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Title: Source complexity of the 2015 Mw 7.9 Bonin earthquake

Abstract

The 30 May 2015 Mw 7.9 Bonin earthquake, one of the largest and deepest earthquakes ever recorded by modern seismology, provides a unique opportunity to study the source process and physical mechanisms of deep-focus earthquakes. We develop a novel back-projection technique that allows source imaging in full three-dimensional space with high depth resolution. Our results indicate an initial SW-NE bilateral source propagation followed by a northwest source extension. The multiple-source inversion reveals a two-step source process with propagating directions near-perpendicular to each other, consistent with the 3D back-projection result. The spatial distribution and focal mechanisms of the sub-events cannot be modeled by a single planar rupture, which may display a curved rupture plane or sub-events crossing multiple fault interfaces. Thus, the complex source process can be best explained by stress or structure heterogeneity within the deep slab.

Authors:
ORCiD logo [1]; ORCiD logo [2];  [2]; ORCiD logo [3]
  1. Stony Brook Univ., NY (United States); Los Alamos National Lab. (LANL), Los Alamos, NM (United States)
  2. Univ. of California, Los Angeles, CA (United States)
  3. Stony Brook Univ., NY (United States); Univ. of Science and Technology of China, Hefei (China). Lab. of Seismology and Physics of Earth's Interior and School of Earth and Space Sciences
Publication Date:
Research Org.:
Los Alamos National Lab. (LANL), Los Alamos, NM (United States)
Sponsoring Org.:
USDOE; National Science Foundation (NSF)
OSTI Identifier:
1459820
Report Number(s):
LA-UR-16-28661
Journal ID: ISSN 1525-2027
Grant/Contract Number:  
AC52-06NA25396; EAR 1214215; EAR 1614609; EAR-1261681
Resource Type:
Accepted Manuscript
Journal Name:
Geochemistry, Geophysics, Geosystems
Additional Journal Information:
Journal Volume: 19; Journal Issue: 7; Journal ID: ISSN 1525-2027
Publisher:
American Geophysical Union
Country of Publication:
United States
Language:
English
Subject:
58 GEOSCIENCES; Earth Sciences; deep earthquake, source process, back-projection, multiple source inversion; deep earthquake; source complexity; back-projection; multiple-source inversion; slab heterogeneity

Citation Formats

Chen, Yu, Meng, Lingsen, Zhang, Ailin, and Wen, Lianxing. Source complexity of the 2015 Mw 7.9 Bonin earthquake. United States: N. p., 2018. Web. doi:10.1029/2018GC007489.
Chen, Yu, Meng, Lingsen, Zhang, Ailin, & Wen, Lianxing. Source complexity of the 2015 Mw 7.9 Bonin earthquake. United States. https://doi.org/10.1029/2018GC007489
Chen, Yu, Meng, Lingsen, Zhang, Ailin, and Wen, Lianxing. Tue . "Source complexity of the 2015 Mw 7.9 Bonin earthquake". United States. https://doi.org/10.1029/2018GC007489. https://www.osti.gov/servlets/purl/1459820.
@article{osti_1459820,
title = {Source complexity of the 2015 Mw 7.9 Bonin earthquake},
author = {Chen, Yu and Meng, Lingsen and Zhang, Ailin and Wen, Lianxing},
abstractNote = {The 30 May 2015 Mw 7.9 Bonin earthquake, one of the largest and deepest earthquakes ever recorded by modern seismology, provides a unique opportunity to study the source process and physical mechanisms of deep-focus earthquakes. We develop a novel back-projection technique that allows source imaging in full three-dimensional space with high depth resolution. Our results indicate an initial SW-NE bilateral source propagation followed by a northwest source extension. The multiple-source inversion reveals a two-step source process with propagating directions near-perpendicular to each other, consistent with the 3D back-projection result. The spatial distribution and focal mechanisms of the sub-events cannot be modeled by a single planar rupture, which may display a curved rupture plane or sub-events crossing multiple fault interfaces. Thus, the complex source process can be best explained by stress or structure heterogeneity within the deep slab.},
doi = {10.1029/2018GC007489},
journal = {Geochemistry, Geophysics, Geosystems},
number = 7,
volume = 19,
place = {United States},
year = {Tue Jun 26 00:00:00 EDT 2018},
month = {Tue Jun 26 00:00:00 EDT 2018}
}

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Cited by: 6 works
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