Daily measurement of slow slip from low-frequency earthquakes is consistent with ordinary earthquake scaling

Frank, W.; Brodsky, Emily E.

doi:10.1126/sciadv.aaw9386

Cited by 78 publications

(115 citation statements)

References 29 publications

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“…In summary, our model explains the earthquake‐like cubic moment‐duration scaling of deep SSEs observed in Cascadia (Michel et al, 2019), Nankai (Takagi et al, 2019), and Mexico (Frank & Brodsky, 2019). More observational and modeling studies are needed to understand whether the scaling properties we find are universal for SSEs or whether some SSEs, for example, shallow ones, can behave differently.…”

Section: Resultsmentioning

confidence: 67%

Unraveling Scaling Properties of Slow‐Slip Events

Zilio

Lapusta

Avouac

2020

Geophysical Research Letters

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A major debate in geophysics is whether earthquakes and slow-slip events (SSEs) arise from similar failure mechanisms. Recent observations from different subduction zones suggest that SSEs follow the same moment-duration scaling as earthquakes, unlike qualitatively different scaling proposed by earlier studies. Here, we examine the scaling properties using dynamic simulations of frictional sliding. The resulting sequences of SSEs match observations from the Cascadia subduction zone, including the earthquake-like cubic moment-duration scaling. In contrast to conventional and widely used assumptions of magnitude-invariant rupture velocities and stress drops, both simulated and natural SSEs have rupture velocities and stress drops that increase with event magnitudes. These findings support the same frictional origin for both earthquakes and SSEs while suggesting a new explanation for the observed SSEs scaling.Plain Language Summary Tectonic faults produce a wide spectrum of slip modes, ranging from fast earthquakes to slow-slip events. Whether slow-slip events and regular earthquakes result from a similar physics is debated. Here we present numerical simulations to show that slow-slip events can result from frictional sliding like seismic slip, with an additional mechanism that prevents acceleration to fast slip due to the presence of fluids. The model succeeds in reproducing a realistic sequence of slow-slip events and provides an excellent match to the observations from the Cascadia subduction zone, including the observation that the moment, which quantifies the energy released by fault slip, is proportional to the cube of the duration. Importantly, our study demonstrates that this scaling arises for different reasons from the traditional explanation proposed for regular earthquakes.

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Section: Resultsmentioning

confidence: 67%

Unraveling Scaling Properties of Slow‐Slip Events

Zilio

Lapusta

Avouac

2020

Geophysical Research Letters

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“…In Mexico, Cascadia, and Japan, dense networks of seismic stations, often colocated with GPS, have recorded new seismic signals such as tectonic tremors and low‐frequency earthquakes that accompany slow slip (Kostoglodov et al, ; Obara, ; Rogers & Dragert, ; Shelly et al, ; Wech & Bartlow, ). These phenomena are now considered the seismic signature of slow slip, but they only represent a small fraction of the total moment of slow slip captured by geodesy (e.g., Frank & Brodsky, ; Kao et al, ; Kostoglodov et al, ). The consensus physical interpretation is that tremor and low‐frequency earthquakes are the rupture of small brittle asperities driven to failure by the surrounding slow slip (Bartlow et al, ).…”

Section: Spatial and Temporal Complexity Of Slow Slipmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…Figure schematically shows that noisy daily variations of surface displacements in the GPS record are in fact well correlated with low‐frequency earthquake activity. This indicates that slow slip transiently occurs on the same time scales as tremor and low‐frequency earthquakes (Frank & Brodsky, ; Hawthorne & Rubin, ), that is, time scales of seconds to minutes, far shorter than the typical daily sampling of GPS time series. A geodetic signal of slow slip can then be extracted by summing the daily surface displacements during episodes of seismicity, coherent with the release of elastic energy (Frank, ; Frank et al, ).…”

Section: Spatial and Temporal Complexity Of Slow Slipmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…Bartlow, 2014). These phenomena are now considered the seismic signature of slow slip, but they only represent a small fraction of the total moment of slow slip captured by geodesy (e.g., Frank & Brodsky, 2019;Kao et al, 2010;Kostoglodov et al, 2010). The consensus physical interpretation is that tremor and low-frequency earthquakes are the rupture of small brittle asperities driven to failure by the surrounding slow slip (Bartlow et al, 2011).…”

Section: Spatial and Temporal Complexity Of Slow Slipmentioning

confidence: 99%

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The Transient and Intermittent Nature of Slow Slip

Jolivet

Frank

2020

AGU Advances

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To first order, faults are locked while stress builds up to a devastating earthquake. However, we know that faults also slip slowly. After decades of geophysical observation, slow slip is now recognized as part of a continuum of transient deformation ranging from the dynamic propagation of seismic rupture to aseismic events over a wide range of durations and sizes. A growing body of evidence suggests that large‐scale slow slip events can be decomposed into a multitude of smaller, temporally clustered events. Slow slip is more frequent and more dynamic than is suggested by conceptual models of rate‐strengthening, stable slip.

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“…A growing body of literature suggests that slow, aseismic slip and rapid, seismic slip bear strong resemblance 9,13,14 . In particular, recent studies find that they follow comparable scaling relationships in terms of duration and magnitude [14][15][16] . Slow slip events may therefore provide an opportunity to study fundamental rupture physics, as they take place over long periods of time without radiating large amplitude seismic waves.…”

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confidence: 95%

An exponential build-up in seismic energy suggests a months-long nucleation of slow slip in Cascadia

et al. 2020

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Slow slip events result from the spontaneous weakening of the subduction megathrust and bear strong resemblance to earthquakes, only slower. This resemblance allows us to study fundamental aspects of nucleation that remain elusive for classic, fast earthquakes. We rely on machine learning algorithms to infer slow slip timing from statistics of seismic waveforms. We find that patterns in seismic power follow the 14-month slow slip cycle in Cascadia, arguing in favor of the predictability of slow slip rupture. Here, we show that seismic power exponentially increases as the slowly slipping portion of the subduction zone approaches failure, a behavior that shares a striking similarity with the increase in acoustic power observed prior to laboratory slow slip events. Our results suggest that the nucleation phase of Cascadia slow slip events may last from several weeks up to several months.

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Daily measurement of slow slip from low-frequency earthquakes is consistent with ordinary earthquake scaling

Cited by 78 publications

References 29 publications

Unraveling Scaling Properties of Slow‐Slip Events

Unraveling Scaling Properties of Slow‐Slip Events

The Transient and Intermittent Nature of Slow Slip

An exponential build-up in seismic energy suggests a months-long nucleation of slow slip in Cascadia

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