What the study found
Large strike-slip earthquakes can show a stopping phase, meaning a pattern in near-field ground motion that marks abrupt rupture arrest. In this study, a transient overshoot in fault-parallel ground surface displacement was identified as a robust sign of rupture stopping.
Why the authors say this matters
The authors conclude that these stopping phases help reveal where and when earthquake rupture stops, which the abstract says is important for understanding earthquake magnitude. The findings indicate that large strike-slip earthquakes may rupture in a segmented manner, with rupture stopping and restarting at internal fault-segment boundaries.
What the researchers tested
The researchers analyzed near-field seismic records from 12 global large strike-slip earthquakes. They also used dynamic rupture simulations to examine how near-field ground motions are affected by shallow low-wavespeed rocks, meaning rocks that let seismic waves travel more slowly.
What worked and what didn't
The analysis found that transient overshoot in fault-parallel surface displacement was a robust diagnostic signature of abrupt termination of rupture propagation. The simulations showed that low-wavespeed rocks at shallow depth strongly amplified near-field ground motions and increased the displacement overshoot recorded at the surface. The stopping phases were observed at near-fault locations far from mapped rupture termini.
What to keep in mind
The abstract does not describe detailed limitations beyond the fact that the study relies on 12 global events and near-field observations. The summary available here does not state uncertainty estimates or whether the findings apply beyond large strike-slip earthquakes.
Key points
- A transient overshoot in fault-parallel ground surface displacement was identified as a robust sign of rupture arrest.
- The study examined near-field observations from 12 global large strike-slip earthquakes.
- Dynamic rupture simulations showed that shallow low-wavespeed rocks amplified near-field ground motions and the surface displacement overshoot.
- Stopping phases were observed at near-fault locations far from mapped rupture termini.
- The findings indicate that large strike-slip earthquakes may rupture in a segmented manner, with abrupt arrest and reinitiation.
Disclosure
- Research title:
- Stopping phases mark abrupt arrest in large strike-slip earthquakes
- Authors:
- Jesse Kearse, Yoshihiro Kaneko
- Institutions:
- Kyoto University, Victoria University of Wellington
- Publication date:
- 2026-04-23
- OpenAlex record:
- View
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