11 Earthquakes can rupture geometrically complex fault systems by breaching fault step-overs. 12 Quantifying the likelihood of rupture jump across step-overs is important to evaluate earth13 quake hazard and to understand the interactions between dynamic rupture and fault growth 14 processes. Here we investigate the role of seismogenic depth and background stress on phys15 ical limits of earthq...

Understanding the strength and slip behaviour of tectonic faults is a central problem in earthquake physics and seismichazard assessment1–8. Many major faults, including the San Andreas Fault, are weak compared with the surrounding rock, but the cause of this weakness is debated1. Previous measurements of the frictional strength of San Andreas Fault rocks are too high to explain the observed we...

Abstract We conducted seismic tomography to estimate the velocity structure and evaluate spatiotemporal distribution of interplate earthquakes Kii Peninsula, central Honshu, Japan, where Tonankai Nankai megathrusts are located. Microearthquakes were quantitatively detected by using data from a cable-type seafloor observation network, completed in 2015. Our model was consistent with previous 2-D...

Metamorphic reactions can lead to important changes in rock strength and density. Eclogitization constitutes one of the most emblematic transformations continental subduction zones, where conversion lower crustal rocks into eclogite facies correlates with occurrence seismogenic events. The relationship between eclogitization seismicity has been highlighted several studies, but processes that tr...

The Nicoya Peninsula in Costa Rica directly overlies the seismogenic zone of the Middle America Trench, making it an ideal location for geophysical investigations of shallow subduction zone earthquake processes. As part of the collaborative Costa Rica Seismogenic Zone Experiment (CRSEIZE), a seismic network consisting of 20 land and 14 ocean-bottom seismometers recorded small magnitude local ea...

Recent studies of reservoir-induced seismicity have led to a better understanding of the seismogenic crust. These studies reveal that many parts of the seismogenic crust are critically stressed and small strength changes induced by reservoir impoundment can lead to seismicity. In the vicinity of the reservoir impoundment causes an immediate undrained response to the loading, and a delayed respo...

We have synthesized the characteristics of the seismogenic zone in the east Los Angeles basin by analyzing earthquake data recorded during the past 30 years (1981–2010). The seismicity is distributed along the Whittier fault, with the majority of earthquakes located adjacent to the south side, in the depth range from 0 to 9 km, with b value of 1:1 0:05 and mostly normal and strike-slip faulting...

Seismologic studies have reported seismic velocities reduction and Vp/Vs ratio changes over damage zones associated with seismogenic faults. The structure elastic properties of these indicate the maturity faults affect rupture dynamics future events. Therefore, they contain critical information about fault that could inform hazards. Here we present a geodetic modeling approach to constrain velo...

Precise zonation of the territory of China has been performed based on the active known faults, type of faulting and seismicity level. One hundred and forty seven seismogenic regions were de®ned, forming 10 larger seismic areas, and the seismotectonic characteristics in each one of them were investigated in detail. After checking for data accuracy and completeness of the shallow earthquakes (h ...