Moment Spectra in a Simple Model of an Earthquake Fault

Bruce E. Shaw

Published 1993, SCEC Contribution #28

The behavior of a simple one-dimensional, homogeneous, deterministic model of an earthquake fault is examined on the timescale of the rupture process. The model generates a complex spatial and temporal distribution of events from a frictional instability. I measure the frequency spectra of the moment release rate for events of different sizes, and observe power laws for the spectra. A bend in the spectra of large events is also observed. The paper concludes with a discussion of how these results may be relevant to real earthquake faults.

Citation
Shaw, B. E. (1993). Moment Spectra in a Simple Model of an Earthquake Fault. Geophysical Research Letters, 20(8), 643-646.