Title: Investigating the Physical Mechanism of Low-Frequency Earthquakes through Seismic Observations
Abstract: Numerous studies have sought to interpret the intriguing characteristics of low-frequency earthquakes (LFEs) and tectonic tremor in relation to regular earthquakes. In subduction zones, both phenomena result from shear slip between the subducting and overriding plates in the direction of plate motion, yet the physical mechanisms that govern their generation remain unclear. Two end-member hypotheses have been proposed. A fixed-patch model suggests that LFEs originate from persistent slip at specific locations of mechanical heterogeneity. In contrast, the stochastic model envisions slip fluctuations across the entire fault, with each location slipping randomly according to a probability function. Our objective is to analyze seismic observations of tremor and LFEs to better constrain the underlying physical processes.
Biography: My name is Chao Song, and I am currently the Earthquake Hazards Postdoctoral Fellow at the University of Texas Institute for Geophysics (UTIG), working with Dr. Thorsten Becker. Prior to joining UTIG in Fall 2024, I earned my Ph.D. in Geosciences from Princeton University under the supervision of Dr. Allan M. Rubin. I received my M.S. in Geophysics from Peking University in 2018, advised by Dr. Zengxi Ge, and my B.S. from Wuhan University in 2015. My research interests include low-frequency earthquakes, tectonic tremor, slow earthquakes, earthquake source mechanisms, and rupture processes.
To join virtually: Zoom
Contact: chao.song@jsg.utexas.edu
Website: https://ig.utexas.edu/staff/chao-song/
Recording: Zoom Recording (will be available within a week after the seminar)