A two-fractal overlap model of earthquakes

TL;DR

This paper presents a fractal-based model of earthquakes where the contact area between two self-affine surfaces predicts energy release, showing a power-law distribution similar to the Gutenberg-Richter law.

Contribution

It introduces a novel two-fractal model of earthquake dynamics linking surface roughness to energy release and earthquake statistics.

Findings

Overlap distribution follows a power-law similar to Gutenberg-Richter law.

Model captures the statistical properties of earthquake energy release.

Fractal surface interactions explain earthquake magnitude distribution.

Abstract

We introduce here the two-fractal model of earthquake dynamics. As the fractured surfaces have self-affine properties, we consider the solid-solid interface of the earth's crust and the tectonic plate below as fractal surfaces. The overlap or contact area between the two surfaces give a measure of the stored elastic energy released during a slip. The overlap between two fractals change with time as one moves over the other and we show that the time average of the overlap distribution follows a Gutenberg-Richter like power-law, with similar exponent value.