Citation

Bletery Q, Thomas AM, Rempel AW, Karlstrom L, Sladen A, De Barros L. Science 2016; 354(6315): 1027-1031.

Affiliation

Université Côte d'Azur, CNRS, OCA, IRD, Géoazur, 250 rue Albert Einstein, Sophia Antipolis, 06560 Valbonne, France.

Copyright

(Copyright © 2016, American Association for the Advancement of Science)

DOI

10.1126/science.aag0482

PMID

27885027

Abstract

The 2004 Sumatra-Andaman and 2011 Tohoku-Oki earthquakes highlighted gaps in our understanding of mega-earthquake rupture processes and the factors controlling their global distribution: A fast convergence rate and young buoyant lithosphere are not required to produce mega-earthquakes. We calculated the curvature along the major subduction zones of the world, showing that mega-earthquakes preferentially rupture flat (low-curvature) interfaces. A simplified analytic model demonstrates that heterogeneity in shear strength increases with curvature. Shear strength on flat megathrusts is more homogeneous, and hence more likely to be exceeded simultaneously over large areas, than on highly curved faults.

Copyright © 2016, American Association for the Advancement of Science.

Language: en