Interseismic strain accumulation on faults beneath Los Angeles, California
Geodetic data show that the Los Angeles metropolitan area is undergoing 8–9 mm/year of north‐south tectonic shortening associated with the Big Bend of the San Andreas Fault. This shortening has been linked to multiple damaging twentieth century thrust earthquakes as well as possible Mw ≥ 7.0 Holocen...
| Main Authors: | , , , , |
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| Format: | Journal Article |
| Language: | English |
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2018
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| Online Access: | https://hdl.handle.net/10356/89287 http://hdl.handle.net/10220/46187 |
| _version_ | 1811693185378811904 |
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| author | Rollins, Chris Avouac, Jean-Philippe Landry, Walter Argus, Donald F. Barbot, Sylvain |
| author2 | Earth Observatory of Singapore |
| author_facet | Earth Observatory of Singapore Rollins, Chris Avouac, Jean-Philippe Landry, Walter Argus, Donald F. Barbot, Sylvain |
| author_sort | Rollins, Chris |
| collection | NTU |
| description | Geodetic data show that the Los Angeles metropolitan area is undergoing 8–9 mm/year of north‐south tectonic shortening associated with the Big Bend of the San Andreas Fault. This shortening has been linked to multiple damaging twentieth century thrust earthquakes as well as possible Mw ≥ 7.0 Holocene thrust events beneath central Los Angeles. To better characterize this seismic hazard, we assess how this shortening is being accommodated by interseismic strain accumulation on subsurface faults, incorporating detailed seismology‐ and geology‐based models of fault geometry and the low‐stiffness Los Angeles sedimentary basin. We find that strain accumulation on local strike‐slip faults likely contributes no more than 1–2 mm/year of the shortening. We formally invert the geodetic data for the pattern of interseismic strain accumulation on the north dipping Sierra Madre, Puente Hills, and Compton thrust faults and a master decollement. We explore the impact of the assumed material model, strain accumulation on faults to the west and east, and other model assumptions. We infer that the three faults slip at 3–4 mm/year over the long term and are currently partially or fully locked and accruing interseismic strain on their upper sections. This locking implies an annual deficit of seismic moment, 1.6 + 1.3/−0.5 × 1017 Nm/year in total, which is presumably balanced over the long‐term average by the moment released in earthquakes. The depth distribution of moment deficit accumulation rate matches that of seismicity rates in Los Angeles to first order, in part, because the models incorporate the blind nature of the Puente Hills and Compton Faults. |
| first_indexed | 2024-10-01T06:47:40Z |
| format | Journal Article |
| id | ntu-10356/89287 |
| institution | Nanyang Technological University |
| language | English |
| last_indexed | 2024-10-01T06:47:40Z |
| publishDate | 2018 |
| record_format | dspace |
| spelling | ntu-10356/892872020-09-26T21:34:13Z Interseismic strain accumulation on faults beneath Los Angeles, California Rollins, Chris Avouac, Jean-Philippe Landry, Walter Argus, Donald F. Barbot, Sylvain Earth Observatory of Singapore DRNTU::Science::Geology Strain Accumulation Faults Geodetic data show that the Los Angeles metropolitan area is undergoing 8–9 mm/year of north‐south tectonic shortening associated with the Big Bend of the San Andreas Fault. This shortening has been linked to multiple damaging twentieth century thrust earthquakes as well as possible Mw ≥ 7.0 Holocene thrust events beneath central Los Angeles. To better characterize this seismic hazard, we assess how this shortening is being accommodated by interseismic strain accumulation on subsurface faults, incorporating detailed seismology‐ and geology‐based models of fault geometry and the low‐stiffness Los Angeles sedimentary basin. We find that strain accumulation on local strike‐slip faults likely contributes no more than 1–2 mm/year of the shortening. We formally invert the geodetic data for the pattern of interseismic strain accumulation on the north dipping Sierra Madre, Puente Hills, and Compton thrust faults and a master decollement. We explore the impact of the assumed material model, strain accumulation on faults to the west and east, and other model assumptions. We infer that the three faults slip at 3–4 mm/year over the long term and are currently partially or fully locked and accruing interseismic strain on their upper sections. This locking implies an annual deficit of seismic moment, 1.6 + 1.3/−0.5 × 1017 Nm/year in total, which is presumably balanced over the long‐term average by the moment released in earthquakes. The depth distribution of moment deficit accumulation rate matches that of seismicity rates in Los Angeles to first order, in part, because the models incorporate the blind nature of the Puente Hills and Compton Faults. Published version 2018-10-02T08:39:27Z 2019-12-06T17:22:04Z 2018-10-02T08:39:27Z 2019-12-06T17:22:04Z 2018 Journal Article Rollins, C., Avouac, J.-P., Landry, W., Argus, D. F., & Barbot, S. (2018). Interseismic Strain Accumulation on Faults Beneath Los Angeles, California. Journal of Geophysical Research: Solid Earth, 123(8), 7126-7150. doi : 10.1029/2017JB015387 2169-9356 https://hdl.handle.net/10356/89287 http://hdl.handle.net/10220/46187 10.1029/2017JB015387 en Journal of Geophysical Research: Solid Earth © 2018 American Geophysical Union (AGU). This paper was published in Journal of Geophysical Research: Solid Earth and is made available as an electronic reprint (preprint) with permission of American Geophysical Union (AGU). The published version is available at: [http://dx.doi.org/10.1029/2017JB015387]. One print or electronic copy may be made for personal use only. Systematic or multiple reproduction, distribution to multiple locations via electronic or other means, duplication of any material in this paper for a fee or for commercial purposes, or modification of the content of the paper is prohibited and is subject to penalties under law. 25 p. application/pdf |
| spellingShingle | DRNTU::Science::Geology Strain Accumulation Faults Rollins, Chris Avouac, Jean-Philippe Landry, Walter Argus, Donald F. Barbot, Sylvain Interseismic strain accumulation on faults beneath Los Angeles, California |
| title | Interseismic strain accumulation on faults beneath Los Angeles, California |
| title_full | Interseismic strain accumulation on faults beneath Los Angeles, California |
| title_fullStr | Interseismic strain accumulation on faults beneath Los Angeles, California |
| title_full_unstemmed | Interseismic strain accumulation on faults beneath Los Angeles, California |
| title_short | Interseismic strain accumulation on faults beneath Los Angeles, California |
| title_sort | interseismic strain accumulation on faults beneath los angeles california |
| topic | DRNTU::Science::Geology Strain Accumulation Faults |
| url | https://hdl.handle.net/10356/89287 http://hdl.handle.net/10220/46187 |
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