The dynamic energy balance in earthquakes expressed by fault surface morphology

TL;DR

This paper demonstrates that fault surface morphology can quantitatively reflect the dynamic energy balance in earthquakes, linking microscopic processes to observable macroscopic features through experimental validation.

Contribution

It introduces a novel approach connecting fault surface morphology with the dynamic energy balance in earthquakes, supported by shear experiments.

Findings

Fault surface morphology reflects the dynamic energy balance.

Strain rate significantly influences the energy balance.

Experimental results support theoretical predictions.

Abstract

The dynamic energy balance is essential for earthquake studies. The energy balance approach is one of the most famous developments in fracture mechanics. To interpret seismological data, crack models and sliding on a frictional surface (fault) models are widely used. The macroscopically observable energy budget and the microscopic processes can be related through the fracture energy $G_c$. The fault surface morphology is the direct result of the microscopic processes near the crack tip or on the frictional interface. Here we show that the dynamic energy balance in earthquakes can be expressed by fault surface morphology, and that they are quantitatively linked. The direct shear experiments proves the predictions of the theoretical discussions, and show that the strain rate has crucial influence on the dynamic energy balance.