Broadband modeling of the 2002 Denali fault earthquake on the Earth Simulator

Abstract

We use a spectral-element method implemented on the Earth Simulator in Japan to simulate broadband seismic waves generated by the 3 November 2002 Denali fault earthquake. This M w=7.9 event is the largest strike–slip earthquake in North America in almost 150 years. The source model is constrained by teleseismic body waves and observed surface offsets. The earthquake was initiated by a small thrust event, and is well characterized by a five-segment fault geometry dominated by right-lateral rupture along 220 km of the Denali fault. We perform the three-dimensional numerical simulations at unprecedented resolution and reveal significantly enhanced ground motions (directivity) toward the conterminous United States for both body and surface waves.