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Can slip heterogeneity be linked to earthquake recurrence?
Author(s) -
Chen Kate Huihsuan,
Chen Iyin,
Kim Ahyi
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 - 10.1002/2016gl069516
Subject(s) - slip (aerodynamics) , seismology , geology , aperiodic graph , asperity (geotechnical engineering) , episodic tremor and slip , recurrence quantification analysis , quasiperiodic function , geodesy , physics , subduction , tectonics , mathematics , geotechnical engineering , condensed matter physics , combinatorics , nonlinear system , quantum mechanics , thermodynamics
The rupture process of two M 4 repeating earthquake sequences in eastern Taiwan with contrasting recurrence behavior is investigated to demonstrate a link between slip heterogeneity and earthquake recurrence. The M 3.6–3.8 quasiperiodic repeating earthquakes characterized by 3 years recurrence interval reveal overlapped slip concentrations. Inferred slip distribution for each event illustrates two asperities with peak slip of 47.7 cm and peak stress drop of 151.1 MPa. Under the influence of nearby M 6.9 event, the M 4.3–4.8 repeating earthquakes separated only by 6–87 min, however, reveal an aperiodic manner. There is a distinct rupture characteristic without overlap in the slip areas, suggesting that shortening of the recurrence interval by the nearby large earthquake may change the slip heterogeneity in a repeatedly ruptured asperity. We conclude that the inherent heterogeneity of stress and strength could influence the distribution of coseismic slip, which is strongly tied to the recurrence behavior.