Affiliation:
1. Istituto Nazionale di Geofisica e Vulcanologia—Sezione di Napoli Osservatorio Vesuviano Napoli Italy
2. Department of Mathematics and Physics Università della Campania—Luigi Vanvitelli Caserta Italy
Abstract
AbstractWe use the Godano et al. (2022, https://doi.org/10.1029/2021ea002205) method for evaluating the b maps of the faults associated with the largest earthquakes M ≥ 7.0 that occurred in California. The method allows an independent evaluation of the b parameter, avoiding the overlap of the cells and the omission of some earthquakes, while keeping all the available information in the catalog. We analyzed four large earthquakes: Landers, Hector Mine, Baja California, and Searles Valley. The maps obtained confirm that the b value can be considered as a strain meter and allow us to elucidate the presence of barriers, such as obstacles to the propagation of the fracture, on the fault of the analyzed earthquakes. A further estimated parameter is the time window during which aftershocks occur in the cell, Δt. This quantity is very useful for a better definition of the aftershock generation mechanism. It reveals where the stress is released in a short time interval and how the complexity of the faulting process controls the occurrence of aftershocks on the fault, and also the duration of the entire sequence.
Publisher
American Geophysical Union (AGU)