2016/11/24 by Quentin Blétery, Amanda M. Thomas, A. W. Rempel +3 · 3 citations
Earth and Planetary Sciences · #earthquake and tectonic studies #High-pressure geophysics and materials #Geological and Geochemical Analysis #Mega- #Seismology #Geology #Megacity #Physics #Biology
paper · doi:10.1126/science.aag0482
openalex publication_date 2016/11/24 · openalex created_date 2025/10/10 · openalex updated_date 2026/07/31
The 2004 Sumatra-Andaman and 2011 Tohoku-Oki earthquakes highlighted gaps in our understanding of mega-earthquake rupture processes and the factors controlling their global distribution: A fast convergence rate and young buoyant lithosphere are not required to produce mega-earthquakes. We calculated the curvature along the major subduction zones of the world, showing that mega-earthquakes preferentially rupture flat (low-curvature) interfaces. A simplified analytic model demonstrates that heterogeneity in shear strength increases with curvature. Shear strength on flat megathrusts is more homogeneous, and hence more likely to be exceeded simultaneously over large areas, than on highly curved faults.