Simultaneous Bayesian Estimation of Complex Non-planar Earthquake Fault Geometry and Spatially-variable Slip from Geodetic Data

2020 ◽  
Author(s):  
Rishabh Dutta ◽  
Sigurjón Jónsson ◽  
Hannes Vasyura-Bathke
Keyword(s):  
Bayesian Estimation ◽  
Surface Deformation ◽  
Spatial Scales ◽  
Model Space ◽  
Fault Slip ◽  
Geodetic Data ◽  
Fault Geometry ◽  
Earthquake Fault ◽  
Fault Surface ◽  
Planar Fault

<p>Earthquake fault ruptures are typically complex and can consist of en echelon segments, have bends, large step-overs, and be curved or warped at different spatial scales. Although surface fault ruptures can be mapped using a variety of geological and geophysical techniques, the subsurface topology of faults is challenging to estimate. One of the main options is to use geodetic data (InSAR and GPS) of coseismic surface deformation to estimate the subsurface earthquake fault geometry along with the distributed slip. The general practice is to assume a planar fault surface and estimate the strike and dip of a simple rectangular fault prior to the spatially-variable slip estimation. Using such simplistic fault geometry during source fault estimations of large earthquakes rarely captures all the crustal deformation details seen in the data and can cause biased estimation results of the fault slip. Here, we show how complex non-planar fault geometry can be estimated simultaneously with spatially-variable slip from geodetic data in a Bayesian framework, where our non-planar fault geometry parametrization approach allows for various undulations of the fault surface in both the along-strike and down-dip directions.</p><p>We exemplify this approach through synthetic tests considering a checkerboard-like slip pattern on a listric non-planar fault. The results show that fault slip can be over-estimated by about 50-100% when using pre-assumed planar fault geometry. In contrast, both the non-planar fault geometry and spatially-variable slip are better retrieved when using our estimation approach. We then apply this modeling approach to the 2011 M<sub>W</sub>9.1 megathrust Tohoku-Oki (Japan) earthquake. Here we use prior information like the location of the trench and earthquake hypocenters during the Bayesian estimation to reduce the extent of the model space. The resulting fault geometry shows variations in fault dip in both the along-strike and down-dip directions that compare well with Hayes’ slab1.0 model of the subduction interface. The estimated fault slip is also comparable to the results that pre-defined the fault geometry using the slab1.0 model. In the future, the proposed method could lead to more realistic source models of major earthquakes, aided by improving computational resources and spatial resolution of geodetic data.</p>

scholarly journals Simultaneous Bayesian Estimation of Non-Planar Fault Geometry and Spatially-Variable Slip

2020 ◽  
Author(s):  
Rishabh Dutta ◽  
Sigurjón Jónsson ◽  
Hannes Vasyura-Bathke
Keyword(s):  
Bayesian Estimation ◽  
Fault Geometry ◽  
Planar Fault

scholarly journals Development of a Trans-dimensional Fault Slip Inversion for Geodetic Data

2020 ◽  
Author(s):  
Fumiaki Tomita ◽  
Takeshi Iinuma ◽  
Ryoichiro Agata ◽  
Takane Hori
Keyword(s):  
Fault Slip ◽  
Geodetic Data

Slip Distribution of the 2020 Mw6.9 Samos Earthquake Using a Bayesian Approach

2021 ◽  
Author(s):  
Figen Eskikoy ◽  
Semih Ergintav ◽  
Uğur Dogan ◽  
Seda Özarpacı ◽  
Alpay Özdemir ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Surface Deformation ◽  
Fault Plane ◽  
Source Parameters ◽  
Geodetic Data ◽  
Slip Distribution ◽  
Double Difference ◽  
Gps Data ◽  
Analysis Tool ◽  
Finite Fault ◽  
Continuous Gps

<p>On 2020 October 30, an M<sub>w</sub>6.9 earthquake struck offshore Samos Island. Severe structural damages were observed in Greek Islands and city of Izmir (Turkey). 114 people lost their lives and more than a thousand people were injured in Turkey. The earthquake triggered local tsunami. Significant seismic activity occurred in this region following the earthquake and ~1800 aftershocks (M>1) were recorded by KOERI within the first three days. In this study, we analyze the slip distribution and aftershocks of the 2020 earthquake.</p><p>For the aftershock relocations, the continuous waveforms were collected from NOA, Disaster and Emergency Management Authority of Turkey (AFAD) and KOERI networks. The database   was created based on merged catalogs from AFAD and KOERI. For estimating optimized aftershock location distribution, the P and S phases of the aftershocks are picked manually and relocated with double difference algorithm. In addition, source mechanisms of aftershocks M>4 are obtained from regional body and surface waveforms.</p><p>The surface deformation of the earthquake was obtained from both descending and ascending orbits of the Sentinel-1 A/B and ALOS2 satellites. Since the rupture zone is beneath the Gulf of Kusadası, earthquake related deformation in the interferograms can only be observed on the northern part of the Samos Island. We processed all possible pairs chose the image pairs with the lowest noise level.</p><p>In this study, we used 25 continuous GPS stations which are compiled from TUSAGA-Aktif in Turkey and NOANET in Greece. In addition to continuous GPS data, on 2020 November 1, GPS survey was initiated and the earthquake deformation was measured on 10 GNSS campaign sites (TUTGA), along onshore of Turkey.</p><p>The aim of this study is to estimate the spatial and temporal rupture evolution of the earthquake from geodetic data jointly with near field displacement waveforms. To do so, we use the Bayesian Earthquake Analysis Tool (BEAT).</p><p>As a first step of the study, rectangular source parameters were estimated by using GPS data. In order to estimate the slip distribution, we used both ascending and descending tracks of Sentinel-1 data, ALOS2 and GPS displacements. In our preliminary geodetic data based finite fault model, we used the results of focal mechanism and GPS data inversion solutions for the initial fault plane parameters. The slip distribution results indicate that earthquake rupture is ~35 km long and the maximum slip is ~2 m normal slip along a north dipping fault plane. This EW trending, ~45° north dipping normal faulting system consistent with this tectonic regime in the region. This seismically active area is part of a N-S extensional regime and controlled primarily by normal fault systems.</p><p><strong>Acknowledgements</strong></p><p>This work is supported by the Turkish Directorate of Strategy and Budget under the TAM Project number 2007K12-873.</p>

A critical look at the Wallace-Bott hypothesis in fault-slip analysis

2013 ◽  
Vol 184 (4-5) ◽  
pp. 299-306 ◽  
Author(s):  
Richard J. Lisle
Keyword(s):  
Shear Stress ◽  
Maximum Shear Stress ◽  
Fault Slip ◽  
Shear Stresses ◽  
Homogeneous State ◽  
Slip Direction ◽  
Fault Surface ◽  
State Of Stress ◽  
Simultaneous Movement

AbstractThe assumption is widely made that slip on faults occurs in the direction of maximum resolved shear stress, an assumption known as the Wallace-Bott hypothesis. This assumption is used to theoretically predict slip directions from known in situ stresses, and also as the basis of palaeostress inversion from fault-slip data. This paper examines different situations in relation to the appropriateness of this assumption. Firstly, it is shown that the magnitude of the shear stress resolved within a plane is a function with a poorly defined maximum direction, so that shear stress values greater than 90% of the maximum occur within a wide angular range (± 26°) degrees. The situation of simultaneous movement on pairs of faults requires slip on each fault to be parallel to their mutual line of intersection. However, the resolved shear stresses arising from a homogeneous state of stress do not accord with such a slip arrangement except in the case of pairs of perpendicular faults. Where fault surfaces are non-planar, the directions of resolved shear stress in general give, according to the Wallace-Bott hypothesis, a set of slip directions of rigid fault blocks, which is generally kinematically incompatible. Finally, a simple model of a corrugated fault suggests that any anisotropy of the shear strength of the fault such as that arising from fault surface topography, can lead to a significant angular difference between the directions of maximum shear stress and the slip direction.These findings have relevance to the design of procedures used to estimate palaeostresses and the amount of data required for this type of analysis.

Geometrical characterisation of fault arrays in three dimensions

2021 ◽  
Author(s):  
Vincent Roche ◽  
Giovanni Camanni ◽  
Conrad Childs ◽  
Tom Manzocchi ◽  
John Walsh ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Full Range ◽  
Three Dimensional ◽  
Three Dimensions ◽  
Normal Faults ◽  
Fault Geometry ◽  
Surface Geometry ◽  
Fault Surface ◽  
Mechanical Stratigraphy ◽  
Quantitative Basis ◽  
Geometry Analysis

<p>Normal faults are often complex three-dimensional structures comprising multiple sub-parallel segments separated by intact or breached relay zones. In this study we outline geometrical characterisations capturing this 3D complexity and providing a semi-quantitative basis for the comparison of faults and for defining the factors controlling their geometrical evolution. Relay zones are classified according to whether they step in the strike or dip direction and whether the relay zone-bounding fault segments are unconnected in 3D or bifurcate from a single surface. Complex fault surface geometry is then described in terms of the relative numbers of different types of relay zones to allow comparison of fault geometry between different faults and different geological settings. A large database of 87 fault arrays compiled primarily from mapping 3D seismic reflection surveys and classified according to this scheme, reveals the diversity of 3D fault geometry. Analysis demonstrates that mapped fault geometries depend on geological controls, primarily the heterogeneity of the faulted sequence and the presence of a pre-existing structure. For example, relay zones with an upward bifurcating geometry are prevalent in faults that reactivate deeper structures, whereas the formation of laterally bifurcating relays is promoted by heterogeneous mechanical stratigraphy. In addition, mapped segmentation depends on resolution limits and biases in fault mapping from seismic data. In particular, the results suggest that the proportion of bifurcating relay zones increases as data resolution increases. Overall, where a significant number of relay zones are mapped on a single fault, a wide variety of relay zone geometries occurs, demonstrating that individual faults can comprise segments that are both bifurcating and unconnected in three dimensions. Models for the geometrical evolution of fault arrays must therefore account for the full range of relay zone geometries that appears to be a characteristic of all faults.</p>

scholarly journals Development of an inversion method to extract information on fault geometry from teleseismic data

2019 ◽  
Vol 220 (2) ◽  
pp. 1055-1065 ◽  
Author(s):  
Kousuke Shimizu ◽  
Yuji Yagi ◽  
Ryo Okuwaki ◽  
Yukitoshi Fukahata
Keyword(s):  
Fault Plane ◽  
Slip Rate ◽  
Rate Function ◽  
Fault Slip ◽  
Body Waves ◽  
Fault System ◽  
Inversion Method ◽  
Fault Geometry ◽  
Finite Fault ◽  
Extract Information

SUMMARY Teleseismic waveforms contain information on fault slip evolution during an earthquake, as well as on the fault geometry. A linear finite-fault inversion method is a tool for solving the slip-rate function distribution under an assumption of fault geometry as a single or multiple-fault-plane model. An inappropriate assumption of fault geometry would tend to distort the solution due to Green’s function modelling errors. We developed a new inversion method to extract information on fault geometry along with the slip-rate function from observed teleseismic waveforms. In this method, as in most previous studies, we assumed a flat fault plane, but we allowed arbitrary directions of slip not necessarily parallel to the assumed fault plane. More precisely, the method represents fault slip on the assumed fault by the superposition of five basis components of potency-density tensor, which can express arbitrary fault slip that occurs underground. We tested the developed method by applying it to real teleseismic P waveforms of the MW 7.7 2013 Balochistan, Pakistan, earthquake, which is thought to have occurred along a curved fault system. The obtained spatiotemporal distribution of potency-density tensors showed that the focal mechanism at each source knot was dominated by a strike-slip component with successive strike angle rotation from 205° to 240° as the rupture propagated unilaterally towards the south-west from the epicentre. This result is consistent with Earth’s surface deformation observed in optical satellite images. The success of the developed method is attributable to the fact that teleseismic body waves are not very sensitive to the spatial location of fault slip, whereas they are very sensitive to the direction of fault slip. The method may be a powerful tool to extract information on fault geometry along with the slip-rate function without requiring detailed assumptions about fault geometry.

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