Microfractures occurring in a rock sample that are called acoustic emission (AE) events show some similar features to earthquakes. However, it remains to be shown whether or not AE equate to ultramicroearthquakes. In this study, we show the existence of magnitude À7 level earthquakes based on seismological analyses of AE source parameters. Advances in multichannel, broadband, high-speed continuous recording of AE under seismogenic pressure conditions has facilitated increasingly robust measurement. Source parameters of AE show that AE events satisfy the same scaling relationship as natural earthquakes in which seismic moment is inversely proportional to the cube of corner frequency. This result suggests that both millimeter scale fractures and natural earthquakes of kilometer scale ruptures are highly similar as physical processes. Hence, AE events can be interpreted as ultramicroearthquakes having a magnitude of about À7. These results demonstrate that laboratory observation is an effective approach in studying natural earthquake generation process.

Foreshocks provide valuable information on the nucleation process of an upcoming large earthquake. We applied high‐resolution similar‐waveform techniques for earthquake detection, location, and source parameter estimation to understand the space‐time evolution of a foreshock sequence and its relationship to the mainshock hypocenter. The 1999 Mw 7.1 Hector Mine, California, earthquake was preceded by 50 foreshocks (−0.4 ≤ M ≤ 3.7) during the 20 hr before the mainshock. Foreshock activity did not accelerate leading up to the mainshock. Their locations moved north with time, rupturing adjacent areas along the fault plane with little overlap, but remained within a compact <2 km3 volume. The mainshock initiated at a location where previous foreshocks had locally increased the shear stress. These observations are consistent with a triggered cascade of stress transfer, where previous foreshocks load adjacent fault patches to rupture as additional foreshocks, and eventually the mainshock.