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Focal mechanism and rupture process of the 2012 M w 7.0 Santa Isabel, Mexico earthquake inverted by teleseismic data

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Abstract

The point source parameters of the April 12, 2012 M w 7.0 Santa Isabel, Mexico, earthquake indicated by teleseismic P and SH waveforms obtained by a means of traditional cut and paste (CAP) method show that the best double-couple solution of this event is: 37°/127°, 90°/81° and −9°/−180° for strike, dip and rake, respectively. Its centroid depth is 13 km. Global teleseismic waveform data exhibit that the rupture of the earthquake initiated at a focal depth of 13 km and propagated southeastward with a relatively slow rupture velocity (about 1.8 km/s on average). The maximum slip occurred at 30 km southeast of the hypocenter, with the peak slip of 3.57 m and total seismic moment of whole fault up to 3.98×1019 N·m. These observations provide some insight into properties, co- or post-seismic deformation and coulomb stress changes of future earthquake in this area.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. State Key Laboratory of Geodesy and Earth’s Dynamic, Institute of Geodesy and Geophysics, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Wuhan, 430077, China

    Chengli Liu, Yong Zheng & Xiong Xiong

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  1. Chengli Liu
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  2. Yong Zheng
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  3. Xiong Xiong
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Correspondence to Chengli Liu.

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Liu, C., Zheng, Y. & Xiong, X. Focal mechanism and rupture process of the 2012 M w 7.0 Santa Isabel, Mexico earthquake inverted by teleseismic data. J. Earth Sci. 26, 384–390 (2015). https://doi.org/10.1007/s12583-014-0503-x

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s12583-014-0503-x

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