[1] To investigate the possible physical mechanisms of recently observed aseismic slip events in the Cascadia, Japan and Mexico subduction zones, we apply a Dieterich-Ruina rate and state friction law to a three dimensional model of a shallow subduction fault. That is loaded by imposed steady plate slip rate far downdip along the thrust interface. Friction properties are temperature and hence d...

The Nankai Trough marks the location where the Philippine Sea Plate begins subducting beneath the Eurasian Plate. The Nankai Trough subduction system has played an important role in causing many catastrophic earthquakes, a phenomenon observed at many other subduction zones (Ando, 1975). Recent studies have established that fluids play a major role in the physical and chemical evolution of subdu...

The brittle portion of the Earth’s lithosphere contains a distribution of joints, faults and cataclastic zones that exist on a wide range of scale-lengths and usually have complex geometries including bends, jogs, and intersections. The material around these complexities is subjected to large stress concentrations, which lead during continuing deformation to the generation of new fracture and g...

A previous definition of seismogenic zones is required to do a probabilistic seismic hazard analysis for areas of spread and low seismic activity. Traditional zoning methods are based on the available seismic catalog and the geological structures. It is admitted that thermal and resistant parameters of the crust provide better criteria for zoning. Nonetheless, the working out of the rheological...

S U M M A R Y The geographical distribution of the (1981–2005) seismicity in southern California forms a ±150 km broad zone adjacent to the Pacific–North America plate boundary, ranging from depths of ∼1–∼30 km, with the bulk of the focal depths in the range of 2–12 km. The distribution of the seismicity that includes both mainshock–aftershock sequences and background events is affected by both...

Stress drop is a fundamental parameter of earthquakes, but it is difficult to obtain reliable stress drop estimates for most earthquakes. Static stress drop estimates require knowledge of the seismic moment and fault area. Dynamic stress drop estimates are based entirely upon the observed source time functions. Based on analytical formulas that I derive for the crack and slip-pulse rupture mode...