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A hypothesis for delayed dynamic earthquake triggering
Author(s) -
Parsons Tom
Publication year - 2005
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 - 10.1029/2004gl021811
Subject(s) - induced seismicity , geology , seismology , slip (aerodynamics) , dynamic stress , dynamic loading , physics , structural engineering , engineering , thermodynamics
It's uncertain whether more near‐field earthquakes are triggered by static or dynamic stress changes. This ratio matters because static earthquake interactions are increasingly incorporated into probabilistic forecasts. Recent studies were unable to demonstrate all predictions from the static‐stress‐change hypothesis, particularly seismicity rate reductions. However, current dynamic stress change hypotheses do not explain delayed earthquake triggering and Omori's law. Here I show numerically that if seismic waves can alter some frictional contacts in neighboring fault zones, then dynamic triggering might cause delayed triggering and an Omori‐law response. The hypothesis depends on faults following a rate/state friction law, and on seismic waves changing the mean critical slip distance ( D c ) at nucleation zones.