Frictional Melting During the Rupture of the 1994 Bolivian Earthquake

The source parameters of the 1994 Bolivian earthquake (magnitude M$_w$ = 8.3) suggest that the maximum seismic efficiency η was 0.036 and the minimum frictional stress was 550 bars. Thus, the source process was dissipative, which is consistent with the observed slow rupture speed, only 20% of the lo...

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Bibliographic Details
Published in:Science (American Association for the Advancement of Science) 1998-02, Vol.279 (5352), p.839-842
Main Authors: Kanamori, Hiroo, Anderson, Don L., Heaton, Thomas H.
Format: Article
Language:English
Subjects:
Average speed
Bolivia
Climate
Earth sciences
Earth, ocean, space
Earthquakes
Earthquakes, seismology
Energy
Exact sciences and technology
Heat
Internal geophysics
Low speed
Melting
Motion
Seismological research
Seismology
Sliding
Speed
Surface energy
Tectonics. Structural geology. Plate tectonics
Temperature gradients
Thermal energy
Velocity
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Summary:The source parameters of the 1994 Bolivian earthquake (magnitude M$_w$ = 8.3) suggest that the maximum seismic efficiency η was 0.036 and the minimum frictional stress was 550 bars. Thus, the source process was dissipative, which is consistent with the observed slow rupture speed, only 20% of the local S-wave velocity. The amount of nonradiated energy produced during the Bolivian rupture was comparable to, or larger than, the thermal energy of the 1980 Mount St. Helens eruption and was sufficient to have melted a layer as thick as 31 centimeters. Once rupture was initiated, melting could occur, which reduces friction and promotes fault slip.
ISSN:0036-8075
1095-9203
DOI:10.1126/science.279.5352.839