A way of estimating the characteristic slip displacement

Abstract

During the ruptures of an earthquake, the strain energy, DE, will be transferred into, at least, three parts, i.e., the seismic radiation energy (E s ), fracture energy (E g ), and frictional energy (E f ), that is,Friction, which is represented by a velocity-and state-dependent friction law by some researchers, controls the three parts. One of the main parameters of the law is the characteristic slip displacement, D c . It is significant and necessary to evaluate the reliable value of D c from observed and inverted seismic data. Since D c controls the radiation efficiency, g R ¼ E s =ðE s þ E g Þ, the value of g R is a good constraint of estimating D c . Integrating observed data and inverted results of source parameters from recorded seismograms, the values of E s and E g of an earthquake can be measured, thus leading to the value of g R . The constraint used to estimate the reliable value of D c will be described in this work. An example of estimates of D c based on the observed and inverted values of source parameters of the September 20, 1999 M S 7.6 Chi-Chi (Ji-Ji), Taiwan region, earthquake will be presented.