Tidal Triggering of Earthquakes

Creators: Heaton, Thomas H.

Abstract

Analysis of the tidal stress tensor at the time of moderate to large earthquakes strongly suggests that shallow (< 30 km) larger magnitude oblique-slip and dip-slip earthquakes are triggered by tidal stresses. No corresponding triggering effect is seen for shallow strike-slip earthquakes or for any type of intermediate or deep focus earthquakes which have been studied. Tidal triggering is also discussed from the viewpoint of the 'dilatancy-diffusion' model. Specifically, the model as usually stated, excludes the possibility of small earthquakes being tidally triggered.

Additional Information

© 1975 The Royal Astronomical Society. Received in original form 1975 February 21. Received 1975 April 14. Contribution No. 2566, Division of Geological and Planetary Sciences, California Institute of Technology, Pasadena, California 91125. I acknowledge, with thanks, discussions from practically every member of the Seismological Laboratory, particularly Professors Hiroo Kanamori, Don Anderson, C. Hewitt Dix, Clarencc Allen and Dr Kunihiko Shimizalci. Dr Henry Fliegel of Jet Propulsion Laboratory wrote the computer subroutines which were used to compute astronomical parameters. Thanks also to Professor Ronald Scott for his comments on fracture processes and Professor Gary Lord for his suggestions concerning statistics. My thanks to Terry Rithaler for typing the paper and L. Lenches for drafting the figures. This research was supported by USGS Contract No. 14-08-0001-14563, and a Jet Propulsion Laboratory Earthquake Prediction Contract.

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