The 20 May 2016 surface-rupturing intraplate earthquake in the Petermann Ranges is the largest onshore earthquake to occur in the Australian continent in 19 yr. We use in situ and Interferometric Synthetic Aperture Radar surface observations, aftershock distribution, and the fitting of P-wave source spectra to determine source properties of the Petermann earthquake. Surface observations reveal a 21-km-long surface rupture trace (strike = 294°±29°) with heterogeneous vertical displacements ( <0:1–0:96 m). Aftershock arrays suggest a triangular-shaped rupture plane (dip ≈ 30°) that intersects the subsurface projection of the major geophysical structure (Woodroffe thrust [WT]) proximal to the preferred location of the mainshock hypocenter, suggesting the mainshock nucleated at a fault junction. Footwall seismicity includes apparent southwest-dipping Riedel-type alignments, including possible activation of the deep segment of the WT. We estimate a moment magnitude (Mw) of 6.0 and a corner frequency (fc) of 0.2 Hz, respectively, from spectral fitting of source spectra in the 0.02–2 Hz frequency band. These translate into a fault area of 124 km2 and an average slip of 0.36 m. The estimated stress drop of 2.2 MPa is low for an intraplate earthquake; we attribute this to low-frictional slip (effective coefficient of friction >0:015) along rupture-parallel phyllosilicate-rich surfaces within the host rock fabric with possible additional contributions from elevated pore-fluid pressures.

The 20th May 2016 moment magnitude (MW) 6.1 Petermann earthquake was the 2nd longest single-event historic Australian surface rupture (21 km) and largest MW on-shore earthquake in 28 years. Trench logs from two hand-dug trenches show no evidence of penultimate rupture of surface eolian sediments or underlying calcrete. Available dating of eolian dunes 140 to 500 km away from the Petermann fault indicated eolian deposition during either the last glacial maximum (approximately 20 ka) or a period of aridification at approximately 180 - 200 ka. Ten 10Be cosmogenic nuclide erosion rates of bedrock outcrops at 0 to 50 km from the surface rupture trace are within error of each other between 1.4 to 2.6 mMyr-1. These samples have approximate averaging times between 208 to 419 ka. Bedrock erosion rates, trenching results and interpretation of the landscape history suggest the 2016 event is the only surface rupturing earthquake on the Petermann fault in the last 200 to 400 kyrs, and possibly the first ever on this fault. This finding is consistent with a lack of evidence for penultimate rupture for all eleven historic Australian surface rupturing events, as described by either trenching and/or landscape analysis and bedrock erosion rates. These ‘one-off’ events within Precambrian cratonic Australian crust are not consistent with trenching results and geomorphology of paleo-scarps within the Flinders Ranges and Eastern Australia which indicate multiple recurrent fault offset. Variable fault recurrence behaviour highlights that uniform seismic hazard modelling approaches are not applicable across Stable Continental Regions.

We digitize surface rupture maps and compile observational data from 67 publications on ten of eleven historical, surface-rupturing earthquakes in Australia in order to analyze the prevailing characteristics of surface ruptures and other environmental effects in this crystalline basement-dominated intraplate environment. The studied earthquakes occurred between 1968 and 2018, and range in moment magnitude (Mw) from 4.7 to 6.6. All earthquakes involved co-seismic reverse faulting (with varying amounts of strike-slip) on single or multiple (1–6) discrete faults of ≥ 1 km length that are distinguished by orientation and kinematic criteria. Nine of ten earthquakes have surface-rupturing fault orientations that align with prevailing linear anomalies in geophysical (gravity and magnetic) data and bedrock structure (foliations and/or quartz veins and/or intrusive boundaries and/or pre-existing faults), indicating strong control of inherited crustal structure on contemporary faulting. Rupture kinematics are consistent with horizontal shortening driven by regional trajectories of horizontal compressive stress. The lack of precision in seismological data prohibits the assessment of whether surface ruptures project to hypocentral locations via contiguous, planar principal slip zones or whether rupture segmentation occurs between seismogenic depths and the surface. Rupture centroids of 1–4 km in depth indicate predominantly shallow seismic moment release. No studied earthquakes have unambiguous geological evidence for preceding surface-rupturing earthquakes on the same faults and five earthquakes contain evidence of absence of preceding ruptures since the late Pleistocene, collectively highlighting the challenge of using mapped active faults to predict future seismic hazards. Estimated maximum fault slip rates are 0.2–9.1 m Myr−1 with at least one order of uncertainty. New estimates for rupture length, fault dip, and coseismic net slip can be used to improve future iterations of earthquake magnitude—source size—displacement scaling equations. Observed environmental effects include primary surface rupture, secondary fracture/cracks, fissures, rock falls, ground-water anomalies, vegetation damage, sand-blows/liquefaction, displaced rock fragments, and holes from collapsible soil failure, at maximum estimated epicentral distances ranging from 0 to ~250 km. ESI-07 intensity-scale estimates range by ± 3 classes in each earthquake, depending on the effect considered. Comparing Mw-ESI relationships across geologically diverse environments is a fruitful avenue for future research.

Coseismically displaced rock fragments (chips) in the near-field (less than 5 km) of the 2016 moment magnitude (MW) 6.1 Petermann earthquake (Australia) preserve directionality of strong ground motions. Displacement data from 1437 chips collected over an area of 100 km2 along and across the Petermann surface rupture is interpreted to record combinations of co-seismic directed permanent ground displacements associated with elastic rebound (fling) and transient ground shaking, with intensities of motion increasing with proximity to the surface rupture. The observations provide a proxy test for available models for directionality of near-field reverse fault strong ground motions in the absence of instrumental data. This study provides a dense proxy record of strong ground motions at less than 5 km distance from a surface rupturing reverse earthquake, and may help test models of near-field dynamic and static pulse-like strong ground motion for dip-slip earthquakes.