Changes in the Seismicity and Focal Mechanism of Small Earthquakes Prior to an MS 6.7 Earthquake in the Central Aleutian Island Arc

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Abstract

On November 4 1977, a magnitude Ms 6.7 (mb 5.7) shallow-focus thrust earthquake occurred in the vicinity of the Adak seismographic network in the central Aleutian island arc. The earthquake and its aftershock sequence occurred in an area that had not experienced a similar sequence since at least 1964. About 13 1/2 months before the main shock, the rate of occurrence of very small magnitude earthquakes increased abruptly in the immediate vicinity of the impending main shock. To search for possible variations in the focal mechanism of small events preceding the main shock, a method was developed that objectively combines first-motion data to generate composite focal-mechanism information about events occurring within a small source region. The method could not be successfully applied to the whole study area, but the results show that starting about 10 1/2 months before the November 1977 earthquake, there was a change in the mechanism of small- to moderate-sized earthquakes in the immediate vicinity of the hypocenter and possibly in other parts of the eventual aftershock zone, but not in the surrounding regions.

Publication type Book chapter
Publication Subtype Book Chapter
Title Changes in the Seismicity and Focal Mechanism of Small Earthquakes Prior to an MS 6.7 Earthquake in the Central Aleutian Island Arc
DOI 10.1029/ME004p0348
Volume 4
Year Published 1981
Language English
Publisher American Geophysical Union
Description 9 p.
Larger Work Type Book
Larger Work Title Earthquake prediction—Addresses, essays, lectures
First page 348
Last page 356
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