Co and postseismic fault slip models of the 2022 M_(W)6.7 Menyuan earthquake reveal conjugated faulting tectonics at the central section of the Lenglongling fault

The 2022 M_(W)6.7 Menyuan earthquake ruptured the western end of the Tianzhu seismic gap,providing an opportunity to study the regional seismogenic characteristics and seismic hazards.Here we use interferometric synthetic aperture radar(InSAR)and seismic data to study the mainshock rupture,early afterslip and the second largest aftershock of the 2022 Menyuan earthquake sequences.Our modeling results show that the mainshock ruptured the Lenglongling fault and the Tuolaishan fault with a maximum slip of~3 m.Rapid postseismic transient deformation occurred at the center of the Lenglongling fault.Our afterslip modeling reveals that the majority of afterslip occurred in the deeper part of the Lenglongling fault.A high-angle conjugated faulting event is found at the middle section of the Lenglongling fault.We use the stress inversion to investigate the possible triggering mechanism of the conjugated rupture event.The results indicate the maximum principal stress direction is in~222°,forming a~22°angle between the conjugated fault of second largest aftershock and the mainshock.The calculated normal stress changes indicate the region is within a pull-apart stress field,which favors such a conjugated rupturing event.Our study will help understand the rupture behavior of such kind of conjugated fault in other regions.

A way of estimating the characteristic slip displacement

During the ruptures of an earthquake, the strain energy, AE, will be transferred into, at least, three parts, i.e., the seismic radiation energy （Es）, fracture energy （Eg）, and frictional energy （Ef）, that is, AE = Es ＋ Eg ＋ El. Friction, which is represented by a velocity- and state-de- pendent friction law by some researchers, controls the three parts. One of the main parameters of the law is the char- acteristic slip displacement, De. It is significant and nec- essary to evaluate the reliable value of Dc from observed and inverted seismic data. Since Dc controls the radiation efficiency, ηR = Es/（Es ＋ Eg）, the value of qR is a good constraint of estimating Dc. Integrating observed data and inverted results of source parameters from recorded seis- mograms, the values of Es and Eg of an earthquake can be measured, thus leading to the value of ηR. The constraint used to estimate the reliable value of Dc will be described in this work. An example of estimates of Dc based on the observed and inverted values of source parameters of the September 20, 1999 Ms 7.6 Chi-Chi （Ji-Ji）, Taiwan region, earthquake will be presented.

A numerical study of comparison of two one-state-variable,rate-and state-dependent friction evolution laws

The two one-state-variable, rate- and state-dependent friction laws, i.e., the slip and slowness laws, are com- pared on the basis of dynamical behavior of a one-degree-of-freedom spring-slider model through numerical simulations. Results show that two （normalized） model parameters, i.e., A （the normalized characteristic slip distance） and β-α （the difference in two normalized parameters of friction laws）, control the solutions. From given values of △, β, and α, for the slowness laws, the solution exists and the unique non-zero fixed point is stable when △〉（β-α）, yet not when △ 〈（β-α）. For the slip law, the solution exists for large ranges of model parameters and the number and stability of the non-zero fixed points change from one case to another. Results suggest that the slip law is more appropriate for controlling earthquake dynamics than the slowness law.