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Rupture model of the 2011 Mineral, Virginia, earthquake from teleseismic and regional waveforms

November 13, 2013

We independently invert teleseismic P waveforms and regional crustal phases to examine the finite fault slip model for the 2011 M5.8 Mineral, Virginia, earthquake. Theoretical and empirical Green's functions are used for the teleseismic and regional models, respectively. Both solutions show two distinct sources each about 2 km across and separated by 2.5 km. The source at the hypocenter is more localized in the regional model leading to a higher peak slip of 130 cm and higher average stress drop of 250 bars compared with 86 cm and 150 bars for the same source in the teleseismic model. Both sources are centered at approximately 8 km depth in the regional model, largely below the aftershock distribution. In the teleseismic model, the sources extend updip to approximately 6 km depth, into the depth range of the aftershocks. The rupture velocity is not well resolved but appears to be near 2.7 km/s.

Publication Year 2013
Title Rupture model of the 2011 Mineral, Virginia, earthquake from teleseismic and regional waveforms
DOI 10.1002/2013GL057880
Authors Stephen H. Hartzell, Carlos Mendoza, Yuehua Zeng
Publication Type Article
Publication Subtype Journal Article
Series Title Geophysical Research Letters
Index ID 70056938
Record Source USGS Publications Warehouse
USGS Organization Geologic Hazards Science Center