Deformation autowaves in fault zones

Empirical data on the spatiotemporal migration of recent deformation processes in fault zones are presented. Direct geodesic measurements reveal two types of waves, the interfault and intrafault waves. The velocity of the interfault wave is two-threefold higher than that of the intrafault wave. The phenomenological model describing the formation of autowave deformation processes is developed. The obtained nonlinear diffusion equation for the displacements of the Earth’s surface is shown to be structurally similar to the well-known Kolmogorov-Petrovsky-Piskunov equation derived in the population wave theory. Satisfactory agreement between the suggested model and the geodetic measurements is demonstrated. The concept of a pseudowave is discussed, and a way to expand the developed approaches to the spatiotemporal migration of earthquakes is discussed.