RSQSim: A regional-scale earthquake simulator incorporating rate- and state-dependent friction

Keith B. Richards-Dinger

Published 2012, SCEC Contribution #1645

As discussed in Tullis et al. (2012b), a promising avenue for improving seismic hazard estimation, and reducing the large uncertainties in current assessments, is to incorporate more accurate and region-specific characterizations of the interactions and physical processes that control earthquake occurrence in fault systems. Earthquake simulators are computer models that can contribute to this by carrying out large-scale simulations of earthquake occurrence to char- acterize system level response of fault systems including processes that control time, place and extent of earthquake slip. Such simulators were pioneered by work such as Rundle (1988), Ward (1996), and Robinson and Benites (1995). Four such simulators are discussed in this volume and their general features are described in Tullis et al. (2012a). This paper describes some features specific to one of those four, RSQSim. It also presents a few results that are relevant to particularly unique features of RSQSim: comparisons with fully dynamic single-event simulations and the spatial-temporal clustering of seismicity due to RSQSim’s use of rate- and state-dependent friction.

Citation
Richards-Dinger, K. B. (2012). RSQSim: A regional-scale earthquake simulator incorporating rate- and state-dependent friction. Seismological Research Letters, 83(6), 983-990. doi: 10.1785/0220120105.