Influences of across-strike heterogeneous viscosity on the earthquake cycle in a three-dimensional strike-slip fault model

Geodetic observations have shown that there exist large differences in the viscosity of the deep lithosphere across many large strike-slip faults.Heterogeneity in lithospheric viscosity structure can influence the efficiency of stress transfer and thus may have a significant effect on the earthquake cycle.Until now,how the lateral viscosity variation across strike-slip faults affects the earthquake cycles is still not well understood.Here,we investigate the effects of across-strike viscosity variation on long-term earthquake behaviors with a three-dimensional strike-slip fault model.Our model is a quasi-static model which is controlled by the slip-weakening friction law and powerlaw rheology.By comparing with the reference case,we find that low viscosity on one side of the fault results in a smaller rupture area but with a higher Coulomb stress drop on the ruptured fault region.In addition,low viscosity also leads to a small Coulomb stress accumulation rate.These combined effects increase the earthquake recurrence interval by approximately 10%and the earthquake moments by about 30%when the low viscosity is related to a geothermal gradient of 30 K/km.In addition,across-strike viscosity variation causes asymmetric interseismic ground surface deformation rate.As the viscosity contrast increases,the difference in the interseismic ground surface deformation rate between the two sides of the fault gradually increases,although the asymmetric feature is not pronounced.This asymmetry of interseismic ground deformation rate across a strike-slip fault is supposed to result in asymmetric coseismic deformation if the long-term plate motion velocity is invariant.As a result,this kind of asymmetry of interseismic deformation may influence the evaluation of potential earthquake hazards along large strike-slip faults with lateral viscosity contrast.

Quantitative Tectonic Markers of Large Coastal Earthquakes in Fujian, Guangdong, Taiwan and Hainan——with a Discussion of Qualitative Indicators

This paper expounds the quantitative tectonic indicators and some qualitative indicators of large earthquakes in the coast areas of Fujian, Guangdong, Taiwan and Hainan. The main quantitative indicators include uplift amplitude of the Moho, Quaternary and Late Holocene coasts. The paper also gives a brief account of the research method on quantitative indicators of surface uplifted zones. Taiwan is a famous neotectonic zone and an area of large earthquakes in the world. There is only one large-earthquake area in each of Fujian, Guangdong and Hainan Provinces. Along the coast large earthquake areas there are certainly many remains of crustal activity. Among these remains, coast activity, taking the sea level as the accurate marker horizon, can determine not only the amplitude of coastal elevation and subsidence in a certain period, but also the cycle and rate of positive or negative movements.