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Change of crustal potential energy by earthquakes: An indicator for extensional and compressional tectonics
Author(s) -
Tanimoto Toshiro,
Okamoto Taro
Publication year - 2000
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 - 10.1029/1999gl011122
Subject(s) - extensional tectonics , tectonics , geology , seismology , crust , geophysics , extensional definition
Earthquakes cause a potential energy change in Earth's interior because they generate permanent vertical deformation in the gravitational field. The cumulative change of this potential energy in the crust, computed for the period between 1977 and 1998, shows systematic patterns in various tectonic provinces. Regions of extensional tectonics show systematic potential energy loss and regions of compressional tectonics typically show energy gain. Therefore, we claim that the crustal potential energy change can serve as a good indicator of compressional and extentional tectonics.