2004 M9.2 Sumatra Earthquake Coulomb Stress Waves (IMAGE)

U.S. Geological Survey

2004 M9.2 Sumatra Earthquake Coulomb Stress Waves

Caption

Some 380 seconds into the greatest earthquake to rupture since 1960, the simulated dynamic Coulomb stress waves (red-blue) shed continuously off the 2004 M=9.2 Sumatra rupture front can be seen sweeping through the Andaman Sea, where faults remarkably shut down for the next five years. Earthquakes since 1964 are shown as black dots, and the Sunda trench along which the 1400-km-long earthquake occurred is the arcuate black line on the left (west). Sumatra is on the right, and Myanmar/Burma is at top. Sevilgen et al (Proc. Nat. Acad. Sci, 2012) find that despite the magnitude of thesedynamic stress waves, the much smaller permanent stresses account for the change in seismicity after the main shock. This graphic accompanies the Sept. 3, 2012 article in Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences by Volkan Sevilgen, Ross Stein and Fred Pollitz.

Credit

U.S. Geological Survey

Usage Restrictions

None

License

Licensed content

Disclaimer: AAAS and EurekAlert! are not responsible for the accuracy of news releases posted to EurekAlert! by contributing institutions or for the use of any information through the EurekAlert system.