• Login
    About WHOAS
    View Item 
    •   WHOAS Home
    • Woods Hole Oceanographic Institution
    • Academic Programs
    • WHOI Theses
    • View Item
    •   WHOAS Home
    • Woods Hole Oceanographic Institution
    • Academic Programs
    • WHOI Theses
    • View Item
    JavaScript is disabled for your browser. Some features of this site may not work without it.

    Browse

    All of WHOASCommunities & CollectionsBy Issue DateAuthorsTitlesKeywordsThis CollectionBy Issue DateAuthorsTitlesKeywords

    My Account

    LoginRegister

    Statistics

    View Usage Statistics

    Slip on ridge transform faults : insights from earthquakes and laboratory experiments

    Thumbnail
    View/Open
    Boettcher_Thesis (10.28Mb)
    Date
    2005-06
    Author
    Boettcher, Margaret S.  Concept link
    Metadata
    Show full item record
    Citable URI
    https://hdl.handle.net/1912/1568
    Location
    Blanco Transform Fault
    East Pacific Rise
    DOI
    10.1575/1912/1568
    Keyword
     Earthquakes; Faults 
    Abstract
    The relatively simple tectonic environment of mid-ocean ridge transform fault (RTF) seismicity provides a unique opportunity for investigation of earthquake and faulting processes. We develop a scaling model that is complete in that all the seismic parameters are related to the RTF tectonic parameters. Laboratory work on the frictional stability of olivine aggregates shows that the depth extent of oceanic faulting is thermally controlled and limited by the 600°C isotherm. Slip on RTFs is primarily aseismic, only 15% of the tectonic offset is accommodated by earthquakes. Despite extensive fault areas, few large earthquakes occur on RTFs, and few aftershocks follow the large events. Standard models of seismicity, in which all earthquakes result from the same seismic triggering process, do not describe RTF earthquakes. Instead, large earthquakes appear to be preceded by an extended fault preparation process marked by abundant foreshocks within 1 hour and 15 km of the mainshocks. In our experiments normal force vibrations, such as seismic radiation from nearby earthquakes, can weaken and potentially destabilize steadily creeping faults. Integrating the rheology, geology, and seismicity of RTFs, we develop a synoptic model to better understand the spatial distribution of fault strength and stability and provide insight into slip accommodation on RTFs.
    Description
    Submitted in partial fulfillment of the requirements for the degree of Doctor of Philosophy at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology and the Woods Hole Oceanographic Institution June, 2005
    Collections
    • Geology and Geophysics (G&G)
    • WHOI Theses
    Suggested Citation
    Thesis: Boettcher, Margaret S., "Slip on ridge transform faults : insights from earthquakes and laboratory experiments", 2005-06, DOI:10.1575/1912/1568, https://hdl.handle.net/1912/1568
     

    Related items

    Showing items related by title, author, creator and subject.

    • Thumbnail

      Earthquake behavior and structure of oceanic transform faults 

      Roland, Emily C. (Massachusetts Institute of Technology and Woods Hole Oceanographic Institution, 2012-02)
      Oceanic transform faults that accommodate strain at mid-ocean ridge offsets represent a unique environment for studying fault mechanics. Here, I use seismic observations and models to explore how fault structure affects ...
    • Thumbnail

      AT42-20 Cruise Report for the 2019-2021 Gofar Transform Fault Earthquake Prediction Experiment, Leg 1: OBS Deployment and Rock Dredging 

      Warren, Jessica M.; Behn, Mark D.; Fan, Wenyuan; Morrow, Thomas; Prigent, Cécile; Schwartz, Darin M.; Andrys, Janine; Bahruth, Melinda; Gong, Jianhua; Lin, Kuan-Yu; Gardner, Alan T.; Kot, Dan; Rapa, Martin; Kelly, Brian; A'Hearn, Patrick (Woods Hole Oceanographic Institution, 2019-12)
      The goal of this cruise was to deploy 51 ocean bottom seismometers (OBS) and conduct rock dredges at the Quebrada/Discovery/Gofar (QDG) transform fault systems, with a focus on the Gofar system. QDG is located in the ...
    • Thumbnail

      Spatial and temporal variations in earthquake stress drop on Gofar Transform Fault, East Pacific Rise : implications for fault strength 

      Moyer, Pamela A.; Boettcher, Margaret S.; McGuire, Jeffrey J.; Collins, John A. (John Wiley & Sons, 2018-09-07)
      On Gofar Transform Fault on the East Pacific Rise, the largest earthquakes (6.0 ≤ MW ≤ 6.2) have repeatedly ruptured the same portion of the fault, while intervening fault segments host swarms of microearthquakes. These ...
    All Items in WHOAS are protected by original copyright, with all rights reserved, unless otherwise indicated. WHOAS also supports the use of the Creative Commons licenses for original content.
    A service of the MBLWHOI Library | About WHOAS
    Contact Us | Send Feedback | Privacy Policy
    Core Trust Logo