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Updated: Jan 17, 2026

The Role of Fabric in Frictional Properties of Phyllosilicate-Rich Tectonic Faults
Published on: November 6, 2021
Fiber-imaged supershear dynamics in the 2024 Mw 7 Mendocino Fault earthquake
James Atterholt1, Jeffrey J McGuire2, Andrew J Barbour3
1Geologic Hazards Science Center, United States Geological Survey, Golden, CO, USA.
None:
Fault structure and rupture physics are deeply intertwined, and observations of this coupling are critical for understanding earthquake behavior. Rupture propagation is observable at fine scales using dense seismic networks. Fiber-optic sensing allows for long-term deployments of ultradense arrays that enable high-resolution measurements of infrequent, large earthquakes. We recorded the 2024 moment magnitude (Mw) 7 Mendocino Fault earthquake with a nearby fiber-optic array and imaged its behavior with seismic beamforming. The rupture propagated to the east at subshear velocity; stagnated near the Mendocino Triple Junction, a zone of structural complexity; and subsequently transitioned to supershear velocity. The correlation between source physics and structure shows how lithospheric heterogeneity affects first-order characteristics of earthquake ruptures. Our results also demonstrate the potential for fiber-optic sensing to improve real-time estimation of key parameters for early warning.
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