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On moment‐length scaling of large strike slip earthquakes and the strength of faults
Author(s) -
Romanowicz B.,
Ruff L. J.
Publication year - 2002
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 - 10.1029/2001gl014479
Subject(s) - intraplate earthquake , seismology , geology , seismic moment , slip (aerodynamics) , scaling , tectonics , scaling law , strike slip tectonics , geometry , fault (geology) , physics , mathematics , thermodynamics
Several large strike slip earthquakes have occurred in various tectonic settings in the past 5 years, adding well documented data to the global collection of moment and length estimates for such earthquakes. Based on this augmented dataset, we reexamine the controversial issue of scaling of seismic moment with length of rupture. We find that the global dataset of large strike‐slip earthquakes follows a bi‐modal distribution. Most oceanic and/or intraplate strike‐slip earthquakes have stress drops that are ∼5 times larger than interplate continental ones. When distinguishing these two classes, the scaling is compatible with that predicted by simple dislocation theory.