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Science 29 April 2005:
Vol. 308. no. 5722, pp. 681 - 684
DOI: 10.1126/science.1108193
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Reports

Laboratory Earthquakes Along Inhomogeneous Faults: Directionality and Supershear

Kaiwen Xia,1,2* Ares J. Rosakis,1{dagger} Hiroo Kanamori,2 James R. Rice3

We report on the experimental observation of spontaneously nucleated ruptures occurring on frictionally held bimaterial interfaces with small amounts of wave speed mismatch. Rupture is always found to be asymmetric bilateral. In one direction, rupture always propagates at the generalized Rayleigh wave speed, whereas in the opposite direction it is subshear or it transitions to supershear. The lack of a preferred rupture direction and the conditions leading to supershear are discussed in relation to existing theory and to the earthquake sequence in Parkfield, California, and in North Anatolia.

1 Graduate Aeronautical Laboratories, California Institute of Technology (Caltech), Pasadena, CA 91125, USA.
2 Seismological Laboratory, Caltech, Pasadena, CA 91125, USA.
3 Division of Engineering and Applied Sciences and Department of Earth and Planetary Sciences, Harvard University, Cambridge, MA 02138, USA.

* Present address: Division of Engineering, Brown University, Box D, Providence, RI 02912, USA.

{dagger} To whom correspondence should be addressed. E-mail: rosakis{at}aero.caltech.edu

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THIS ARTICLE HAS BEEN CITED BY OTHER ARTICLES:
Rupture Dynamics on a Bimaterial Interface for Dipping Faults.
S. Ma and G. C. Beroza (2008)
Bulletin of the Seismological Society of America 98, 1642-1658
   Abstract »    Full Text »    PDF »
The Aftershock Signature of Supershear Earthquakes.
M. Bouchon and H. Karabulut (2008)
Science 320, 1323-1325
   Abstract »    Full Text »    PDF »
From the Cover: Pulse-like and crack-like ruptures in experiments mimicking crustal earthquakes.
X. Lu, N. Lapusta, and A. J. Rosakis (2007)
PNAS 104, 18931-18936
   Abstract »    Full Text »    PDF »
Comparison of Fault Representation Methods in Finite Difference Simulations of Dynamic Rupture.
L. A. Dalguer and S. M. Day (2006)
Bulletin of the Seismological Society of America 96, 1764-1778
   Abstract »    Full Text »    PDF »
Introduction to the Special Issue on the 2004 Parkfield Earthquake and the Parkfield Earthquake Prediction Experiment.
R. A. Harris and J R. Arrowsmith (2006)
Bulletin of the Seismological Society of America 96, S1-S10
   Abstract »    Full Text »    PDF »


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Science. ISSN 0036-8075 (print), 1095-9203 (online)