Rapid acceleration leads to rapid weakening in earthquake-like laboratory experiments
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Abstract
After nucleation, a large earthquake propagates as an expanding rupture front along a fault. This front activates countless fault patches that slip by consuming energy stored in Earth’s crust. We simulated the slip of a fault patch by rapidly loading an experimental fault with energy stored in a spinning flywheel. The spontaneous evolution of strength, acceleration, and velocity indicates that our experiments are proxies of fault-patch behavior during earthquakes of moment magnitude (Mw) = 4 to 8. We show that seismically determined earthquake parameters (e.g., displacement, velocity, magnitude, or fracture energy) can be used to estimate the intensity of the energy release during an earthquake. Our experiments further indicate that high acceleration imposed by the earthquake’s rupture front quickens dynamic weakening by intense wear of the fault zone.
Suggested Citation
Chang, J., Lockner, D.A., and Reches, Z., 2012, Rapid acceleration leads to rapid weakening in earthquake-like laboratory experiments: Science, v. 338, no. 6103, p. 101-105, https://doi.org/10.1126/science.1221195.
| Publication type | Article |
|---|---|
| Publication Subtype | Journal Article |
| Title | Rapid acceleration leads to rapid weakening in earthquake-like laboratory experiments |
| Series title | Science |
| DOI | 10.1126/science.1221195 |
| Volume | 338 |
| Issue | 6103 |
| Year Published | 2012 |
| Language | English |
| Publisher | Science |
| Contributing office(s) | Earthquake Science Center |
| Description | 5 p. |
| Larger Work Type | Article |
| Larger Work Subtype | Journal Article |
| Larger Work Title | Science |
| First page | 101 |
| Last page | 105 |