = 5.7) earthquake: fault slip,aftershock properties and static stress transfer modeling in the north Aegean Sea

We investigate mainshock slip distribution and aftershock activity of the 8 January 2013 M _w?=?5.7 Lemnos earthquake, north Aegean Sea. We analyse the seismic waveforms to better understand the spatio-temporal characteristics of earthquake rupture within the seismogenic layer of the crust. Peak slip values range from 50 to 64 cm and mean slip values range from 10 to 12 cm. The slip patches of the event extend over an area of dimensions 16?×?16 km². We also relocate aftershock catalog locations to image seismic fault dimensions and test earthquake transfer models. The relocated events allowed us to identify the active faults in this area of the north Aegean Sea by locating two, NE–SW linear patterns of aftershocks. The aftershock distribution of the mainshock event clearly reveals a NE–SW striking fault about 40 km offshore Lemnos Island that extends from 2 km up to a depth of 14 km. After the mainshock most of the seismic activity migrated to the east and to the north of the hypocenter due to (a) rupture directivity towards the NE and (b) Coulomb stress transfer. A stress inversion analysis based on 14 focal mechanisms of aftershocks showed that the maximum horizontal stress is compressional at N84°E. The static stress transfer analysis for all post-1943 major events in the North Aegean shows no evidence for triggering of the 2013 event. We suggest that the 2013 event occurred due to tectonic loading of the North Aegean crust.     

利用余震震中分析芦山MS7.0 地震发震构造

对2013年4月20日芦山M_S7.0地震主震震中周边29个地震台记录到的震后一年多的微、 小余震,利用Hypo71绝对定位方法进行定位,获得了约1960次地震的震源位置. 结果显示,芦山地震余震在平面上主要沿双石—大川分支断裂及其周边分布,在垂向上主要集中在大约5—20 km深度之间的两条余震交叉带上. 其中一条余震带倾向NW,倾角在12 km左右深度发生变化,浅部倾角较陡,该余震带延伸至地表与双石—大川分支断裂和新开店断裂之间的推测隐伏断裂位置相重合; 另一条余震带倾向SE,其延伸至地表的位置与双石—大川断裂非常接近,但与该断裂倾向相反. 主震震源位置与两条余震带相交的位置接近,且芦山地震主震的两个节面产状与这两条余震带的深部几何形态正好对应, 表明芦山地震主震可能是两条余震带所对应的两条断裂同时活动的结果.      

2017年精河MS6.6地震的断层参数和破裂过程

利用远震资料、近场强震资料和合成孔径雷达干涉同震形变资料确定了2017年8月9日精河M_S6.6地震的断层面参数及震源破裂细节。为得到可靠的断层几何参数,发展了一套基于InSAR数据滑动分布反演的三维格点搜索流程,对本次地震断层面的走向、倾角和震源深度进行了格点搜索。结果显示,地震断层面走向为95°,倾角为47°,震源深度为14 km。基于搜索得到的断层模型进行破裂过程联合反演的结果显示:精河M_S6.6地震为一次单侧破裂事件,最大滑动量约为0.8 m,滑动区域集中在断层面上震源以西5—15 km,沿倾向15—25 km,破裂主要发生在10 km深度以下区域。断层面上的平均滑动角为106°。整个破裂过程释放的标量地震矩为3.6×1018 N·m,对应矩震级为M_W6.3。破裂过程持续约9 s,期间的破裂速度约为2.1—2.6 km/s。由于地震破裂主要集中在10 km以下,未来可能需要关注该区域0—10 km发生潜在地震的可能性。      

Active deformation in the Vrancea region,Rumania

Recent and historical seismicity as well as reliable fault plane solutions are used to study the active deformation caused by the occurrence of intermediate depth (60–170 km) earthquakes of the Vrancea region, Rumania. In this area, located in the southeastern part of the Carpathian arc, the westward subduction of the Carpathian trench has terminated, leaving continental lithosphere, at present, at the arc. The principalT axis of the intermediate depth events trends N159°E and has a plunge of 74°, which is the same as the dip of the subducted plate. TheP axis has a trend of 314° and a shallow plunge of 15°. The analysis of the moment tensor of six focal mechanisms showed that the dominant mode of deformation of the subducted lithosphere is a down-dip extension at a rate of about 2 cm/yr, based on seismicity data.     

2004年7月11日西藏Mw62级地震震源破裂过程研究

基于有限断层模型，利用远场体波波形数据研究了2004年7月11日西藏MW62级地震的震源破裂过程.结果表明该地震是一个以倾滑为主的浅源正断层型地震，震源深度为125km，断层面走向152°，倾角44°，平均倾滑角-117°.破裂在震中处成核，然后以28km/s的平均速度向两侧传播，在震中以东偏北5km处达到最大滑动43cm.该地震主张力轴近E W方向，受浅部NNW SSE或N S向裂谷带控制，青藏高原南部的逆冲运动是引发这次地震的直接原因.     

2012年彝良MS5.7和MS5.6地震序列重定位和震源机制解特征

利用地震科学探测台阵在云南、 贵州地区的17个流动台站的地震记录, 采用双差定位法对2012年9月7日云南彝良M_S5.7和M_S5.6地震及其余震序列(M_L≥1.0)进行重定位． 在获得精确的震源位置后, 采用CAP法反演了M_S≥4.0地震的震源机制解． 结果显示, 彝良M_S5.7主震位于(27.509°N, 103.971°E), 震源深度为9.7 km, 震源机制解节面Ⅰ走向251°、 倾角66°、 滑动角150°, 节面Ⅱ走向354°、 倾角63°、 滑动角27°; 彝良M_S5.6主震位于(27.563°N, 104.034°E), 震源深度为10.0 km, 震源机制解节面Ⅰ走向235°、 倾角39°、 滑动角147°, 节面Ⅱ走向352°、 倾角70°、 滑动角56°． 反演结果显示断层的几何形态、 余震分布特征、 震源机制解特征及构造应力场等均有很好的一致性． 综合断层的运动学特征、 地震活动规律和地质构造背景, 推测彝良地震的发震断裂为昭通断裂带的前缘断裂, 即NE走向的石门断裂． 导致震区受灾严重的主要原因是由于彝良地震震源深度较浅, 能量释放多发生在地壳浅部所致．      

How deep was the Dudley (UK) earthquake of 22 September 2002?

On 22 September 2002, the largest UK earthquake (m_b4.3) of the last 10 years occurred near the town of Dudley in the West Midlands. Here we determine the earthquake focal mechanism and depth using data from stations at regional and teleseismic distances. Short-period teleseismic seismograms are interpreted in terms of P and surface reflections pP and sP. This analysis suggests that the source depth is deeper than the 9.7 km initially determined by the British Geological Survey (BGS). The relative amplitude method is applied to four teleseismic seismograms to support our interpretation of the surface reflections, and constrain the focal mechanism. Our preferred focal mechanism, a near vertical strike-slip with _s = 94°, = 88° and = –179°, is in reasonable agreement with a moment tensor determined by the Swiss Seismological Service. Synthetic regional surface wave seismograms match the observed seismograms for a model focal depth of 19.5 (±3.0) km and scalar moment, M₀, of 3.2 × 10¹⁵ N m. Our results emphasize that due to the well-known trade-off between depth and M₀ from inversions of long period (0.02–0.1 Hz) surface waves, it is preferable to combine long- and short-period data to constrain reliably the depth and hence estimate M₀. Our focal mechanism and depth are further validated by generating short-period synthetic seismograms that match the observations.     

Focal depths and mechanisms of Tohoku-Oki aftershocks from teleseismic P wave modeling

Aftershocks of the 2011 Tohoku-Oki great earthquake have a wide range of focal depths and fault plane mechanisms. We constrain the focal depths and focal mechanisms of 69 aftershocks with M _w > 5.4 by modeling the waveforms of teleseismic P and its trailing near-surface reflections pP and sP. We find that the “thrust events” are within 10 km from the plate interface. The dip angles of these thrust events increase with depth from ~5° to ~25°. The “non-thrust events” vary from 60 km above to 40 km below the plate interface. Normal and strike-slip events within the overriding plate point to redistribution of stress following the primary great earthquake; however, due to the spatially variable stress change in the Tohoku-Oki earthquake, an understanding of how the mainshock affected the stresses that led to the aftershocks requires accurate knowledge of the aftershock location.