Investigation of rifting processes in the Rio Grande Rift using data from an unusually large earthquake swarm. Final report, October 1, 1992--September 30, 1993

Technical Report · Wed Mar 01 00:00:00 EST 1995

DOI:https://doi.org/10.2172/29390· OSTI ID:29390

Sanford, A; Balch, R ^[1]; Hartse, H; House, L ^[2]

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1. New Mexico Institute of Mining and Technology, Socorro, NM (United States)
2. Los Alamos National Lab., NM (United States)

Because the Rio Grande Rift is one of the best seismically instrumented rift zones in the world, studying its seismicity provides an exceptional opportunity to elucidate the active tectonic processes within continental rifts. Beginning on 29 November 1989, a 15 square km region near Bernardo, NM, produced the strongest and longest lasting sequence of earthquakes in the rift in 54 years. Our research focuses on the Bernardo swarm which occurred 40 km north of Socorro, New Mexico in the axial region of the central Rio Grande rift. Important characteristics concerning hypocenters, fault mechanisms, and seismogenic zones are discussed.

• Research Organization: Los Alamos National Lab. (LANL), Los Alamos, NM (United States)
• Sponsoring Organization: USDOE, Washington, DC (United States)
• DOE Contract Number: W-7405-ENG-36
• OSTI ID: 29390
• Report Number(s): LA-SUB-95-16; ON: DE95007623; TRN: 95:002848
• Resource Relation: Other Information: PBD: [1995]
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

Related Subjects

58 GEOSCIENCES
RIO GRANDE RIFT
SEISMICITY
EARTHQUAKES
HYPOCENTERS
PROGRESS REPORT
RIFT ZONES
TECTONICS