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On the strength of oceanic fracture zones and their influence on the intraplate stress fieldWe use the locations and source mechanisms of oceanic intraplate earthquakes to test the hypothesis that the strength of oceanic fracture zones is less than that of normal oceanic lithosphere. The 77 earthquakes selected for the study have well-determined focal mechanisms and epicenters in regions where fracture zones are well mapped. We have search for dependence of faulting style, fault orientation, or principal stress direction on the distance from the nearest fracture zone. If fracture zones were generally weaker than the surrounding lithosphere, one of the principal horizontal stresses would be oriented nearly perpendicular to the fracture zone; we find no evidence that principal stresses near fracture zones are oriented preferentially in this manner. There is a slight tendency for earthquakes to occur near fracture zones, and patterns of fault orientation and sense of slip support the view that differential cooling and horizontal contraction on fracture zones may contribute seismogenic stress.
Document ID
19930027948
Acquisition Source
Legacy CDMS
Document Type
Reprint (Version printed in journal)
Authors
Bergman, Eric A.
(NASA Goddard Space Flight Center Greenbelt, MD, United States)
Solomon, Sean C.
(MIT Cambridge, MA, United States)
Date Acquired
August 15, 2013
Publication Date
October 10, 1992
Publication Information
Publication: Journal of Geophysical Research
Volume: 97
Issue: B11
ISSN: 0148-0227
Subject Category
Geophysics
Accession Number
93A11945
Funding Number(s)
CONTRACT_GRANT: NSF EAR-90-04750
CONTRACT_GRANT: NAG5-814
CONTRACT_GRANT: NAG5-1921
CONTRACT_GRANT: NSF EAR-88-17173
Distribution Limits
Public
Copyright
Other

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