Seismicity around Parkfield correlates with static shear stress changes following the 2003 Mw6.5 San Simeon earthquake
July 1, 2013
Earthquakes trigger other earthquakes, but the physical mechanism of the triggering is currently debated. Most studies of earthquake triggering rely on earthquakes listed in catalogs, which are known to be incomplete around the origin times of large earthquakes and therefore missing potentially triggered events. Here we apply a waveform matched-filter technique to systematically detect earthquakes along the Parkfield section of the San Andreas Fault from 46 days before to 31 days after the nearby 2003 Mw6.5 San Simeon earthquake. After removing all possible false detections, we identify ~8 times more earthquakes than in the Northern California Seismic Network catalog. The newly identified events along the creeping section of the San Andreas Fault show a statistically significant decrease following the San Simeon main shock, which correlates well with the negative static stress changes (i.e., stress shadow) cast by the main shock. In comparison, the seismicity rate around Parkfield increased moderately where the static stress changes are positive. The seismicity rate changes correlate well with the static shear stress changes induced by the San Simeon main shock, suggesting a low friction in the seismogenic zone along the Parkfield section of the San Andreas Fault.
Citation Information
Publication Year | 2013 |
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Title | Seismicity around Parkfield correlates with static shear stress changes following the 2003 Mw6.5 San Simeon earthquake |
DOI | 10.1002/jgrb.50271 |
Authors | Xiaoteng Meng, Zhigang Peng, Jeanne L. Hardebeck |
Publication Type | Article |
Publication Subtype | Journal Article |
Series Title | Journal of Geophysical Research B: Solid Earth |
Index ID | 70056384 |
Record Source | USGS Publications Warehouse |
USGS Organization | Earthquake Science Center |