Interacting fault systems and investigating the role of dynamic and static stress changes on earthquake triggering.Dynamic stress triggering of earthquakes is caused by the passage of seismic waves, whereas static stress triggering is due to net slippage on a fault resulting from an earthquake. Static stress changes represented by a Coulomb failure function and its relationship to seimicity rate change is a relatively well-known mechanism, whereas the physical origin of dynamic triggering remains one of the least understood aspects of earthquake nucleation.

This project has several aims. Investigate earthquake power law distributions in synthetic seismicity studies. Generate synthetic seismicity patterns in single and interacting fault systems. Investigate the role of the frictional law in the generation of slip complexity. Examine whether specific frictional laws and fault geometries lead to “characteristic” earthquake events or power-law distributions of earthquake events. Investigate rupture jumps over compressional and dilational fault systems.

Ref:Proceedings of the Australian Earthquake Engineering Society conference (2007);
L.M. Olsen-Kettle et al. (http://www.uq.edu.au/~uqlkett1/Louise_Olsen_Publications/LouiseOlsenAEES.pdf)

Journal of Geophysical Research, (in press), 2008, Olsen-Kettle et al. (http://espace.library.uq.edu.au/view/UQ:119832)

Advisor: Dr Louise Olsen-Kettle

Level of Project: Honours/MSc/PhD