Aftershock slip behavior of the 1989 Loma Prieta, California earthquake

Journal Article · Sun Jul 01 00:00:00 EDT 1990 · Geophysical Research Letters (American Geophysical Union); (USA)

DOI:https://doi.org/10.1029/GL017i008p01199· OSTI ID:6205990

Oppenheimer, D H ^[1]

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1. Geological Survey, Menlo Park, CA (USA)

An analysis of 745 aftershocks of the M7.1 Loma Prieta earthquake of 17 October, 1989 reveals a wide variety of focal mechanisms. At the northwestern end of the aftershock zone earthquakes that apparently occurred off the main rupture plane exhibit mechanisms with predominantly reverse slip on planes nearly parallel to the San Andreas fault. At the southeastern end the mechanisms exhibit right-lateral motion on near-vertical planes, suggesting that these aftershocks involve slip on the San Andreas fault. Few of the aftershock mechanisms in the central zone resemble the main shock mechanism (strike N130{degree}E, dip 70{degree}SW, rake 104{degree}), but instead exhibit reverse, right-lateral, left-lateral, and normal motion on planes subparallel to the main shock rupture plane. The dip of the aftershock zone is parallel to the main shock slip plane and includes the main shock hypocenter. However, the lack of agreement between the main shock and the aftershock mechanisms suggests that few of the aftershocks occurred on the main shock slip plane. This behavior is consistent with observations of aftershock sequences for other dip-slip events and also with studies indicating that main shock rupture zones are at all other times mostly aseismic. If the stress drop for the main shock relieved most of the tectonic stress, the mechanisms could reflect the heterogeneity of the near-field stress redistribution. Alternatively the variety of the aftershock mechanisms may reflect deformation by block motion within a narrow zone adjacent to the main shock rupture plane.

• OSTI ID: 6205990
• Journal Information: Geophysical Research Letters (American Geophysical Union); (USA), Vol. 17:8; ISSN 0094-8276
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

Related Subjects

58 GEOSCIENCES
AFTERSHOCKS
ROCK MECHANICS
CALIFORNIA
EARTHQUAKES
DATA ANALYSIS
DEFORMATION
EARTHQUAKE MAGNITUDE
GEOLOGIC FAULTS
MOTION
RUPTURES
SLIP
STRESS ANALYSIS
TECTONICS
FAILURES
FEDERAL REGION IX
GEOLOGIC FRACTURES
GEOLOGIC STRUCTURES
MECHANICS
NORTH AMERICA
SEISMIC EVENTS
USA
580000* - Geosciences