Title | Axial Seamount: Periodic tidal loading reveals stress dependence of the earthquake size distribution (b value) |
Publication Type | Journal Article |
Year of Publication | 2019 |
Authors | Tan, YJoe, Waldhauser, F, Tolstoy, M, Wilcock, WSD |
Journal | Earth and Planetary Science Letters |
Volume | 512 |
Pagination | 39-45 |
Type of Article | Journal Article |
Abstract | Earthquake size-frequency distributions commonly follow a power law, with the b value often used to quantify the relative proportion of small and large events. Laboratory experi13 ments have found that the b value of microfractures decreases with increasing stress. Stud14 ies have inferred that this relationship also holds for earthquakes based on observations of earthquake b values varying systematically with faulting style, depth, and for subduction zone earthquakes, plate age. However, these studies are limited by small sample sizes de17 spite aggregating events over large regions, which precludes the ability to control for other variables that might also affect earthquake b values such as rock heterogeneity and fault roughness. Our natural experiment in a unique seafloor laboratory on Axial Seamount involves analyzing the size-frequency distribution of ∼60,000 microearthquakes which |
DOI | 10.1016/j.epsl.2019.01.047 |
Array | Regional Cabled |
Bibliometrics |
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