Welcome to the new version of CaltechAUTHORS. Login is currently restricted to library staff. If you notice any issues, please email coda@library.caltech.edu
Published 1996 | Published
Journal Article Open

Rupture Process of the Kobe, Japan, Earthquake of Jan. 17, 1995, Determined from Teleseismic Body Waves

Abstract

The source process of the 1995 Kobe earthquake is determined using teleseismic body waves. The source parameters obtained for the total source are: focal mechanism [strike, dip, rake] equal to [233°, 86°, 167°], nearly pure strike-slip with an EW compression axis; the seismic moment, M_o= 2.5×10^(19) Nm (M_w= 6.9); and source duration T=11s. The rupture process consists mainly of three subevents with source durations of 5-6 s: two are nearly pure strike-slip with slightly different fault strikes, and the other is dip-slip. Combining the source location with the aftershock distribution, we infer that the first subevent is a bilateral rupture and the later subevents are unilateral propagating NE and reaching the Kobe area. The total fault length is 40 km, the averaged dislocation is 2.1 m, and the averaged stress drop is 8 MPa. These source parameters indicate that the Kobe earthquake was a typical shallow inland earthquake which occurred on a previously mapped Quaternary fault zone. The directivity toward Kobe determined from teleseismic data was probably one of the main factors responsible for the heavy damage. The combined use of regional networks and teleseismic networks as demonstrated in this study will continue to be important for rapidly assessing the overall social impact of an earthquake in the very early stage of sequence.

Additional Information

© 1996 The Seismological Society of Japan. Received July 27, 1995; Accepted November 24, 1995. This research was partially supported by the Grant-in-Aid for Scientific Research No.04452067 from the Ministry of Education, Science, Sports and Culture of Japan, and by the National Science Foundation Grant EAR-9303804, U.S.A. Contribution No. 5579, Division of Geological and Planetary Sciences. California Institute of Technology, Pasadena, California 91125.

Attached Files

Published - HKjpe96.pdf

Files

HKjpe96.pdf
Files (379.3 kB)
Name Size Download all
md5:e678d0683a4d91f7f93e3d837f2f6c1d
379.3 kB Preview Download

Additional details

Created:
August 22, 2023
Modified:
October 20, 2023