Geology topics

C. DeMets

Publications and source records attributed to C. DeMets.

3 recordsLinked to original sources

USGS2008

Aseismic slip and fault-normal strain along the central creeping section of the San Andreas fault

We use GPS data to measure the aseismic slip along the central San Andreas fault (CSAF) and the deformation across adjacent faults. Comparison of EDM and GPS data sets implies that, except for small-scale transients, the fault motion has been steady over the last 40 years. We add 42 new GPS, velocities along the CSAF to constrain the regional strain distribution. Shear strain rates are less than 0.083 ?? 0.010 ??strain/yr adjacent to the creeping SAF, with 1-4.5 mm/yr of contraction across the Coast Ranges. Dislocation modeling of the data gives a deep, long-term slip rate of 31-35 mm/yr and a shallow (0-12 km) creep rate of 28 mm/yr along the central portion of the CSAF, consistent with surface creep measurements. The lower shallow slip rate may be due to the effect of partial locking along the CSAF or reflect reduced creep rates late in the earthquake cycle of the adjoining SAF rupture zones. Copyright 2008 by the American Geophysical Union.

Geophysical Research Letters↗

USGS2002

Strong interseismic coupling, fault afterslip, and viscoelastic flow before and after the Oct. 9, 1995 Colima-Jalisco earthquake: continuous GPS measurements from Colima, Mexico

Continuous GPS measurements from Colima, Mexico during 4/93-6/01, bracketing the Oct. 9, 1995 M = 8.0 Colima-Jalisco earthquake, provide new constraints on Rivera plate subduction mechanics. Modeling of margin-normal strain accumulation before the earthquake suggests the Rivera-North America subduction interface was fully locked. Transient postseismic motion from 10/ 95-6/97 is well fit by a model that includes logarithmically-decaying fault afterslip, elastic strain from shallow fault relocking, and possibly a minor viscoelastic response, but is fit poorly by models that assume a dominant Maxwell viscoelastic response of the lower crust and upper mantle, independent of the assumed viscosities. Landward, margin-normal motion since mid-1997 is parallel to but ??? 75% slower than the pre-seismic velocity. Afterslip alone fails to account for this slowdown. The viscoelastic response predicted by a FEM correctly resolves the remaining velocity difference within the uncertainties. Both processes thus offset elastic strain accumulating from the relocked subduction interface.

Colima↗

USGS1997

The geodetic signature of the M8.0 Oct. 9, 1995, Jalisco subduction earthquake

The October, 1995 Mw 8.0 Jalisco subduction earthquake has provided a thorough geodetic observation of the coseismic subduction process. An 11 station regional GPS network located directly onshore of the rupture demonstrates consistent vertical subsidence verified by tide gauge data and southwest-directed extension, with measured displacements reaching 1 meter. Unusually shallow and non-uniform faulting is required to explain the displacements. We determine that up to 5 meters of slip occurred within the upper 15 km of the thrust fault zone and 2 meters possibly as shallow as 8 km, and that slip was likely distributed in two main patches. The paucity of continental sediments in this subduction zone could be responsible for the anomalously shallow faulting.

Geophysical Research Letters↗