Note to users. If you're seeing this message, it means that your browser cannot find this page's style/presentation instructions -- or possibly that you are using a browser that does not support current Web standards. Find out more about why this message is appearing, and what you can do to make your experience of our site the best it can be.

Science 30 July 1999:
Vol. 285. no. 5428, pp. 718 - 721
DOI: 10.1126/science.285.5428.718
Prev | Table of Contents | Next

Reports

Fault Slip Rates at Depth from Recurrence Intervals of Repeating Microearthquakes

Robert M. Nadeau, Thomas V. McEvilly

Unique attributes in sequences of recurring, similar microearthquakes at Parkfield, California, provide a means for inferring slip rate at depth throughout the active fault surface from the time intervals between sequence events. Application of the method using an 11-year microseismicity record revealed systematic spatial and temporal changes in the slip rate that were synchronous with earthquake activity and other independent measures of fault-zone slip. If this phenomenon is found to be generally common behavior in active faults, it forms the basis for a method to monitor the changing strain field throughout a seismogenic fault zone.

Earth Sciences Division, Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory, and Berkeley Seismological Laboratory, University of California, Berkeley, CA 94720, USA.

Read the Full Text


THIS ARTICLE HAS BEEN CITED BY OTHER ARTICLES:
Behavior of Repeating Earthquake Sequences in Central California and the Implications for Subsurface Fault Creep.
D. C. Templeton, R. M. Nadeau, and R. Burgmann (2008)
Bulletin of the Seismological Society of America 98, 52-65
   Abstract »    Full Text »    PDF »
Probable low-angle thrust earthquakes on the Juan de Fuca-North America plate boundary.
A. M. Trehu, J. Braunmiller, and J. L. Nabelek (2008)
Geology 36, 127-130
   Abstract »    Full Text »    PDF »
How Frictional Properties Lead to Either Rupture-Front Focusing or Cracklike Behavior.
N. Kato (2007)
Bulletin of the Seismological Society of America 97, 2182-2189
   Abstract »    Full Text »    PDF »
Asperity Model of an Earthquake: Dynamic Problem.
L. R. Johnson and R. M. Nadeau (2005)
Bulletin of the Seismological Society of America 95, 75-108
   Abstract »    Full Text »    PDF »
Preliminary Report on the 28 September 2004, M 6.0 Parkfield, California Earthquake.
J. Langbein, R. Borcherdt, D. Dreger, J. Fletcher, J. L. Hardebeck, M. Hellweg, C. Ji, M. Johnston, J. R. Murray, R. Nadeau, et al. (2005)
Seismological Research Letters 76, 10-26
   Full Text »    PDF »
Fractal Dimension and b-Value on Creeping and Locked Patches of the San Andreas Fault near Parkfield, California.
M. Wyss, C. G. Sammis, R. M. Nadeau, and S. Wiemer (2004)
Bulletin of the Seismological Society of America 94, 410-421
   Abstract »    Full Text »    PDF »
Periodic Pulsing of Characteristic Microearthquakes on the San Andreas Fault.
R. M. Nadeau and T. V. McEvilly (2004)
Science 303, 220-222
   Abstract »    Full Text »    PDF »
Seismological Studies at Parkfield IX: Fault-Zone Imaging Using Guided Wave Attenuation.
(2003)
Bulletin of the Seismological Society of America 93, 1415-1426
Using Repeating Earthquakes to Correct High-Precision Earthquake Catalogs for Time-Dependent Station Delays.
(2002)
Bulletin of the Seismological Society of America 92, 1647-1659
Seismicity in Deep Gold Mines of South Africa: Implications for Tectonic Earthquakes.
(2002)
Bulletin of the Seismological Society of America 92, 1766-1782
Asperity Model of an Earthquake: Static Problem.
(2002)
Bulletin of the Seismological Society of America 92, 672-686
A Simple Stick-Slip and Creep-Slip Model for Repeating Earthquakes and its Implication for Microearthquakes at Parkfield.
(2001)
Bulletin of the Seismological Society of America 91, 1797-1804
Repeating Deep Earthquakes: Evidence for Fault Reactivation at Great Depth.
D. A. Wiens and N. O. Snider (2001)
Science 293, 1463-1466
   Abstract »    Full Text »    PDF »
Repeating Earthquakes as Low-Stress-Drop Events at a Border between Locked and Creeping Fault Patches.
(2001)
Bulletin of the Seismological Society of America 91, 532-537
Quasi-Static Slip-Rate Shielding by Locked and Creeping Zones as an Explanation for Small Repeating Earthquakes at Parkfield.
(2001)
Bulletin of the Seismological Society of America 91, 401-403
Earthquake Potential Along the Northern Hayward Fault, California.
R. Bürgmann, D. Schmidt, R. M. Nadeau, M. d'Alessio, E. Fielding, D. Manaker, T. V. McEvilly, and M. H. Murray (2000)
Science 289, 1178-1182
   Abstract »    Full Text »
Seismological Studies at Parkfield VIII: Modeling the Observed Travel-Time Changes.
(2000)
Bulletin of the Seismological Society of America 90, 702-708


To Advertise     Find Products

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