The initial subevent of the 1994 Northridge, California, earthquake: Is earthquake size predictable?

We examine the initial subevent (ISE) of the M 6.7, 1994 Northridge, California, earthquake in order to discriminate between two end-member rupture initiation models: the preslip and cascade models. Final earthquake size may be predictable from an ISE's seismic signature in the preslip model but not in the cascade model. In the cascade model ISEs are simply small earthquakes that can be described as purely dynamic ruptures. In this model a large earthquake is triggered by smaller earthquakes; there is no size scaling between triggering and triggered events and a variety of stress transfer mechanisms are possible. Alternatively, in the preslip model, a large earthquake nucleates as an aseismically slipping patch in which the patch dimension grows and scales with the earthquake's ultimate size; the byproduct of this loading process is the ISE. In this model, the duration of the ISE signal scales with the ultimate size of the earthquake, suggesting that nucleation and earthquake size are determined by a more predictable, measurable, and organized process. To distinguish between these two end-member models we use short period seismograms recorded by the Southern California Seismic Network. We address questions regarding the similarity in hypocenter locations and focal mechanisms of the ISE and the mainshock. We also compare the ISE's waveform characteristics to those of small earthquakes and to the beginnings of earthquakes with a range of magnitudes. We find that the focal mechanisms of the ISE and mainshock are indistinguishable, and both events may have nucleated on and ruptured the same fault plane. These results satisfy the requirements for both models and thus do not discriminate between them. However, further tests show the ISE's waveform characteristics are similar to those of typical small earthquakes in the vicinity and more importantly, do not scale with the mainshock magnitude. These results are more consistent with the cascade model.     

On seismic strengthening area before strong and great shocks and its mechanism

IntroductionI.thasbeenpayingattentiontotheanomalousphenomenonbyseismologiststhattheearthquakeactivityoftenstrengthensinacertainspaceandduringacertaintimearoundthesourceareabeforeastrongearthquake.Mogi(1969)pointedoutthataringdistributiveareaofthestrengthenedearthquakeactivityoftenappearsaroundthesourcearea10to20yearsbeforegreatshock,whichcalledaringphenomenon(or"doughnut").Afterthat,otherscholarsreportedinsuccessionthatringdistributionofearthquakeactivityoccurredbeforeastrongertquakeorevenbefo…     

Applications of seismic moment tensor inversion in fast response to earthquakes

IntroductionAfteramoderateorstronger(Ms25.0)earthquake,themosturgentworkofthedivisionforearthquakemonitoringandpredictionistodetermineitstimeoforigin,hypocentrallocation(longitude,latitudeanddepth)andmagnitudeandtojudgethetrendofseismicregimedevelopmentassoonaspossible.Ingeneralcases,whenanearthquakewithMS25.0insideChinaoraonewithMS26.0inneighboringareasofChinahasoccurred,theEarthquakeBulletinofChineseSeismologicalNetworkcanprovidedeterminationoftheorigintime,hypocentrallocation(longitude,…     

Tempo-spatial rupture process of the 1997 Mani, Xizang (Tibet), China earthquake of MS=7.9

IntroductionAnearthquakeofMs=7.9occurredinMaul,Xizang(Tibet),Chinaat10:02f55.4(UTC),No')ember8.1997.TheepicenterdeterminedbyChinaNationalSeismographNetwork(CNSN)is87.33"E.3>.26'N,thefocaldepthis40km,andthemagnitudeisMs=7.4.Accordingtothedeterllllnati...     

Numerical simulation of dynamic process of the Tangshan earthquake

In this paper, the new LDDA (Lagrangian Discontinuous Deformation Analysis) method is used in modeling the dynamic process of the MS=7.8 Tangshan earthquake on July 28, 1976 and obtain directly the dynamic and quasi-static dislocations, shear stress drops, fracture velocities of the Tangshan earthquake fault. The simulation shows that the slip history at each point of the fault is different. The displacement vectors at the concave side of the fault is greater than that of the convex side of the fault. The "over shoot" of the fault slip is greatest at the middle part of the fault and attenuates to its ends. The rupture velocities of the fault from the epicenter towards south-west and towards north-east are 3.08 m/s and 1.18 m/s, respectively, the average one is 2.13 m/s. The maximum dynamic and quasi-static dislocations are 7.1 m and 6.2 m respectively, the average quasi-static one on the fault is 4.5 m. The maximum dynamic and quasi-static shear stress drops are 8.1 MPa and 5.4 MPa, respectively, the average quasi-static shear stress drop is 3.9 MPa.We found that the rupture velocities and shear stress are related to the initial stress states of the fault.     

Three-dimensional characteristics of focal fault of 1995 M S=6.5 Wuding earthquake occurring in Yunnan Province

By means of the hypocenter distribution and focal mechanism of Wuding MS=6.5 earthquake sequence occurred in 1995, the space orientation and activity characteristics of focal fault of Wuding earthquake have been studied from the three-dimensional space-time process. The results indicate that the focal fault of Wuding earthquake is a subsurface, NWW-trending, upright and right-lateral strike slip fault which is consistent with the intensity distribution in the meizoseismal region. Although the large-scale NS-trending Tanglang-Yimen active fault passes through the earthquake region, it is irrelevant to the MS=6.5 Wuding main earthquake. Since the relationship between the strong earthquake and the shallow geological active fault can not be determined, the crustal deep structure should be studied. The method proposed in the paper can be used to distinguish the focal fault in the deep crust.     

云南地区地震短临预报实践

１９９７年４－６月云南省地震局对滇西南重点监视区做了短临预报,但这期间未发生所预期的地震。而滇西南地区６级地震的背景和省内的前兆异常变化是明显的。为此,认为前兆异常是区域应力场增强的结果。异常与地震是相互伴生的兄弟关系,不是父子间因果关系,是造成地震虚报的主要原因。     

平行走滑断层相互作用的粘弹模型和减震作用

研究了二维粘弹性介质中平行走滑断层的相互力学作用及其地震活动性的影响。当一条断层发生滑动,将导致平行断层面上剪切应力减小,因此,可能推迟平行断层发生滑动,推迟时间在几年至几百年的范围内,这取决于发生滑动的断层与平行断层之间的距离,以及平行断层自身应力积累孕育地震过程经历的时间。     

Bayes判别分析法与地震短临预测

建立了一套完整的Bayes判别分析方法,并提出了明确的衡量综合预测结果所冒风险大小的风险代价比Kdn该方法可用于不同时间尺度的地震综合预测。选取云南地区1994～1996年的水氡观测资料,采用X2统计检验法识别前兆异常,利用Bayes判别分析方法对云南地区的强震活动性进行了内符检验和外推预测。在风险代价比Kdn取4的情况下,内符检验的R值可达0．54,外推时空占有率0．07,获得了满意的效果。     

中国大陆地磁学特征与百年地震相关关系分析

鉴于我国目前正面临着本世纪第五个地震活动期,探索地震的发生规律,是个很重要的地学问题。作者在前期工作的基础上,提取了不同分量、不同阶次的区域地磁异常的特征线,并对比了 ２０ 世纪以来大地震（ Ｍｓ≥６０）的分布,发现大地震多数分布在特征线上,特别是交叉点处。说明这些特征线反映了地壳深部构造特征,故对中、长期地震预报将起到重要作用。