Source Model and Characteristics of the 27 July 2022 MW 7.0 Northwestern Luzon Earthquake, Philippines

Abstract

The geometry and kinematics of the causative fault of the 27 July 2022 moment magnitude (Mw) 7.0 earthquake, which is one of the strongest to hit northern and central Luzon in the past 30 years, were estimated through inverse modeling of line-of-sight interferometric synthetic aperture radar deformation. We modeled rupture along multiple candidate faults based on fit with the pattern of line-of-sight deformation, consistency with focal mechanisms, and compatibility with the known kinematics of the mapped active faults in the region. Our preferred fault model, located west of and parallel to the Abra River Fault (ARF), exhibits localized reverse-slip (average 67° rake) at 15-35 km down-dip. Peak slip occurs at 13-16 km depth, with 95 cm of pure reverse-slip. The existence of a reverse-slip dominated ARF-parallel fault rupture is consistent with a complex shear partitioning model, wherein the NW-SE oblique plate convergence is accommodated not only by the sinistral strike-slip Philippine Fault Zone and the major subduction zones, but also by minor faults in intervening crustal blocks.

Keywords

• InSAR
• Philippines
• Earthquake
• Deformation
• source model