Slip Distribution and Seismic Moment of the 2010 and 1960 Chilean Earthquakes Inferred from Tsunami Waveforms and Coastal Geodetic Data

The slip distribution and seismic moment of the 2010 and 1960 Chilean earthquakes were estimated from tsunami and coastal geodetic data. These two earthquakes generated transoceanic tsunamis, and the waveforms were recorded around the Pacific Ocean. In addition, coseismic coastal uplift and subsidence were measured around the source areas. For the 27 February 2010 Maule earthquake, inversion of the tsunami waveforms recorded at nearby coastal tide gauge and Deep Ocean Assessment and Reporting of Tsunamis (DART) stations combined with coastal geodetic data suggest two asperities: a northern one beneath the coast of Constitucion and a southern one around the Arauco Peninsula. The total fault length is approximately 400 km with seismic moment of 1.7 × 10²² Nm (Mw 8.8). The offshore DART tsunami waveforms require fault slips beneath the coasts, but the exact locations are better estimated by coastal geodetic data. The 22 May 1960 earthquake produced very large, ~30 m, slip off Valdivia. Joint inversion of tsunami waveforms, at tide gauge stations in South America, with coastal geodetic and leveling data shows total fault length of ~800 km and seismic moment of 7.2 × 10²² Nm (Mw 9.2). The seismic moment estimated from tsunami or joint inversion is similar to previous estimates from geodetic data, but much smaller than the results from seismic data analysis.     

联合GNSS和InSAR观测位移反演2008年汶川大地震断层位错模型参数

利用现代空间大地测量技术,尤其是卫星合成孔径雷达干涉测量,能够获取高精度、高空间分辨率的同震和孕震形变,为地震断层形变和破裂机制研究提供了前所未有的机遇。本文介绍了利用大地测量观测数据反演地震断层位错模型参数的贝叶斯反演方法。联合运用2008汶川大地震前后GNSS和InSAR技术观测获得的同震位移,反演了地震断层的几何参数和滑动位错分布。研究结果表明,汶川地震的断层滑动主要集中在倾角较陡的浅部,同时包含逆冲和右旋走滑,其中最大逆冲6.1m,最大右旋6.5m。根据断层滑动分布正演计算得到的上盘同震位移明显小于下盘,预示该断层两侧孕震形变可能存在较大的不对称性。     

Inversion of source mechanism of 1989 Loma Prieta earthquake by three-dimensional FEM Green's function

IntroductionGrounddisplacementhasacloserelationshipwiththefaultandtheearthquakesourceparameters.IfwecanfindthisrelationshipandinvertthedeformationtOdaterminetheseparameters,wewillbeabletounderstandtheseismicsourceprocessmorecorrectly.Therelationshipisgenerallybasedonfaultmovementmodels.Sofar,therearetwomodels:dislocationandcrack.Dislocationmodelisnamedmovemefltmodelsinceitdoesnottakestness-releaseintoaccount.Basedonthelawofforce-dislocationequivalence,thedisplacementfieldproducedonaninfinite…     

Geodetic deformation vs. seismic strain deduced by historical earthquakes across the Alborz Mountains

Historical seismicity is used in order to map spatial distribution of seismic moment released by past earthquakes and to compare strain rate deduced from seismicity to those measured by geodetic GPS survey. Spatial analyses are performed on the seismicity of northern boundary of Central Iranian Block which coincides with the Alborz Mountains. This belt has been responsible for several catastrophic earthquakes in the past. In this study, the records of historical and instrumental earthquakes in the Alborz Mountains are used to calculate and plot geographical distribution of seismic moment released in time. A two-dimensional distribution function is proposed and used here to spread seismic moment along causative tectonic features. Using accumulated seismic moment, average slip rates across active faults are estimated for 32 sub-zones along the Alborz Mountains and western Kopet Dag. Seismic moment released by historical and recent earthquakes on this belt accounts for slip rate of 3–5 mm/year which is in good agreement with the geodetic vectors recently deduced from GPS survey in this region. The study also reveals geographical variations of slip rates along some 900 km length of this zone based on seismic history. The results are compared against finding from similar study in this region. Portions of Central and Eastern Alborz show lower seismic strain rate which could imply aseismic motion or overdue earthquakes. Completeness of historical earthquake catalogue and its reliability with regard to earthquake magnitudes, locations, and rupturing systems are among many plausible factors controlling the credibility of such results. Therefore, any conclusions derived from these results remain as reliable as the data and assumptions used for the analyses.     

新丰江水库库区形变测量与地震活动关系探讨

广东省新丰江水库地区1962年3月19日发生 Ms=6.1的地震.地震前后,库坝区分别布设了水准测量网和三角测量网.形变测量具有精度高、测期密的特点.本文通过对不动点的处理,得出新的形变场并讨论了它的特点;根据各相邻期的三角测量结果计算了各三角形的主应变;依据地震时的应变对一次5.3级的地震的发震断层作了反演.结果表明,地壳水平形变与新丰江水库地区4级以上地震有明显的关系,垂直形变与这些地震无明显关系.      

Research Development and Perspective on Slow Slip, Tremors, and Slow Earthquakes

Seismological and geodetic observations indicate that slow slip sometimes occurs in active fault zones beneath the seismogenic depth, and large slow slip can result in transient ground motion. Slow earthquakes, on the other hand, emit tremor-like signals within a narrow frequency band, and usually produce no catastrophic consequences. In general, slow slip and slow earthquakes probably correspond to deformation processes associated with releasing elastic energy in fault zones, and understanding their mechanisms may help improve our understanding of fault zone dynamic processes. This article reviews the research progress on slow slip and slow earthquakes over the last decade. Crustal motion and tremor activities associated with slow slip and slow earthquakes have been investigated extensively, mainly involving locating sources of slow slip and slow earthquakes and numerical modeling of their processes. In the meantime, debates have continued about slow slip and slow earthquakes, such as their origins, relationship, and mechanisms.     

昆仑山口西8.1级地震前青藏块体边界断层异常活动

系统分析了青藏块体边界断层的形变资料，研究了断层活动的动态过程及空间分布。结果表明，昆仑山口西8．1级地震前孕震影响范围达到青藏块体的周边地区；发震断层所在的构造带震前断层活动最为剧烈；加强对构造块体断层整体活动的宏观动态比较和分析，有助于判定未来强震发生的危险地段；震后应力将转移并集中到西秦岭构造带及其邻近地区。     

1988年以来青藏块体中部地区Ms7级以上地震相互触发作用研究

1988年至2001年,青藏块体中部的巴颜喀拉块体沿其北部边界的东昆仑断裂带连续发生了3次7级以上和1次8．1级地震。之后,在其西部边界于2008年发生了于田7．3级地震,东部边界的龙门山断裂带发生了2008年汶川8．0级地震,在南部边界的甘孜-玉树-风火山断裂带上发生了2010年玉树7．1级地震。对这一系列地震的震源机制解分析,结果表明,除西边界的于田7．3级地震为正断层性质、东边界的汶川8．0级地震为逆断层性质以外,其他断裂带上的地震性质均以走滑为主,总体表明巴颜喀拉块体具有向东走滑的特性。本文尝试根据构造相互作用和块体运移特征等对这几次地震进行相关分析。     

The May 23 and 24, 1994 Taiwan earthquakes: comparison of source process between the two events

Inversion for the seismic fault rupture history is an important way to study the nature of the earthquake source. In this paper, we have selected two Taiwan earthquakes that occurred closely in time and located in the same region, inversed the distribution of the slip amplitudes, rakes, risetimes and the rupture times on the fault planes by using GDSN broad-band and long-period records and the adaptive hybrid global search algorithm, and compared the two events. The slip rate of every subfault calculated provides information about the distribution of tectonic stress and fault strength. To the former event (MS=6.0), the maximum slip amplitude 2.4 m and the minimum risetime 1.2 s are both located at the hypocentre. The latter earthquake (MS=6.6) consisted of two subevents and the second source has 4 s delay. The maximum slip amplitude 0.9 m located near hypocentre is corresponding to the minimum risetime 1.4 s, and the corresponding maximum slip rate 0.7 m.s-1 is similar to the peak value of other large slip rate areas. We consider that the latter event has more complicated temporal-spatial distribution than the former.     

Aftershock Distribution as a Constraint on the Geodetic Model of Coseismic Slip for the 2004 Parkfield Earthquake

Several studies of the 2004 Parkfield earthquake have linked the spatial distribution of the event’s aftershocks to the mainshock slip distribution on the fault. Using geodetic data, we find a model of coseismic slip for the 2004 Parkfield earthquake with the constraint that the edges of coseismic slip patches align with aftershocks. The constraint is applied by encouraging the curvature of coseismic slip in each model cell to be equal to the negative of the curvature of seismicity density. The large patch of peak slip about 15 km northwest of the 2004 hypocenter found in the curvature-constrained model is in good agreement in location and amplitude with previous geodetic studies and the majority of strong motion studies. The curvature-constrained solution shows slip primarily between aftershock “streaks” with the continuation of moderate levels of slip to the southeast. These observations are in good agreement with strong motion studies, but inconsistent with the majority of published geodetic slip models. Southeast of the 2004 hypocenter, a patch of peak slip observed in strong motion studies is absent from our curvature-constrained model, but the available GPS data do not resolve slip in this region. We conclude that the geodetic slip model constrained by the aftershock distribution fits the geodetic data quite well and that inconsistencies between models derived from seismic and geodetic data can be attributed largely to resolution issues.     

Application of tectonophysical approaches to the solution of seismotectonic problems by the example of the Simushir earthquakes of November 15, 2006 and January 13, 2007 in Central Kuriles

The seismotectonic, seismological, macroseismic, and geodetic investigations carried out by different authors provided the idea about the size and structure of the sources of the largest Simushir earthquakes that occurred on November 15, 2006 and January 13, 2007. Sound conclusions concerning the character of dislocations arising in the epicentral area of strong submarine seismic events are drawn from the detailed analysis of GPS-based geodetic observations of surface deformations on the islands and in the southern Kamchatka. The focal mechanism solutions for two of the strongest quakes, together with the hypocentral positions of their aftershocks, are used for identifying the fault plane and reconstructing the pattern of the slip on it.     

Earthquake source parameters as inferred from the body waveform modeling, southern Turkey

Focal mechanism parameters of some significant earthquakes from southern Turkey have been estimated using either the body waveforms or the first motions of P-waves. It is observed that fault plane solutions derived from first motions may not be well constrained and may often be in error because of poor signal-to-noise ratios at some stations, poorly distributed recording stations in azimuth, lack of recognition of the reversed polarities at some stations, and positions of stations in terms of the crustal velocity structure, focal depth and, hence, take-off angles in the source area. The use of the inversion method introduces a considerable improvement in the focal parameters estimated in previous studies that have been used to construct seismotectonic models in the study area. The focal depths inferred from the inversion of body waveforms for the earthquakes occurring in southwestern Turkey are compatible with those reported by the ISC bulletins and other previous studies while the focal depths of earthquakes from the Antalya Bay are found to be less than those given by different agencies. Waveform inversion of earthquakes that have occurred in and around the Antalya Bay implies a low velocity layer showing azimuthal dependence. Hence, depth of rupture and lateral extent of velocity structure are of importance in the investigation of earthquake faulting process in this area. The source time duration of shallow earthquakes is generally longer than that for the deep focus earthquakes from the Antalya Bay and the Rhodes area. The events with relatively short and simple time functions may be interpreted as low stress drop events relative to the crustal ones.     

Visco-elastic stress triggering model of Tangshan earthquake sequence

We calculated the Coulomb failure stress change generated by the 1976 Tangshan earthquake that is projected onto the fault planes and slip directions of large subsequent aftershocks.Results of previous studies on the seismic fail-ure distribution,crustal velocity and viscosity structures of the Tangshan earthquake are used as model constraints.Effects of the local pore fluid pressure and impact of soft medium near the fault are also considered.Our result shows that the subsequent Luanxian and Ninghe earthquakes occurred in the regions with a positive Coulomb fail-ure stress produced by the Tangshan earthquake.To study the triggering effect of the Tangshan,Luanxian,and Ninghe earthquakes on the follow-up small earthquakes,we first evaluate the possible focal mechanisms of small earthquakes according to the regional stress field and co-seismic slip distributions derived from previous studies,assuming the amplitude of regional tectonic stress as 10 MPa.By projecting the stress changes generated by the above three earthquakes onto the possible fault planes and slip directions of small earthquakes,we find that the "butterfly" distribution pattern of increased Coulomb failure stress is consistent with the spatial distribution of follow-up earthquakes,and 95% of the aftershocks occurred in regions where Coulomb failure stresses increase,indicating that the former large earthquakes modulated occurrences of follow-up earthquakes in the Tangshan earthquake sequence.This result has some significance in rapid assessment of aftershock hazard after a large earthquake.If detailed failure distribution,seismogenic fault in the focal area and their slip features can be rapidly determined after a large earthquake,our algorithm can be used to predict the locations of large aftershocks.     

Combination of Precise Leveling and InSAR Data to Constrain Source Parameters of the Mw = 6.5, 26 December 2003 Bam Earthquake

We used new precise leveling data acquired 40 days after the Bam earthquake in combination with radar interferometry observations from both ascending and descending orbits to investigate static deformation associated with the 2003 Bam earthquake. We invert this geodetic data set to gain insight into the fault geometry and slip distribution of the rupture. The best-fitting dislocation model is a steeply east-dipping right-lateral strike-slip fault that has a size of 11 by 8 km and strikes N2°W. We find that such smooth geometry fits available geodetic data better than previously proposed models for this earthquake. Our distributed slip model indicates a maximum strike slip of 3 m occurring about 3 to 5 km deep. The slip magnitude and depth of faulting taper to the north, where the fault approaches the Bam city. Inclusion of crustal layering increases the amount of maximum slip inferred at depth by about 4%.     

1997～1998年伽师强震群小地震震源机制解系统聚类分析

用P、S波最大振幅比法计算1997~1998年伽师强震群MS2.5~3.7小地震震源机制解,对小地震震源机制解进行系统聚类分析。结果表明,伽师小地震主要以走滑和正断层为主,与该时段发生的伽师6级强震具有相似的断错性质。1997年伽师小地震主压应力P轴方位为北东或近南北向,与1997~1998年6级强震主压应力P轴方位一致。1997年4月6日6.4级和1998年8月2日6.1级两次6级正断层地震前出现地震空段现象。     

The Sinai subplate and tectonic evolution of the northern Red Sea region

Although the precise boundaries and kinematics of the Sinai subplate are still doubtful, it has a significant role in the tectonic evolution of the northern Red Sea region. On the basis of earthquake distribution, the Sinai region can be considered as a subplate partially separated from the African plate by the Suez rift. The relative motion between Africa, Sinai and Arabia is the main source generating the present-day earthquake activity in the Gulf of Suez and the Gulf of Aqaba regions.According to geological observations, the southern segment of the Dead Sea fault system can be characterized by a left-lateral displacement of about 107km since the Middle Miocene, in contrast to the northern segment where only 25 to 35km offset can be inferred. We think that along the southern segment the total displacement was 72km until the late Miocene (10Ma). The earthquake activity is strongly reduced along the northern segment of the Dead Sea fault segment. Therefore, we suggest that the northern part (Yammouneh fault) evolves through initial cracking of the crust due to build-up of stress since the Pliocene time (5Ma) and propagates northward into Lebanon and Syria. This last 5 million years is the period when the southern and northern segments became linked and formed a single fault system with a new displacement of 35km.According to the proposed model the predicted opening pole of the Red Sea is near 34.0oN, 22.0oE with an angle of total rotation of 3.4o since the early miocene, providing a 0.82cm/a opening rate in the northern Red Sea. We suggest that the Dead Sea strike-slip fault was active since Middle Miocene time (15Ma) with a slip rate of 0.72cm/a to provide a total displacement of about 107km. This strike slip motion occured about an Euler pole near 33.0oN, 21.0oE with a rotation angle of about 3.0o. It can be inferred from the proximity of the pole and angle of rotations for the Red Sea and Dead Sea fault that more than 85% of the motion has been accommodated on the Gulf of Aqaba and the Dead Sea fault and less than 15% in the Gulf of Suez.This model predicts a normal extensional motion in the Gulf of Suez with a minor left-lateral strike-slip component. We expect the pole of this motion to be at 31.0oN, 29.0oE, offshore of Alamein city about 320 km west of the Nile Delta. The rate of motion through the last 15Ma (Middle Miocene) is about 0.1 cm/a and the angle of rotation is 0.9o. During this period the total opening of the Suez rift is 15 km while the rest of the motion (45 km) occured mainly through the first phase of the development before the Middle Miocene.     

Interaction between shallow and subcrustal dislocations on a normal fault

We propose a model which may explain seismic sequences which are often observed in seismogenic regions, as for example in the Apenninic chain (Italy). In particular, we consider a normal fault and earthquakes taking place at different depths: a first shock in a shallower layer and a second in a deeper one. The normal fault is embedded in a viscoelastic half-space. As a consequence of the rheology, there are two different brittle layers, a shallower and a deeper one, where earthquakes can nucleate. Between these two layers, the rheological behavior is ductile. The thicknesses of the layers depend on the geothermal profile that is calculated taking into account the profile of the thermal and rheological parameters with depth. The fault plane, crossing layers with different rheological behavior, is heterogeneous in respect to the slip style: seismic in the brittle layers, aseismic in the ductile layer. Dislocations in the shallower layer are assumed to produce aseismic slip in the area of the fault belonging to the ductile layer. The stress concentrated, by the seismic and aseismic dislocations, on the fault plane section in the deeper brittle layer is evaluated. It is compared with the tectonic stress rate in order to calculate how much earlier the second earthquake would occur compared to if just the bare tectonic sstress was acting. It results that such an advance is comparable with typical recurrence times of earthquakes and so a mechanism of interaction between different seismic sources, mediated by aseismic slip, can be supposed. The strains and displacements at the Earth’s surface due to seismic and aseismic slip are calculated. They are large enough to be detected by present geodetic techniques.     

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.     

Monte Carlo Inversion of DInSAR Data for Dislocation Modeling: Application to the 1997 Umbria-Marche Seismic Sequence (Central Italy)

— The study of surface deformation due to seismic activity is often made using dislocations with uniform slip and simple geometries. A better modeling of coseismic and postseismic surface displacements can be obtained by using dislocations with variable slip and nonregular shapes. This is consistent with the asperity model of fault surfaces, assuming a friction distribution on faults made of locked zones with much higher friction than surrounding zones. In this paper we consider the 1997–1998 Colfiorito seismic sequence. The coseismic surface displacements in the Colfiorito zone are used in order to infer the slip distribution on the fault surface at different stages of the sequence. The displacement field has been modeled varying the slip distribution on the fault, and comparing the deformation observed by SAR and GPS techniques with model results. The slip distribution is calculated by Monte Carlo simulations on a normal fault with the dip angle equal to 40°. A good approximation is obtained by using square asperity units of 1.5×1.5 km². In the first stage, we employed a simplified model with uniform slip, in which each asperity unit is allowed to slip a constant amount or not to slip at all, and in the second stage, we evaluate the slip distribution in the dislocation area determined by the Monte Carlo inversion: in this case we allow unit cells to undergo different values of slip in order to refine the initial dislocation model. The results show that the 1997 seismic events of the sequence can be modeled by irregular dislocations, obtaining a good fit to the DInSAR and GPS observations. The model also confirms the results of previous studies by a different methodology, defining the distribution of asperities on the fault plane using the fault geometry, the geodetic data and the seismic moment of the 1997–1998 Colfiorito seismic sequence. Furthermore, the analysis of 1997 aftershocks in the seismogenic region shows a strong correlation between most events and the asperity distribution, which can be considered as an independent test of the validity of the model.     

Application of the stress evolutionary model along the Xiaojiang fault zone in Yunnan Province,Southeast China

The Xiaojiang fault zone constitutes part of the major Xianshuihe-Xiaojiang left lateral structure that bounds the rhombic-shaped block of Yunnan-Sichuan to the east. Long strike slip fault zones that have repeatedly accommodated intense seismic activity, constitute a basic feature of southeast China. Known historical earthquakes to have struck the study area are the 1713 Xundian of M6.8, 1725 Wanshou mountain of M6.8, the 1733 Dongchuan of M7.8, and the strongest one, the 1833 Songming of M8.0. Although instrumental record did not report events of this magnitude class, the 18th century clustering as well as the 19th century large event prompted the investigation of stress transfer along this fault zone. Coulomb stress changes were calculated assuming that earthquakes can be modeled as static dislocations in an elastic half-space, and taking into account both the coseismic slip in strong (M ≥ 6.8) earthquakes and the slow tectonic stress buildup along the major fault segments. Geological and geodetic data are used to infer the geometry of these faults and long term slip rates on them, as well as for the fault segments that slipped. Evidence is presented that the strong historical events as well as the ones of smaller magnitude that occurred during the instrumental era, are located in areas where the static stress was enhanced. By extending the calculations up to present, possible sites for future strong events are identified.