Coseismic Slip Distribution Research Articles

Airborne LiDAR-Based Mapping of Surface Ruptures and Coseismic Slip of the 1955 Zheduotang Earthquake on the Xianshuihe Fault, East Tibet

ABSTRACTSurface ruptures and coseismic slip distributions of large earthquakes are the keys to understanding earthquake rupture processes, analyzing rupture history of associated faults, and assessing earthquake hazards. Detailed mapping of surface ruptures of large historical earthquakes is needed but is difficult in remote regions. The 1955 Ms 7.5 Zheduotang earthquake occurred in a prominent restraining bend of the central sinistral Xianshuihe fault and within a high-relief and densely vegetated mountain range. This study characterizes the 1955 earthquake surface rupture via 50 cm resolution airborne light detection and ranging (LiDAR) data, combined with field investigations. Our mapping of geomorphic features showed that relatively fresh mole tracks and fault scarps are still preserved beneath the dense vegetation cover. The 1955 earthquake ruptured at least 30 km in length, which consisted of four sections separated by stepovers or changes in the strike. Overall, the multistranded rupture was more complex than that of other historical earthquakes to the northwest along the Xianshuihe fault but consistent with its local structural setting. We collected 47 LiDAR-derived and 48 field-based left-lateral (with minor vertical) measurements. The clustering of the smallest offsets suggests that the average sinistral coseismic displacement of the 1955 earthquake was ∼2.1 m based on LiDAR-derived data and ∼1.5 m based on field measurements. This difference highlights the ambiguity and difficulties associated with surface rupture investigations of historical earthquakes decades after the event. The rupture length (∼30 km) and average sinistral displacement (1.5–2.1 m) suggest a moment magnitude of 6.6–7.4 based on empirical relationships of strike-slip earthquakes worldwide. The magnitude is smaller than the widely accepted Ms 7.5 in the catalog, suggesting that the previously reported magnitude was possibly overestimated. Our data have implications for the seismic hazard evaluation of the Sichuan–Tibet railway, which passes through the northern part of the ruptured fault.

Plate‐Locking, Uncertainty Estimation and Spatial Correlations Revealed With a Bayesian Model Selection Method: Application to the Central Chile Subduction Zone

AbstractInversions of geodetic data are regularly used to estimate interseismic locking in subduction zones. However, the ill‐posed nature of these problems motivates us to include prior information, physically consistent with processes of the subduction seismic cycle. To deal with model instabilities, we present an inversion method to estimate both plate‐locking and model uncertainties by inverting Global Navigation Satellite System derived velocities based on a Bayesian model selection scheme. Our method allows us to impose positivity constraints via a multivariate folded‐normal distribution, with a specified covariance matrix. Model spatial correlations are explored and ranked to find models that best explain the observed data and for a better understanding of locking models. This approach searches for hyperparameters of the prior joint multivariate probability density function (PDF) of model parameters that minimize the Akaike Bayesian Information Criterion (ABIC). To validate our approach, we invert synthetic displacements from analytic models, yielding satisfactory results. We then apply the method to estimate the plate‐locking in Central Chile (28°–39°S) and its relation to the coseismic slip distribution of earthquakes with magnitudes Mw > 8.0, on the subduction zone since 2010. We also search among different prior PDFs for a single ductile‐fragile limit depth. Our results confirms a spatial correlation between locked asperities and the 2010 Mw 8.8 Maule and 2015 Mw 8.3 Illapel earthquake rupture zones. The robustness of our locking model shows potential to improve future seismic and tsunami hazard estimations.

An Improved Source Model of the 2021 Mw 6.1 Yangbi Earthquake (Southwest China) Based on InSAR and BOI Datasets

The azimuth displacement derived by pixel offset tracking (POT) or multiple aperture InSAR (MAI) measurements is usually used to characterize the north-south coseismic deformation caused by large earthquakes (M > 6.5), but its application in the source parameter inversion of moderate-magnitude earthquakes (~M 6.0) is rare due to the insensitive observation accuracy. Conventional line-of-sight (LOS) displacements derived by the Interferometric Synthetic Aperture Radar (InSAR) have limited ability to constrain the source parameters of the earthquake with near north-south striking. On 21 May 2021, an Mw 6.1 near north-south striking earthquake occurred in Yangbi County, Yunnan Province, China. In this study, we derive both the coseismic LOS displacement and the burst overlap interferometry (BOI) displacement from the Sentinel-1 data to constrain the source model of this event. We construct a single-segment fault geometry and estimate the coseismic slip distribution by inverting the derived LOS and BOI-derived azimuth displacements. Inversion results show that adding the BOI-derived azimuth displacements to source modeling can improve the resolution of the slip model by ~15% compared with using the LOS displacements only. The coseismic slip is mainly distributed 2 to 11 km deep, with a maximum slip of approximately 1.1 m. Coulomb stress calculation shows a maximum Coulomb stress increment of ~0.05 Mpa at the north-central sub-region of the Red River Fault. In addition, there is a small Coulomb stress increase at the Southern end of the Weixi-Weishan fault. The potential seismic risks on the Weixi-Weishan and Northwest section of the Red River faults should be continuously monitored.

Coseismic slip and early afterslip of the 2021 Mw 7.4 Maduo, China earthquake constrained by GPS and InSAR data

The 2021 Mw 7.4 Maduo earthquake occurred on the left-lateral Kunlun Pass-Jiangcuo fault (KPJF) located within the Bayan Har block, Tibetan Plateau, caused an ∼165-km-long surface rupture and widespread ground deformation. This earthquake was well recorded by SAR images and our near-field GPS network during the coseismic and postseismic periods, providing a rare opportunity to shed light on the seismic and aseismic slip behaviors on the slow-slipping causative fault. Here, we constrain the coseismic slip distribution of the 2021 Maduo earthquake by the joint use of InSAR and near-field GPS observations. Then, time-dependent afterslip evolution is inverted from cGPS and InSAR time series in the first ∼160 days after the mainshock. The results show that the mainshock involves five asperities with a maximum slip of 4.79 m, including an E-W trending main fault and a secondary fault locates on the eastern end of the main fault. The significant energy released near Changmahe Township could be partialy explained by the fact that the seismogenic fault here cut through the pre-existing NW-SE trending faults. Afterslip played a dominant role in the early postseismic deformation, which has released seismic moment equivalent to an Mw 6.78 earthquake, 10.3% of the coseismic moment. The seismic and aseismic slip distributions have complementary patterns in spatial, except for the overlaps on the Changmahe segment, suggesting the heterogeneity of frictional property on the fault plane. The rupture of the Maduo earthquake is located in the stress shadow induced by historical earthquakes, indicating the high accumulated stress on the KPJF. The stress level, as well as the potential seismic hazard on the ∼300-km-long seismic gap between the 2001 Kokoxili earthquake and the 2021 Maduo earthquake, is further raised by the historical events.

Rupture Directivity of the 2021MW6.0 Yangbi, Yunnan Earthquake

AbstractThe 2021MW6.0 Yangbi, Yunnan strike‐slip earthquake occurred on an unmapped crustal fault near the Weixi‐Qiaoho‐Weishan Fault along the southeast margin of the Tibetan Plateau. Using near‐source broadband seismic data from ChinArray, we investigate the spatial and temporal rupture evolution of the mainshock using apparent moment‐rate functions (AMRFs) determined by the empirical Green's function (EGF) method. Assuming a 1D line source on the fault plane, the rupture propagated unilaterally southeastward (∼144°) over a rupture length of ∼8.0 km with an estimated rupture speed of 2.1 km/s to 2.4 km/s. A 2D coseismic slip distribution for an assumed maximum rupture propagation speed of 2.2 km/s indicates that the rupture propagated to the southeast ∼8.0 km along strike and ∼5.0 km downdip with a peak slip of ∼2.1 m before stopping near the largest foreshock, where three bifurcating subfaults intersect. Using the AMRFs, the radiated energy of the mainshock is estimated as ∼. The relatively low moment scaled radiated energyof 1.5 × 10−5and intense foreshock and aftershock activity might indicate reactivation of an immature fault. The earthquake sequence is mainly distributed along a northwest‐southeast trend, and aftershocks and foreshocks are distributed near the periphery of the mainshock large‐slip area, suggesting that the stress in the mainshock slip zone is significantly reduced to below the level for more than a few overlapping aftershock to occur.

Co- and Post-seismic Deformation Mechanisms of the 2020 Mw6.0 Jiashi Earthquake in Xinjiang (China), Revealed by Sentinel-1 InSAR Observations

On 19 January 2020, an Mw6.0 earthquake occurred in Jiashi County, Xinjiang, China. This earthquake is a strong earthquake that occurred in the Kepingtage Belt. The monitoring and inversion of the co-seismic and post-earthquake will help further understand the geometry and movement properties of this tectonic belt. In this study, Sentinel-1A images were used to analyze the deformation of co-seismic and post-seismic events. The Okada elastic dislocation model was used to invert the geometric parameters of the fault and co-seismic slip distribution. The results showed that the maximum uplift and maximum subsidence deformations from the ascending images were 55 and 45 mm, respectively. The maximum uplift and subsidence deformations from the descending images were 62 and 28 mm, respectively. The inversion results show that the earthquake was induced by a fault with a length of 23.5 km, width of 4.7 km, and depth of 7.2 km. This earthquake was a typical dip-slip event. The distributed inversion results of post-earthquake deformation show that the maximum co-seismic slip and maximum post-seismic slip are located on the same fault plane, mainly distributed on the edge of the co-seismic fault, between the two faults.

Coseismic slip distribution model of the 2022 Mw6.6 Menyuan earthquake

Coseismic slip distribution model of the 2022 Mw6.6 Menyuan earthquake

Coseismic deformation and slip distribution of the 2017 Mw 6.3 Jinghe, Xinjiang, western China earthquake based on InSAR observations: a buried reverse event on previously unknown fault

SUMMARY The 2017 Mw 6.3 Jinghe earthquake occurred in the orogenic zone of the North Tianshan mountain range, Xinjiang, western China. No evident surface rupture was identified by field investigation conducted immediately after the earthquake. We investigate the coseismic and post-seismic deformation fields due to the Jinghe event using the C-band Sentinel-1 SAR imagery, and further analyse its causative fault. The Generic Atmospheric Correction Online Service for InSAR (GACOS) model is employed to remove the atmospheric phase delay of multiple InSAR deformation maps. Coseismic deformation fields are resolved by averaging the high quality deformation maps. A nonlinear inversion scheme is used to find the optimized fault geometry in a layered elastic crust. The results imply that the Jinghe earthquake is characterized by thrust faulting, with striking and dipping angles of ∼62° and ∼28°, respectively. Subsequently coseismic slip distribution is estimated using the steepest descent method program, constrained by the derived coseismic deformation fields. The inversion results show that the average slip is ∼0.08 m and the average rake angle is ∼98°. The maximum slip is ∼0.24 m, located at the depth of 12.9 km. The moment magnitude is estimated to be Mw 6.38. The fault geometry is generally consistent with the relocated aftershocks distribution. Both the InSAR-derived deformation field and the aftershock distribution indicate that the Jinghe earthquake is attributed to a previously unknown buried fault beneath the Yongji fold with a strike of 62°. No significant post-seismic deformation is identified in the zone of coseismic deformation. This study shows that the Jinghe earthquake is a typical inland thrust event in the North Tianshan area, which is affected by south to north compression due to the Indian-Eurasian collision.

Slow slip events following the afterslip of the 2002 Mw 7.1 Hualien offshore earthquake, Taiwan

Geodetic evidence for slow slip recurrence changed by stress perturbations was rare, especially from afterslip following a nearby large earthquake. The first observed slow slip events in the southernmost Ryukyu subduction had occurred in 2005, 2009, and 2015 following the nearby 2002 March 31 Mw 7.1 Hualien offshore earthquake. To investigate whether the Mw 7.1 earthquake had influenced the occurrence times of the slow slip, we calculated the coseismic slip distribution and afterslip distribution using the surface displacements from onshore Global Navigation Satellite System observations. The stress perturbation on the slow-slip regions caused by the coseismic slip was quantified using the Coulomb failure criteria. We also examined the aftershock distribution and the evolution with time to clarify the stress perturbations from the afterslip offshore. Our results show that the primary afterslip distribution may have overlapped the 2009 and 2015 slow-slip patch at the downdip of the earthquake. The coseismic stress perturbation may have influenced the SSEs area directly by a Coulomb stress increase of probably 0.10 MPa. However, the 2005 SSE patch in the updip depths had only a little coseismic slip and afterslip with the Coulomb stress increase of approximately 0.06 MPa. We find that most of the aftershocks had occurred in the 2009 and 2015 slow-slip region that evolved into a typical aftershock sequence at least 2.5 years after the earthquake. The surface geodetic displacements reveal that the afterslip may have lasted longer than 4.5 years after the earthquake. The evidence for the afterslip proves that the 2009 and 2015 slow-slip patch was influenced by the afterslip directly for years. We suggest that the ongoing afterslip may have modulated the coseismic stress perturbation. It may explain the delay of the 2009 slow slip occurrence compared with the recurrence interval between the 2009 and 2015 slow slip events.Graphical

Analysis of coseismic slip distributions and stress variations of the 2019 Mw 6.4 and 7.1 earthquakes in Ridgecrest, California

Exploring spatiotemporal variations in the regional stress field is critical for understanding the interactions between active tectonic plates. On July 4 and 6, 2019, strike-slip earthquakes of Mw 6.4 sinistral and 7.1 dextral, respectively, occurred in Ridgecrest, California, which provided an appropriate condition for studying conjugate earthquake stress variation. In this study, we used GNSS coseismic displacement to invert the coseismic slip distributions of each earthquake. According to the spatiotemporal distribution, the focal mechanisms were divided into three time periods and five subareas. Therefore, spatiotemporal variations of the stress field were calculated. Results indicate that the two earthquakes were not purely strike-slip, but had minor dip-slip components. The maximum slips of the Mw 6.4 foreshock and the Mw 7.1 mainshock were 0.7 and 3.1 m, respectively. Areas of significant stress variations corresponded to areas of larger slip distributions. During the three time periods, the maximum horizontal stress (SHmax) direction in each subarea first experienced counterclockwise and then clockwise rotation; the SHmax direction of the foreshock epicenter region changed from 3.8° to 2.8° to 5.8°. After the mainshock, the SHmax of the foreshock epicenter region rotated clockwise by ~3.0°, the deviatoric stress was ~4.5 MPa, and the stress drop in the epicenter region of the mainshock was ~4.3 MPa, from which we can judge that the stress was almost completely released. Six months before the earthquakes, the b value began to change markedly, while it stabilized after the earthquakes. In the dextral shear zone formed by the relative motions of the Pacific and North American plates, the cumulative stress tends to be jointly regulated by NW–SE and NE–SW oriented conjugate fractures. These two Ridgecrest earthquakes are a phenomenon of stress regulation.

Coseismic Displacement and Slip Distribution of the 21 May 2021 Mw 6.1 Earthquake in Yangbi, China Derived From InSAR Observations

On 21 May 2021, a Mw 6.1 earthquake struck Yangbi County, Yunnan Province, China. In this study, InSAR data from Sentinel-1 SAR images were processed to image the coseismic deformation fields of the Yangbi earthquake. Then, the optimal slip model was obtained by applying the particle swarm optimization method. The interferometry results revealed that the earthquake triggered obvious surface deformation near the epicenter, while the earthquake did not produce an obvious surface rupture zone from field investigation. The optimal slip model suggests that the strike of the seismogenic fault responsible for this event is 139°, the dip angle is 81°, and the average rake angle is -170°. Additionally, the slip was concentrated mainly at depths of 2–8 km, the maximum dip-slip amount was 0.5 m, and the cumulative seismic moment reached 1.43 × 1018 N⋅m, equivalent to a Mw 6.1 earthquake. The geodetic and geophysical inversion results demonstrate that the Yangbi earthquake was dominated by a steeply dipping dextral strike-slip rupture. The rupture fault generally strikes NNW-SSE, which is consistent with that of the Weixi-Qiaohou fault, and may be a relatively new fault formed by an E-W-oriented extension of the western boundary of the Sichuan-Yunnan block. Finally, based on the InSAR results in combination with the spatial distribution characteristics of ground fissures and the strong historical earthquakes, we analyzed the tectonic background preceding the Yangbi earthquake and analyzed the relationship between the Yangbi earthquake and strong historical earthquakes in the region, thereby providing empirical evidence for analyzing seismic risk and fault rupture parameters, interpreting seismic deformation characteristics, and better understanding the seismogenic background of the western boundary of the Sichuan-Yunnan block.

Insight into the 2017–2019 Lurestan arc seismic sequence (Zagros, Iran); complex earthquake interaction in the basement and sediments

SUMMARY Despite its high-seismogenic potential, the details of the seismogenic processes of Zagros Simply Folded Belt (SFB) remains debated. Three large earthquakes (Mw 7.3, 5.9 and 6.3) struck in the Lurestan arc of the Zagros SFB in 2017 and 2018. The sequence was recorded by seismic stations at regional, and teleseismic distances. Coseismic surface displacements, measured by Sentinel-1A/B satellites, provide additional data and a unique opportunity to study these earthquakes in detail. Here, we complement previous studies of the coseismic slip distribution of the 12 November 2017 Mw 7.3 Ezgeleh earthquake by a detailed analysis of its aftershocks, and we analysed the rupture process of the two interrelated earthquakes (25 August 2018 Mw 5.9 Tazehabad and the 25 November 2018 Mw 6.3 Sarpol-e Zahab earthquakes). We model the surface displacements obtained from Interferometric Synthetic Aperture Radar (InSAR) measurements and seismic records. We conduct non-linear probabilistic optimizations based on joint InSAR and seismic data to obtain finite-fault rupture of these earthquakes. The Lurestan arc earthquakes were followed by a sustained aftershock activity, with 133 aftershocks exceeding Mn 4.0 until 30 December 2019. We rely on the permanent seismic networks of Iran and Iraq to relocate ∼700 Mn 3 + events and estimate moment tensor solutions for 85 aftershocks down to Mw 4.0. The 2017 Ezgeleh earthquake has been considered to activate a low-angle (∼17°) dextral-thrust fault at the depth of 10–20 km. However, most of its aftershocks have shallow centroid depths (8–12 km). The joint interpretation of finite source models, moment tensor and hypocentral location indicate that the 2018 Tazehabad and Sarpol-e Zahab earthquakes ruptured different strike-slip structures, providing evidence for the activation of the sinistral and dextral strike-slip faults, respectively. The deformation in the Lurestan arc is seismically accommodated by a complex fault system involving both thrust and strike-slip faults. Knowledge about the deformation characteristics is important for the understanding of crustal shortening, faulting and hazard and risk assessment in this region.

Rapid and quantitative uncertainty estimation of coseismic slip distribution for large interplate earthquakes using real-time GNSS data and its application to tsunami inundation prediction

This study proposes a new method for the uncertainty estimation of coseismic slip distribution on the plate interface deduced from real-time global navigation satellite system (GNSS) data and explores its application for tsunami inundation prediction. Jointly developed by the Geospatial Information Authority of Japan and Tohoku University, REGARD (REal-time GEONET Analysis system for Rapid Deformation monitoring) estimates coseismic fault models (a single rectangular fault model and slip distribution model) in real time to support tsunami prediction. The estimated results are adopted as part of the Disaster Information System, which is used by the Cabinet Office of the Government of Japan to assess tsunami inundation and damage. However, the REGARD system currently struggles to estimate the quantitative uncertainty of the estimated result, although the obtained result should contain both observation and modeling errors caused by the model settings. Understanding such quantitative uncertainties based on the input data is essential for utilizing this resource for disaster response. We developed an algorithm that estimates the coseismic slip distribution and its uncertainties using Markov chain Monte Carlo methods. We focused on the Nankai Trough of southwest Japan, where megathrust earthquakes have repeatedly occurred, and used simulation data to assume a Hoei-type earthquake. We divided the 2951 rectangular subfaults on the plate interface and designed a multistage sampling flow with stepwise perturbation groups. As a result, we successfully estimated the slip distribution and its uncertainty at the 95% confidence interval of the posterior probability density function. Furthermore, we developed a new visualization procedure that shows the risk of tsunami inundation and the probability on a map. Under the algorithm, we regarded the Markov chain Monte Carlo samples as individual fault models and clustered them using the k-means approach to obtain different tsunami source scenarios. We then calculated the parallel tsunami inundations and integrated the results on the map. This map, which expresses the uncertainties of tsunami inundation caused by uncertainties in the coseismic fault estimation, offers quantitative and real time insights into possible worst-case scenarios.Graphical

The 2009 Ms 6.0 earthquake in Yao'an, Yunnan Province: Source constraints using relocated aftershocks and InSAR

An Ms 6.0 earthquake occurred in Yao'an County, Yunnan Province, on 9 June 2009. According to the results of relocated aftershocks, we find that the distribution of aftershocks has differences in the strike direction and depth in local areas. Therefore, the fault is divided into two segments. Combined with the surface deformation information obtained from InSAR Data as the constraint condition of the slip model, we inverse the three-dimensional coseismic slip distribution of the seismogenic fault of the Yao'an earthquake and discussed the influence of the Yao'an earthquake on the surrounding faults and the rupture direction of the event. The main research results are as follows: 1) we quickly obtain reasonable fault parameters, model, and slip distributions through relocated aftershocks and InSAR data, and the results obtained after inversion are consistent with the results of the geological structure and scholars' research. At the same time, the abnormal deep slip is found, which proves that there is a complex structure underground in the Yao'an area. 2) The results of static Coulomb stress change show that the aftershocks are basically distributed in the area where the static Coulomb stress increases. Faults with a relatively significant increase of Coulomb stress include the northwest section of Honghai Fault, the middle of Chenghai Fault, the middle of Hongge Fault, the middle of Nanhua-Chuxiong Fault, and the north of Yuanmou Fault. The future seismic risk of these faults should be considered. 3) The main direction of the Yao'an earthquake rupture is controlled by regional stress, and the abnormal rupture direction is affected by the complex underground structure.

Complex Slip Distribution of the 2021 Mw 7.4 Maduo, China, Earthquake: An Event Occurring on the Slowly Slipping Fault

Abstract The 21 May 2021 Maduo earthquake occurred on the Kunlun Mountain Pass–Jiangcuo fault (KMPJF), a seismogenic fault with no documented large earthquakes. To probe its kinematics, we first estimate the slip rates of the KMPJF and Tuosuo Lake segment (TLS, ∼75 km north of the KMPJF) of the East Kunlun fault (EKLF) based on the secular Global Positioning System (GPS) data using the Markov chain Monte Carlo method. Our model reveals that the slip rates of the KMPJF and TLS are 1.7 ± 0.8 and 7.1 ± 0.3 mm/yr, respectively. Then, we invert high-resolution GPS and Interferometric Synthetic Aperture Radar observations to decipher the fault geometry and detailed coseismic slip distribution associated with the Maduo earthquake. The geometry of the KMPFJ significantly varies along strike, composed of five fault subsegments. The most slip is accommodated by two steeply dipping fault segments, with the patch of large sinistral slip concentrated in the shallow depth on a simple straight structure. The released seismic moment is ∼1.5×1020 N·m, equivalent to an Mw 7.39 event, with a peak slip of ∼9.3 m. Combining the average coseismic slip and slip rate of the main fault, an earthquake recurrence period of ∼1250−400+1120 yr is estimated. The Maduo earthquake reminds us to reevaluate the potential of seismic gaps where slip rates are low. Based on our calculated Coulomb failure stress, the Maduo earthquake imposes positive stress on the Maqin–Maqu segment of the EKLF, a long-recognized seismic gap, implying that it may accelerate the occurrence of the next major event in this region.

The 2020Mw 6.4 Petrinja earthquake: a dextral event with large coseismic slip highlights a complex fault system in northwestern Croatia

SUMMARYOn 2020 December 29, the Mw 6.4 Petrinja earthquake hit the Kupa Valley region and set a record for the largest earthquake in northwestern (NW) Croatia. The coseismic surface displacements are well obtained on three pairs of interferometric synthetic aperture radar images from Sentinel-1 satellites. The interferograms exhibit coseismic ground deformation with a maximum line-of-sight displacement of 0.4 m. Based on the coseismic deformation field, we investigate both the fault geometry and the coseismic slip distribution. The results show a dextral event with a peak slip of 3.50 m at a depth of 3.47 km. The shallow depth and unusually large coseismic slip correspond to obvious ground deformation and serious damage in the epicentral zone. The 2020 earthquake highlights an unmapped, steeply dipping strike-slip fault, which possibly enabled a potential ‘curve cut-off’ process on the bending segment of the Pokupsko fault in the context of ∼N–S compression in NW Croatia. The large coseismic slip and high stress drop associated with the Mw 6.4 Petrinja earthquake are likely products of the geometrically complex fault zones and immature seismotectonic environment in NW Croatia.

New insight into the 24 January 2020, Mw 6.8 Elazığ earthquake (Turkey): An evidence for rupture-parallel pull-apart basin activation along the East Anatolian Fault Zone constrained by Geodetic and Seismological data

In this study, we investigated the main features of the causative fault of the 24 January 2020, Mw 6.8 Elazığ earthquake (Turkey) using seismological and geodetic data sets to provide new insight into the East Anatolian Fault Zone (EAFZ). We first constrained the co-seismic surface deformation and the rupture geometry of the causative fault segment using Interferometric Synthetic Aperture Radar (InSAR) interferograms (Sentinel-1A/B satellites) and teleseismic waveform inversion, respectively. Also, we determined the centroid moment tensor (CMT) solutions of focal mechanisms of the 27 aftershocks using the regional waveform inversion method. Finally, we evaluated the co-seismic slip distribution and the CMT solutions of the causative fault as well as of adjacent segments using the 27 focal solutions of the aftershocks, superimposed on the surface deformation pattern. The CMT solution of the 24 January 2020Elazığ earthquake reveals a pure strike-slip focal mechanism, consistent with the structural pattern and left-lateral motion of the EAFZ. The rupture process of the Elazığ event indicated that the rupture is started at 12 km around the hypocenter, and then propagated bilaterally along the NE-SW but mainly toward the southwest. The rupture slip has initially propagated toward the southwest (first 10 s) and northeast (4 s), and again toward the southwest (9 s). Maximum displacement is calculated as 1.3 m about 20 km southwest of the hypocenter at 6 km depth (centroid depth). The rupture stopped to down-dip around 20 km depth toward the southwest. The distribution of the slip vectors indicates that the rupture continued mostly through a normal oblique movement. Most of the moment release was released SW of the hypocenter and the rupture reached up to around 50 km. The focal mechanisms of analyzed 27 aftershocks show strike-slip, but mostly normal and normal oblique-slip faulting with an orientation of the tensional axes (NNE-SSW), indicating a normal oblique-slip, “transtensional” stress regime, parallel-subparallel to the strike of the EAFZ, consistent with SW-rupture directivity and co- seismic deformation pattern. Finally, based on the co-seismic surface deformation compatible with the distributional pattern of normal focal solutions, normal and normal oblique-slip focals of the aftershocks evidence the rupture-parallel pull-apart basin activation as a segment boundary of the left-lateral strike-slip movement of the EAFZ.

Long-lived afterslip of the 2013Mw 6.1 Minab earthquake detected by Persistent Scatterer Interferometry along the Irer fault (western Makran-Zagros transition zone, Iran)

SUMMARYThe ratio of seismogenic to aseismic deformation along active faults is needed to estimate their seismogenic potential and hazards. Seismologic and geodetic methods routinely capture coseismic displacements, but data acquisition requirements to fully document post-seismic deformation are not well known. Our study documents afterslip between about 18 months and 4 years after a mid-size earthquake and, based on remote structural mapping, we document fault rupture segments not previously associated with that earthquake. Persistent scatterer interferometric analysis of Sentinel-1A aperture radar data acquired between October 2014 and December 2018 reveals prolonged post-seismic deformation following the 11 May 2013 Mw 6.1 Minab earthquake and its aftershocks. The surface deformation data yield a sharp contrast across both the main seismogenic fault (here named the Irer fault) and its northeastern splay, and it is compatible with left-lateral motion along both faults. The PSI data helped us to identify and map the splay fault in the satellite imagery. We could then measure the geological offset along both faults, finding maximum displacements of about 1 km (main fault) and 350 m (splay). Our modelling of the observed post-seismic surface deformation pattern shows that post-seismic deformation was accommodated by left-lateral afterslip, not viscoelastic relaxation. This result is consistent with previous propositions that Mw 6 earthquakes do not measurably excite deeply seated viscoelastic relaxation mechanisms. Our afterslip modelling yields a slip pattern from the surface to a depth of 6 km to maximum 16 km, in agreement with the depth of the coseismic slip-distribution, and a maximum displacement of ∼7 cm along the fault, but located ∼8 km to the east of the coseismic slip maximum. Moment release during the observed afterslip in our study is Mw 5.7, or 12% of the coseismic moment released by main shock and aftershocks together. Combined with previously published results for the early post-seismic period (first 2 months), we estimate the aseismic moment to be at least ∼37% of the total, implying a high ratio of aseismic to seismic moment release for the Irer fault. Our results show that observation time windows well beyond 5 years are needed to record afterslip following mid-sized earthquakes. Thus, progress in understanding the transition from post-seismic to interseismic fault behaviour critically depends on the availability of data provided by satellite missions such as Copernicus Sentinel-1A. Similarly, robust comparison of the post-seismic rates with long-term geological rates requires palaeoseismic study and dating of related morphotectonic features.

Coseismic slip distribution of the 14 January 2021 Mamuju-Majene, Sulawesi, earthquake derived from GPS data

Coseismic slip distribution of the 14 January 2021 Mamuju-Majene, Sulawesi, earthquake derived from GPS data

Impact of ionosphere on InSAR observation and coseismic slip inversion: Improved slip model for the 2010 Maule, Chile, earthquake

Satellite synthetic aperture radar (SAR) signals are affected by the Earth's ionosphere when the signals travel through the ionosphere. We first analyze the impact of ionospheric variation on the coseismic deformation results derived from interferometric SAR (InSAR) for the 2010 Maule, Chile, earthquake. We then jointly invert leveling, GPS and InSAR data for the coseismic slip distribution. The bias in the inverted slip distribution caused by the ionospheric variation is especially investigated. Our results show that mitigating the effect of ionospheric artifacts on long wavelengths, such as the L-band, InSAR data is critical to studying some strong earthquakes. It is therefore advisable at least as a precaution to check the level of significance of the ionospheric artifacts when studying strong earthquakes with InSAR, and when the artifacts are found to be significant, corrections for the artifacts should be applied. This research also indicates that megathrust rupturing occurred mainly at two asperities with peak slip magnitudes reaching 15.7 m and 9.8 m. More importantly, generally unlike the common existing understanding, our results show that the rupture reached the trench only in the northern segment of the trench (near 34.9°S–35.4°S).