Earthquake slip weakening and asperities explained by thermal pressurization

Christopher A. J. Wibberley () and Toshihiko Shimamoto
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Christopher A. J. Wibberley: Université de Nice - Sophia Antipolis
Toshihiko Shimamoto: Kyoto University

Nature, 2005, vol. 436, issue 7051, 689-692

Abstract: Earthquakes: add hot water For the Earth's crust to release accumulated stress in the form of an earthquake, a fault must weaken and give way, otherwise the movement would quickly grind to a halt due to the surrounding pressure. This weakening is not really understood. Laboratory experiments simply don't match seismologists' estimates of the distance a fault must slip before it becomes very weak. A new study concludes that the missing ingredient is water. Geological studies and measurements show the slip zones to be narrow, impermeable structures. Water already in the fault zone can quickly become pressurized by frictional heating as the rocks start to move, catalysing large earthquakes from minor movements.

Date: 2005
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DOI: 10.1038/nature03901

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