Correlation between deep fluids, tremor and creep along the central San Andreas fault

Michael Becken (), Oliver Ritter, Paul A. Bedrosian and Ute Weckmann
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Michael Becken: GFZ German Research Centre for Geosciences, Telegrafenberg, 14473 Potsdam, Germany
Oliver Ritter: GFZ German Research Centre for Geosciences, Telegrafenberg, 14473 Potsdam, Germany
Paul A. Bedrosian: US Geological Survey, MS 964, Box 25046, Building 20, Denver, Colorado 80225, USA
Ute Weckmann: GFZ German Research Centre for Geosciences, Telegrafenberg, 14473 Potsdam, Germany

Nature, 2011, vol. 480, issue 7375, 87-90

Abstract: Meeting of the ways on the San Andreas fault Becken et al. present magnetotelluric data from across the San Andreas fault near Parkfield and Cholame in California, where non-volcanic tremor has been observed to occur. They infer from images of the resistivity structure that the fluids migrating into the creeping section of the San Andreas fault originate in the same source region in the uppermost mantle that stimulates non-volcanic tremor. They also find that along-strike variations in tremor activity and amplitude seem to be related to strength variations in the lower crust and upper mantle, consistent with the hypothesis that high fluid pressures may be responsible for the weakening of faults. This work can help explain why some sections of the San Andreas fault are prone to large and devastating earthquakes, while at other segments the seismic energy is released as less harmful creep.

Date: 2011
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DOI: 10.1038/nature10609

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