Megathrust aftershocks can be highly destructive if they strike close to shore. Here, we show that aftershocks on the rupture surface have an initially high rate but shut down within several years, potentially for centuries. However, aftershocks also surround the rupture, where they persist for up to 60 years.
This is a preview of subscription content, access via your institution
Access options
Access Nature and 54 other Nature Portfolio journals
Get Nature+, our best-value online-access subscription
$29.99 / 30 days
cancel any time
Subscribe to this journal
Receive 12 print issues and online access
$259.00 per year
only $21.58 per issue
Buy this article
- Purchase on Springer Link
- Instant access to full article PDF
Prices may be subject to local taxes which are calculated during checkout
References
Thatcher, W. Order and diversity in the modes of Circum-Pacific earthquake recurrence. J. Geophys. Res. 95, 2609–2623 (1990). Conflicting aftershock observations with respect to the rupture area.
Stein, R. S. The role of stress transfer in earthquake occurrence. Nature 402, 605–609 (1999). An explanation of the Coulomb stress transfer hypothesis.
Toda, S., Stein, R. S., Beroza, G. & Marsan, D. Aftershocks halted by static stress shadows. Nat. Geosci. 5, 410–413 (2012). An analysis of a delayed aftershock shutdown.
Obana, K. et al. Earthquake activity in northern Cascadia subduction zone off Vancouver Island revealed by ocean‐bottom seismograph observations. Bull. Seismol. Soc. Amer. 105, 489–495 (2014). An alternative explanation for the seismicity shutdown in Cascadia.
Scholz, C. H. Mechanisms of seismic quiescences. Pure Appl. Geophys. 126, 701–718 (1988). A qualitative description of transform earthquake seismicity that resembles our core/corona concept.
Additional information
Publisher’s note Springer Nature remains neutral with regard to jurisdictional claims in published maps and institutional affiliations.
This is a summary of: Toda, S. & Stein, R. S. Central shutdown and surrounding activation of aftershocks from megathrust earthquake stress transfer. Nat. Geosci. https://doi.org/10.1038/s41561-022-00954-x (2022).
Rights and permissions
About this article
Cite this article
Aftershocks of megathrust earthquakes undergo a central shutdown and surrounding activation. Nat. Geosci. 15, 438–439 (2022). https://doi.org/10.1038/s41561-022-00955-w
Published:
Issue Date:
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1038/s41561-022-00955-w
