A numerical study on seismic coupling along subduction zones using a laboratory-derived friction law

Physics

Scientific paper

Rate now

  [ 0.00 ] – not rated yet Voters 0   Comments 0

Details

38

Scientific paper

A numerical simulation study is performed to examine the effect of frictional characteristics of the boundary between a continental plate and a subducting oceanic plate on the seismic coupling between them. We consider a dip-slip fault in a 2-D uniform elastic half-space. The frictional force following a rate- and state-dependent friction law is assumed to act on the fault plane or the plate boundary, on which the values of friction parameters are varied with depth. Simulation results show that great earthquakes repeatedly occur at a shallower part of the plate boundary and stable sliding occurs at a deeper part. Seismic coupling is quantitatively discussed in terms of the seismic coupling coefficient defined by the seismic slip divided by the total amount of the seismic and aseismic slip. The critical fault length required for the occurrence of unstable slip is found to be proportional to the characteristic slip distance and inversely proportional to the coefficient of slip-rate dependence of the steady-state friction. The seismic coupling coefficient is relatively larger (0.6 to 0.8) when the length of the seismogenic zone is much longer than the critical fault length, while the seismic coupling coefficient becomes zero when the seismogenic zone length is close to or shorter than the critical fault length. In the latter case, slow or silent earthquakes are expected to occur. It is further found that spatially non-uniform distributions of friction parameters tend to weaken the seismic coupling.

No associations

LandOfFree

Say what you really think

Search LandOfFree.com for scientists and scientific papers. Rate them and share your experience with other people.

Rating

A numerical study on seismic coupling along subduction zones using a laboratory-derived friction law does not yet have a rating. At this time, there are no reviews or comments for this scientific paper.

If you have personal experience with A numerical study on seismic coupling along subduction zones using a laboratory-derived friction law, we encourage you to share that experience with our LandOfFree.com community. Your opinion is very important and A numerical study on seismic coupling along subduction zones using a laboratory-derived friction law will most certainly appreciate the feedback.

Rate now

     

Profile ID: LFWR-SCP-O-1478519

  Search
All data on this website is collected from public sources. Our data reflects the most accurate information available at the time of publication.