Episodicity and Migration of Low Frequency Earthquakes Modeled With Fast Fluid Pressure Transients in the Permeable Subduction Interface

In many subduction zones, the plate interface hosts intermittent, low-frequency, low-magnitude seismic tremor and low-frequency earthquakes (LFEs). Seismic activity clusters in episodic bursts that migrate along fault zone complex ways. Geological structures fossil source regions testify to large pervasive variations of fluid pressure permeability. Here, we explore potential transients a permeable trigger sources induce interactions between them. We show how pore permeability can act tandem generate tremor-like patterns. The core feature model is low-permeability plugs behave as elementary fault-valves. mechanism akin erosive deposition events documented porous media, valve opens closes response local distribution. rapid release and/or mechanical fracturing associated with opening acts an LFE-like event. Valves interact constructively, leading realistic, patterns: cascades, synchronized bursts, migrations channel, on both short long time space scales. Our predicts input flux key control occurrence behavior. Depending its value, be seismically quiescent or active, seismicity strongly time-clustered, quasi-periodic almost random time. This allows new interpretations low frequency terms effective fault-zone