Compilation of almost 200 new maximum horizontal stress (SHmax) orientations in Texas reveals a complex intraplate stress field. A large extensional stress province is associated with extensive growth faulting from northeastern Mexico to Louisiana. SHmax is subparallel to the coastline, following the strikes of the growth faults. In contrast, we observe a strike-slip/normal faulting regime with...

On December 7, 2012, a pair of large Mw 7.2 intraplate earthquakes occurred near the Japan Trench axis off Miyagi, northeast Japan. This doublet consisted of a deep reverse-faulting event followed by a shallow normal-faulting event. Aftershock observations using conventional and newly developed ultra-deep ocean bottom seismographs in the trench axis area showed that the shallow normal-faulting ...

Normal faulting earthquakes play an important role in the deformation of continents, and pose significant seismic hazard, yet important questions remain about their mechanics. We use InSAR and bodywave seismology to compute dislocation models and centroid moment solutions for four normal-faulting earthquakes (Mw 5.7–6.2) that occurred in the Pumqu-Xainza Rift (PXR), southern Tibet, a region whe...

This paper presents structural evidence of extensional activity in Central Alborz during Mesozoic. The structural evidence of homogenous early stage stretching such as layer-parallel to oblique boudinage of Permian and Triassic rocks in various portions of the study area accompanied by extensional-fibrous fractures were followed with more advanced extensional features. These extensional structu...

[1] On August 31, 2012, a large (Mw 7.6) thrust earthquake occurred within the subducting Philippine Sea plate seaward of a low seismicity region of the plate boundary (9.5 N– 11.5 N), possibly as a result of horizontal compressional stress accumulation offshore of a locked megathrust. The mainshock ruptured from 30–50 km depth, with high radiated-energy/seismic-moment ratio and enriched shortp...

Tectonic implications of subcrustal, normal faulting earthquakes in the western Shikoku region have been investigated in sorme detail, mainly based on the faulting mechanism of the Bungo channel earthquake of August 6, 1968 (M=6.6, h=45km) and its aftershocks. A synthetic study of the focal mechanism solution, spatial distribution of aftershocks, seismic waves observed in the near and far field...

Recent observations on the dynamics of crack and fault rupture are described, together with related theory and simulations in the framework of continuum elastodynamics. Topics include con gurational instabilities of tensile crack fronts (crack front waves, disordering, sidebranching), the connection between frictional slip laws and modes of rupture propagation in earth faulting, especially cond...