Measuring and Modeling Postseismic Motion associated with the 1999, M=7.1 Hector Mine earthquake
Teresa Baker
Massachusetts Institute of Technology
teresab@mit.edu
Mentor: Susan Owen, USC
Following the October 16, 1999 M7.1 Hector
Mine earthquake, there has been
a focused effort to collect postseismic deformation data. This
data has been collected by campaign and continuous setups of GPS
receivers, starting just 48 hours after the temblor. By measuring
the postseismic deformation we can quantize the short-term after-slip
and relaxation of the crust. Using this data we mapped the velocity
of each GPS station. Then we modelled the fault plane at depth
using simple dislocations in an elastic material. Using Matlab
and inverting the data we determine the fault slip distribution
that best fits the postseismic time series. This includes looking
for the depth of afterslip and modeling the fault plane(s). We
also looked for time constants for decay in the velocity observed
in the time series. Studying and modelling the data aids in a
better understanding of fault mechanics, the earthquake cycle
and the rheology of the crust.
Table of Contents
Measuring and Modeling Postseismic Motion associated with the 1999, M=7.1 Hector Mine earthquake