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Earthquake magnitude distribution and aftershocks: A statistical geometry explanation
François Pétrélis1, Kristel Chanard2, Alexandre Schubnel3
1Laboratoire de Physique de l'Ecole Normale Supérieure, ENS, Université PSL, CNRS, Sorbonne Université, Université Paris-Diderot, 75005 Paris, France.
Physical Review. E
|April 19, 2023
Summary
This study investigates earthquake energy release, revealing a power-law distribution explained by self-affine stress fields. This research validates the Gutenberg-Richter law and explains the Omori law for aftershocks.
Area of Science:
- Geophysics
- Statistical Mechanics
- Complex Systems
Background:
- Earthquake energy release often follows a power-law distribution.
- The Gutenberg-Richter law describes earthquake magnitude-frequency relationships.
- The Omori law characterizes aftershock decay rates.
Purpose of the Study:
- To investigate the emergence of power-law distributions in earthquake energy release.
- To identify generic features of stress fields preceding seismic events.
- To provide a theoretical basis for the Gutenberg-Richter and Omori laws.
Main Methods:
- Modeling earthquake energy release using self-affine stress field properties.
- Applying concepts from statistical mechanics to analyze random field behavior.
- Verifying theoretical predictions against observational laws.
Main Results:
- Identified self-affine behavior in stress fields as a key factor in energy distribution.
- Derived the power-law exponent for earthquake energy, consistent with the Gutenberg-Richter law.
- Explained the mechanism behind aftershock occurrences, aligning with the Omori law.
Conclusions:
- Self-affine stress field dynamics provide a unified framework for understanding earthquake energy scaling.
- The study offers a statistical mechanics explanation for fundamental earthquake laws.
- This research enhances our understanding of seismic event predictability and characteristics.
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