Some common properties between actual seismicity, the spring-block model and experiments with sandpapers

Abstract

We present a study about some common features between actual seismicity, a self-organized critical model (the spring-block model) and frictional experiments made with sandpapers. We found a correlation between the b-value of the Gutenberg-Richter law (log N=a+bM), relationship which relates the seismic frequency with the magnitudes of the seismic events in a certain seismic region, and the gamma value which plays the role of an elastic ratio in the spring-block model. After the analysis made, we could establish that there is a parallel behavior between gamma, age and weathering, since gamma value plays in the spring-block model the role that age plays in the subduction plates in actual seismicity and weathering in experiments with sandpapers. We could established also a correlation between gamma value and the connectivity of the synthetic series made with the spring-block model. A synthetic reproduction of the Ruff-Kanamori diagram was also achieved.