On the physical model of earthquake precursor fields and the mechanism of precursors′ time-space distribution (II) — How do the stress and strain fields evolve while a strong earthquake is in preparation and how does the evolution affect the seismicity and earthquake precursors?

Abstract

In this paper, the stress concentration process and the time-space distribution of stress when earthquakes are in preparation in one or more earthquake-generating bodies in a tectonic block have been analyzed and their relation with seismicity and earthquake precursors have been studied. The results show that: 1 When the regional stress field has intensified to a certain level, fracture begins in some block or blocks. The regional stress field will vary with time and the occurrence of strong earthquakes in groups is the result of the evolution of this dynamic stress field. In this process, the existence and development of more than one high stress concentration zone may give rise to a variety of pre-seismic anomaly-to-earthquake relations. 2 The process of stress variation in an earthquake-generating block generally appears as a nonlinear one. After the long-term elastic deformation, there may be more than one time of inelastic deformation and fault-softening from the beginning of the stage of inelastic deformation to just before the main fracture. Corresponding to such a nonlinearity, the stress and strain fields in the earthquake-generating block will display a complex pattern of time-space evolution; and thus the earthquake precursor fields controlled by stress and strain must display complexities in many aspects.