Random stress and earthquake statistics: spatial dependence

ABSTRACT

We calculate the 3-D stochastic rotations of focal mechanisms (disorientations) caused by stresses arising from the presence of many small, random, point defects that may surround the tip of an earthquake fault. These random stresses can be shown to be distributed according to a Cauchy distribution; as a consequence the next episode of fracture of a fault cannot be planar. The disorientation of focal mechanisms of these new rupture episodes is closely approximated by a rotational Cauchy distribution. As observed previously, the geometry of fault systems for natural earthquakes is consistent with these observations, since it too can be modelled by the Cauchy distribution. These observations indicate how the 3-D rupture process in rocks and other materials can be modelled. We also calculate distributions of disorientations caused by a uniformly random 3-D rotation of sources. These distributions are governed by symmetry properties of earthquake focal mechanisms. To take into account the source symmetry, we compare the Cauchy distribution which is due to influence of random stresses to the distributions caused by random rotations.