Do Australian intraplate faults generate characteristic earthquakes?  

Authors / CoAuthors

Clark, D.J. | Leonard, M.

Abstract

In probabilistic seismic hazard modelling the choice of whether faults behave with Characteristic or Gutenberg-Richter recurrence statistics has a high impact on the hazard level. Compared to a model that does not include fault sources, the addition of a high slip rate (by intraplate standards) Characteristic fault results in a modest increase in hazard for a 500 years return period event, and a modest increase at longer return periods (i.e. ~2500 years). A Gutenberg-Richter fault with the same slip rate will result in a comparatively higher hazard at 500 years, similar hazard at 2500 years and a lower hazard a very long return periods (i.e. ~5000 years). Results from interplate and active intraplate paleoseismological investigations since the mid-1980s have been used to suggest that earthquakes recurrent on a given fault often have the same characteristic rupture length and amount of slip (i.e. a Characteristic Rupture Model). Stable asperities and barriers, which survive many earthquakes, are proposed to explain these results. The scarcity of data precludes definitive validation of the model in Australian Stable Continental Region crust. However, preliminary indications are that the Characteristic Rupture Model has some merit in cratonic regions of the country while faults in non-cratonic regions may behave in a more complex fashion.

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nonGeographicDataset

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83885

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• External PublicationConference Paper

Australian and New Zealand Standard Research Classification (ANZSRC)

• Tectonics

• Published_Internal

Publication Date

2015-01-01T00:00:00

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Australian Government Security ClassificationSystem    

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Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International Licence    

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geoscientificInformation

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[-45.0, -10.0, 111.0, 155.0]

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FInal abstract: D2015-188065 Conference talk: D2015-188063 Conference talk notes: D2015-188064