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Multiple fault slip triggered above the 2016 M w 6.4 MeiNong earthquake in Taiwan
Author(s) -
Huang MongHan,
Tung Hsin,
Fielding Eric J.,
Huang HsinHua,
Liang Cunren,
Huang Chung,
Hu JyrChing
Publication year - 2016
Publication title -
geophysical research letters
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 2.007
H-Index - 273
eISSN - 1944-8007
pISSN - 0094-8276
DOI - 10.1002/2016gl069351
Subject(s) - geology , seismology , slip (aerodynamics) , geodetic datum , interferometric synthetic aperture radar , thrust fault , crust , tectonics , fluid pressure , kinematics , episodic tremor and slip , interplate earthquake , thrust , geodesy , intraplate earthquake , synthetic aperture radar , subduction , geophysics , mechanical engineering , physics , remote sensing , classical mechanics , engineering , thermodynamics
Rapid shortening in convergent mountain belts is often accommodated by slip on faults at multiple levels in upper crust, but no geodetic observation of slip at multiple levels within hours of a moderate earthquake has been shown before. Here we show clear evidence of fault slip within a shallower thrust at 5–10 km depth in SW Taiwan triggered by the 2016 M w 6.4 MeiNong earthquake at 15–20 km depth. We constrain the primary coseismic fault slip with kinematic modeling of seismic and geodetic measurements and constrain the triggered slip and fault geometry using synthetic aperture radar interferometry. The shallower thrust coincides with a proposed duplex located in a region of high fluid pressure and high interseismic uplift rate, and may be sensitive to stress perturbations. Our results imply that under tectonic conditions such as high‐background stress level and high fluid pressure, a moderate lower crustal earthquake can trigger faults at shallower depth.