About this Research Topic
A fault can slip seismically, during an earthquake, or aseismically, in the inter-seismic and post-seismic periods. Co-seismic slip, even though it lasts only a few seconds to a few minutes, can leave behind incredible devastation, e.g. collapsed buildings, triggered landslides and liquefaction, and casualties. Aseismic slip, which can be of equal magnitude to co-seismic slip, lasts longer and generally has little impact on society. Both mechanisms are complementary in accommodating the long-term tectonic strain but require different approaches for observations. The understanding of temporal and spatial slip evolution that occurs in different tectonic phases is essential for a better understanding of faulting mechanics. Everything from seismic, geodetic, and geologic observations to modelling variable faulting processes in the earthquake cycle incorporating mechanical properties of faults, using relations such as rate-and-state friction law, contributes to our understanding of these geologic features.
Destructive earthquakes are rare along any given fault, and therefore, it is challenging to reconstruct the long-term slip evolution of that fault. Modern seismological and geodetic techniques play a vital role in imaging transient and long-term (days to years) tectonic deformation. Paleoseismology allows geologists to uncover evidence of earthquakes that occurred before recorded history, putting constraints on these long-term slip histories and recurrence intervals. To fully interpret these observations, there is a need for a better understanding of fault mechanical properties and their controls on the variable faulting behaviours across different fault systems globally.
The goal of this Research Topic is to bring together these pieces to take a holistic look at the earthquake cycle, and to this end, we welcome manuscripts that uncover various faulting processes through different stages of the earthquake cycle, based on geological, seismic and geodetic observations.
These can have a focus on (but are not limited to):
• the potential relationships between co-seismic rupture and its regional effects;
• whether slow slip (e.g. afterslip and creep) can help robustly determine the fault friction;
• whether frictional properties could dramatically vary during the earthquake cycle, particularly in co-seismic and early post-seismic phases;
• field observations of rock strengths and paleoseismic history that constrain long-term slip rates;
• viscoelastic coupling response in earthquake cycles.
Destructive earthquakes are rare along any given fault, and therefore, it is challenging to reconstruct the long-term slip evolution of that fault. Modern seismological and geodetic techniques play a vital role in imaging transient and long-term (days to years) tectonic deformation. Paleoseismology allows geologists to uncover evidence of earthquakes that occurred before recorded history, putting constraints on these long-term slip histories and recurrence intervals. To fully interpret these observations, there is a need for a better understanding of fault mechanical properties and their controls on the variable faulting behaviours across different fault systems globally.
The goal of this Research Topic is to bring together these pieces to take a holistic look at the earthquake cycle, and to this end, we welcome manuscripts that uncover various faulting processes through different stages of the earthquake cycle, based on geological, seismic and geodetic observations.
These can have a focus on (but are not limited to):
• the potential relationships between co-seismic rupture and its regional effects;
• whether slow slip (e.g. afterslip and creep) can help robustly determine the fault friction;
• whether frictional properties could dramatically vary during the earthquake cycle, particularly in co-seismic and early post-seismic phases;
• field observations of rock strengths and paleoseismic history that constrain long-term slip rates;
• viscoelastic coupling response in earthquake cycles.
Keywords: Coseismic rupture, aseismic slip, surface deformation, faulting mechanics, earthquake cycle
Important Note: All contributions to this Research Topic must be within the scope of the section and journal to which they are submitted, as defined in their mission statements. Frontiers reserves the right to guide an out-of-scope manuscript to a more suitable section or journal at any stage of peer review.
