Nadeau RM, McEvilly TV. Fault slip rates at depth from recurrence intervals of repeating microearthquakes.
Science 1999;
285:718-21. [PMID:
10426990 DOI:
10.1126/science.285.5428.718]
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Abstract
Unique attributes in sequences of recurring, similar microearthquakes at Parkfield, California, provide a means for inferring slip rate at depth throughout the active fault surface from the time intervals between sequence events. Application of the method using an 11-year microseismicity record revealed systematic spatial and temporal changes in the slip rate that were synchronous with earthquake activity and other independent measures of fault-zone slip. If this phenomenon is found to be generally common behavior in active faults, it forms the basis for a method to monitor the changing strain field throughout a seismogenic fault zone.
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