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Center for Nonlinear Studies |
To better understand spatial and temporal clustering in earthquake seismicity, we use simple computational models of driven threshold systems. In particular, we use a variation of the Olami-Feder-Christensen cellular automata model with long-range stress transfer and spatial heterogeneities. Studies of inhomogeneous stress dissipation, mimicking ‘damaged’ lattice sites, show that the spatial distribution of damaged sites affect the Gutenberg-Richter-like scaling behavior of earthquake events as well as spatial clustering of events. Incorporating strong lattice sites (asperities) produces temporal clustering of earthquakes, including precursors to large events as well as aftershocks. For example, the percent of randomly distributed asperity sites determines an approximate characteristic recurrence time for the fault system. The results suggest that seismicity patterns observed in nature may be controlled by underlying physical complexity, rather than a simple cascade mechanism alone.
Host: Kipton Barros