Calais, E, Camelbeeck, T, Stein, S et al. (2 more authors) (2016) A New Paradigm for Large Earthquakes in Stable Continental Plate Interiors. Geophysical Research Letters, 43 (20). 10,621-10,637. ISSN 0094-8276
Abstract
Large earthquakes within stable continental regions (SCR) show that significant amounts of elastic strain can be released on geological structures far from plate boundary faults, where the vast majority of the Earth's seismic activity takes place. SCR earthquakes show spatial and temporal patterns that differ from those at plate boundaries and occur in regions where tectonic loading rates are negligible. However, in the absence of a more appropriate model, they are traditionally viewed as analogous to their plate boundary counterparts, occuring when the accrual of tectonic stress localized at long-lived active faults reaches failure threshold. Here we argue that SCR earthquakes are better explained by transient perturbations of local stress or fault strength that release elastic energy from a pre-stressed lithosphere. As a result, SCR earthquakes can occur in regions with no previous seismicity and no surface evidence for strain accumulation. They need not repeat, since the tectonic loading rate is close to zero. Therefore, concepts of recurrence time or fault slip rate do not apply. As a consequence, seismic hazard in SCRs is likely more spatially distributed than indicated by paleoearthquakes, current seismicity, or geodetic strain rates.
Metadata
Item Type: | Article |
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Authors/Creators: |
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Copyright, Publisher and Additional Information: | © 2016, American Geophysical Union. This is an author produced version of a paper published in Geophysical Research Letters. Uploaded with permission from the publisher. |
Keywords: | Intraplate; earthquakes |
Dates: |
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Institution: | The University of Leeds |
Academic Units: | The University of Leeds > Faculty of Environment (Leeds) > School of Earth and Environment (Leeds) > Inst of Geophysics and Tectonics (IGT) (Leeds) |
Funding Information: | Funder Grant number Royal Commission For Exhibition of 1851 No external ref |
Depositing User: | Symplectic Publications |
Date Deposited: | 27 Sep 2016 14:36 |
Last Modified: | 01 Jul 2017 17:29 |
Published Version: | https://doi.org/10.1002/2016GL070815 |
Status: | Published |
Publisher: | American Geophysical Union (AGU) |
Identification Number: | 10.1002/2016GL070815 |
Open Archives Initiative ID (OAI ID): | oai:eprints.whiterose.ac.uk:104850 |