Source complexity of the 2015 Mw 7.9 Bonin earthquake

Chen, Yu; Meng, Lingsen; Zhang, Ailin; Wen, Lianxing

doi:10.1029/2018GC007489

Title: Source complexity of the 2015 Mw 7.9 Bonin earthquake

Journal Article · 26 June 2018 · Geochemistry, Geophysics, Geosystems

DOI: https://doi.org/10.1029/2018GC007489 · OSTI ID:1459820

^[1];

^[2]; Zhang, Ailin ^[2];

^[3]

Stony Brook Univ., NY (United States); Los Alamos National Lab. (LANL), Los Alamos, NM (United States)
Univ. of California, Los Angeles, CA (United States)
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

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.

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Research Organization:: Los Alamos National Laboratory (LANL)

Sponsoring Organization:: USDOE; National Science Foundation (NSF)

Grant/Contract Number:: AC52-06NA25396

OSTI ID:: 1459820

Report Number(s):: LA-UR-16-28661

Journal Information:: Geochemistry, Geophysics, Geosystems, Journal Name: Geochemistry, Geophysics, Geosystems Journal Issue: 7 Vol. 19; ISSN 1525-2027

Publisher:: American Geophysical UnionCopyright Statement

Country of Publication:: United States

Language:: English

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Title: Source complexity of the 2015 Mw 7.9 Bonin earthquake

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