Seismicity, earthquake mechanisms, and tectonics along the western coast of North America, from 42°N to 61°N

1974 ◽  
Vol 64 (5) ◽  
pp. 1529-1549 ◽  
Author(s):  
Umesh Chandra
Keyword(s):  
Focal Mechanism ◽  
Puget Sound ◽  
Western Coast ◽  
Spreading Ridge ◽  
Normal Faulting ◽  
Transform Faults ◽  
Focal Mechanism Solutions ◽  
Queen Charlotte Islands ◽  
Gorda Ridge ◽  
Recent Earthquakes

Abstract Seismicity maps of the region are presented for the periods January 1900 to June 1973 and January 1961 to June 1973. Focal mechanism solutions for 24 earthquakes (mb ≧ 5.5) occurring between January 1963 to July 1973 have been determined. Four earthquakes which occurred in the vicinity of the Gorda ridge have a component of normal faulting, thus identifying it as a spreading ridge. However, departure of the trend of the axis of tension, determined in the focal mechanism solutions for these earthquakes, from being perpendicular to the trend of the ridge axis indicates that the tectonics of the Gorda basin is complex. The existence of the Blanco fracture zone and the Queen Charlotte Islands fault as dextral transform faults, east block moving south, is confirmed. Evidences derived from the focal mechanism solutions indicate that the Revere-Dellwood and Sovanco fracture zones are also right-lateral transform faults. The northern extent of the Queen Charlotte Islands fault probably terminates near 54.5°N, 135.2°W or 57.5°N, 136°W. Focal mechanism solutions for an earthquake occurring near Vancouver Islands and another near the Puget Sound region in Washington indicate normal faulting and suggest the presence of a downgoing slab of lithosphere in this region. The interpretation is that the former results from tension caused by the bending of the plate as it dips under the continent and the latter results from tension within the sinking slab. Two recent earthquakes which occurred on July 1 and July 3, 1973 at a latitude of about 58°N, have thrust fault solutions and together with the seismicity data suggest a zone of underthrusting of the lithospheric plate between latitudes 58°N to 59.5°N. The possibility of a third zone of subduction north of latitude 59.5°N between longitudes 139°W to 142°W is indicated.

scholarly journals Fault Geometry and Mechanism of the Mw 5.7 Nakchu Earthquake in Tibet Inferred from InSAR Observations and Stress Measurements

2021 ◽  
Vol 13 (24) ◽  
pp. 5142
Author(s):  
Yujiang Li ◽  
Yongsheng Li ◽  
Xingping Hu ◽  
Haoqing Liu
Keyword(s):  
Focal Mechanism ◽  
Historical Earthquakes ◽  
Tectonic Stress ◽  
Indian Plate ◽  
Coseismic Deformation ◽  
Normal Faulting ◽  
Eurasian Plate ◽  
Seismogenic Fault ◽  
Stress Measurements ◽  
Focal Mechanism Solutions

Different types of focal mechanism solutions for the 19 March 2021 Mw 5.7 Nakchu earthquake, Tibet, limit our understanding of this earthquake’s seismogenic mechanism and geodynamic process. In this study, the coseismic deformation field was determined and the geometric parameters of the seismogenic fault were inverted via Interferometric Synthetic Aperture Radar (InSAR) processing of Sentinel-1 data. The inversion results show that the focal mechanism solutions of the Nakchu earthquake are 237°/69°/−70° (strike/dip/rake), indicating that the seismogenic fault is a NEE-trending, NW-dipping fault dominated by the normal faulting with minor sinistral strike-slip components. The regional tectonic stress field derived from the in-situ stress measurements shows that the orientation of maximum principal compressive stress around the epicenter of the Nakchu earthquake is NNE, subparallel to the fault strike, which controlled the dominant normal faulting. The occurrence of seven M ≥ 7.0 historical earthquakes since the M 7.0 Shenza earthquake in 1934 caused a stress increase of 1.16 × 105 Pa at the hypocenter, which significantly advanced the occurrence of the Nakchu earthquake. Based on a comprehensive analysis of stress fields and focal mechanisms of the Nakchu earthquake, we propose that the dominated normal faulting occurs to accommodate the NE-trending compression of the Indian Plate to the Eurasian Plate and the strong historical earthquakes hastened the process. These results provide a theoretical basis for understanding the geometry and mechanics of the seismogenic fault that produced the Nakchu earthquake.

scholarly journals Stress relaxation arrested the mainshock rupture of the 2016 Central Tottori earthquake

2021 ◽  
Vol 2 (1) ◽  
Author(s):  
Yoshihisa Iio ◽  
Satoshi Matsumoto ◽  
Yusuke Yamashita ◽  
Shin’ichi Sakai ◽  
Kazuhide Tomisaka ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Stress Relaxation ◽  
Focal Mechanism ◽  
Large Earthquake ◽  
Static Stress ◽  
Focal Mechanism Solutions ◽  
Large Earthquakes

AbstractAfter a large earthquake, many small earthquakes, called aftershocks, ensue. Additional large earthquakes typically do not occur, despite the fact that the large static stress near the edges of the fault is expected to trigger further large earthquakes at these locations. Here we analyse ~10,000 highly accurate focal mechanism solutions of aftershocks of the 2016 Mw 6.2 Central Tottori earthquake in Japan. We determine the location of the horizontal edges of the mainshock fault relative to the aftershock hypocentres, with an accuracy of approximately 200 m. We find that aftershocks rarely occur near the horizontal edges and extensions of the fault. We propose that the mainshock rupture was arrested within areas characterised by substantial stress relaxation prior to the main earthquake. This stress relaxation along fault edges could explain why mainshocks are rarely followed by further large earthquakes.

The 4 December 2015 Mw 7.1 Normal-Faulting Antarctic Plate Earthquake and Its Seismotectonic Implications

2020 ◽  
Vol 110 (3) ◽  
pp. 1090-1100
Author(s):  
Ronia Andrews ◽  
Kusala Rajendran ◽  
N. Purnachandra Rao
Keyword(s):  
Body Wave ◽  
Focal Depth ◽  
Normal Fault ◽  
Normal Faults ◽  
Oceanic Plate ◽  
Normal Faulting ◽  
Transform Faults ◽  
Wave Inversion ◽  
Spreading Ridges ◽  
Southeast Indian Ridge

ABSTRACT Oceanic plate seismicity is generally dominated by normal and strike-slip faulting associated with active spreading ridges and transform faults. Fossil structural fabrics inherited from spreading ridges also host earthquakes. The Indian Oceanic plate, considered quite active seismically, has hosted earthquakes both on its active and fossil fault systems. The 4 December 2015 Mw 7.1 normal-faulting earthquake, located ∼700  km south of the southeast Indian ridge in the southern Indian Ocean, is a rarity due to its location away from the ridge, lack of association with any mapped faults and its focal depth close to the 800°C isotherm. We present results of teleseismic body-wave inversion that suggest that the earthquake occurred on a north-northwest–south-southeast-striking normal fault at a depth of 34 km. The rupture propagated at 2.7  km/s with compact slip over an area of 48×48  km2 around the hypocenter. Our analysis of the background tectonics suggests that our chosen fault plane is in the same direction as the mapped normal faults on the eastern flanks of the Kerguelen plateau. We propose that these buried normal faults, possibly the relics of the ancient rifting might have been reactivated, leading to the 2015 midplate earthquake.

Focal mechanism solutions for roof collapse in deep mine

2015 ◽  
Vol 6 (1) ◽  
pp. 22
Author(s):  
Chun lai Wang ◽  
Hui Fu ◽  
Fu li Wang ◽  
Wei qiang Li ◽  
Ming Luo ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Focal Mechanism ◽  
Deep Mine ◽  
Roof Collapse ◽  
Focal Mechanism Solutions

scholarly journals 2013 Seismic swarm recorded in Galati area, Romania: focal mechanism solutions

2016 ◽  
Vol 52 (1) ◽  
pp. 53-67 ◽  
Author(s):  
Andreea Craiu ◽  
Marius Craiu ◽  
Mihail Diaconescu ◽  
Alexandru Marmureanu
Keyword(s):  
Focal Mechanism ◽  
Focal Mechanism Solutions ◽  
Seismic Swarm

Microseismicity and tectonics of the Nevada Seismic Zone

1971 ◽  
Vol 61 (5) ◽  
pp. 1413-1432 ◽  
Author(s):  
Frank J. Gumper ◽  
Christopher Scholz
Keyword(s):  
Sierra Nevada ◽  
Focal Mechanism ◽  
Basin And Range ◽  
Mono Lake ◽  
Tectonic Activity ◽  
Seismic Zone ◽  
Owens Valley ◽  
Western Basin ◽  
Focal Mechanism Solutions ◽  
Composite Focal Mechanism

abstract Microseismicity, composite focal-mechanism solutions, and previously-published focal parameter data are used to determine the current tectonic activity of the prominent zone of seismicity in western Nevada and eastern California, termed the Nevada Seismic Zone. The microseismicity substantially agrees with the historic seismicity and delineates a narrow, major zone of activity that extends from Owens Valley, California, north past Dixie Valley, Nevada. Focal parameters indicate that a regional pattern of NW-SE tension exists for the western Basin and Range and is now producing crustal extension within the Nevada Seismic Zone. An eastward shift of the seismic zone along the Excelsior Mountains and left-lateral strike-slip faulting determined from a composite focal mechanism indicate transform-type faulting between Mono Lake and Pilot Mountain. Based on these results and other data, it is suggested that the Nevada Seismic Zone is caused by the interaction of a westward flow of mantle material beneath the Basin and Range Province with the boundary of the Sierra Nevada batholith.

scholarly journals A functional tool to explore the reliability of micro-earthquake focal mechanism solution for seismotectonic purposes

2021 ◽  
Author(s):  
Guido Maria Adinolfi ◽  
Raffaella De Matteis ◽  
Rita De Nardis ◽  
Aldo Zollo
Keyword(s):  
Focal Mechanism ◽  
Fault Plane ◽  
Focal Mechanisms ◽  
Seismic Network ◽  
Fault System ◽  
Focal Mechanism Solution ◽  
Fault Plane Solutions ◽  
Stress Regime ◽  
Focal Mechanism Solutions ◽  
Earthquake Focal Mechanism

Abstract. Improving the knowledge of seismogenic faults requires the integration of geological, seismological, and geophysical information. Among several analyses, the definition of earthquake focal mechanisms plays an essential role in providing information about the geometry of individual faults and the stress regime acting in a region. Fault plane solutions can be retrieved by several techniques operating in specific magnitude ranges, both in the time and frequency domain and using different data. For earthquakes of low magnitude, the limited number of available data and their uncertainties can compromise the stability of fault plane solutions. In this work, we propose a useful methodology to evaluate how well a seismic network used to monitor natural and/or induced micro-seismicity estimates focal mechanisms as function of magnitude, location, and kinematics of seismic source and consequently their reliability in defining seismotectonic models. To study the consistency of focal mechanism solutions, we use a Bayesian approach that jointly inverts the P/S long-period spectral-level ratios and the P polarities to infer the fault-plane solutions. We applied this methodology, by computing synthetic data, to the local seismic network operated in the Campania-Lucania Apennines (Southern Italy) to monitor the complex normal fault system activated during the Ms 6.9, 1980 earthquake. We demonstrate that the method we propose can have a double purpose. It can be a valid tool to design or to test the performance of local seismic networks and more generally it can be used to assign an absolute uncertainty to focal mechanism solutions fundamental for seismotectonic studies.

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