Geophysical Research Letters (Sep 2022)

Afterslip From the 2020 M 6.5 Monte Cristo Range, Nevada Earthquake

  • Taha SadeghiChorsi,
  • Jochen Braunmiller,
  • Fanghui Deng,
  • Timothy H. Dixon

DOI
https://doi.org/10.1029/2022GL099952
Journal volume & issue
Vol. 49, no. 17
pp. n/a – n/a

Abstract

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Abstract We investigate postseismic deformation following the 15 May 2020, Mw 6.5 Monte Cristo Range, Nevada earthquake using geodetic and aftershock data. Seven months of Sentinel 1‐A/B SAR images were used to model deformation as afterslip on two subparallel fault planes outlined by aftershocks. Postseismic deformation fits exponential and logarithmic decay models equally well. For exponential decay, the average decay time is ∼38 days. On the western plane, where most coseismic slip was observed, afterslip was minor, occurred at shallower depths than coseismic slip, and is anticorrelated with aftershock distribution. On the eastern plane, afterslip is significant, exceeds coseismic moment release, occurred at and below coseismic slip, and is correlated with aftershock distribution. On both segments, geodetic moment exceeds seismic moment, suggesting most afterslip occurred aseismically. Aseismic creep does not make up for observed coseismic shallow slip deficit, perhaps related to fault immaturity.