RAPID: Quake-Catcher Network: Rapid Aftershock Mobilization Program (QCN RAMP)

Stanford University, Stanford CA

Investigators

Abstract

This rapid response proposal will install 50 strong motion sensors to investigate the aftershock sequence resulting from the February 27, 2010 M 8.8 earthquake in Chile. Aftershock sequences are transitory, with the rate and magnitude of aftershocks decaying rapidly with time, requiring prompt deployment of instrumentation to capture the sequence. The PIs intend to use new computational techniques and lowcost MEMS sensors implemented by the Quake-Catcher Network to install 50 strong motion tri-axial accelerometers in the region. The proposed work will benefit earthquake seismology and its application to rupture dynamics, strong ground motion generation, and near-source strong ground motion amplification effects. The data produced by this proposal may help enable us to determine how aftershocks interact with each other. The data may also help demonstrate if large aftershocks significantly differ from the main shock and/or each other in the rupture properties and slip distribution. The rupture occurred in the vicinity of the largest earthquake ever recorded (M9.5 on May 22, 1960), making this region particularly important to understanding earthquake rupture properties and aftershock distributions. Additional benefit will result from testing this new technology in a rapid response scenario. If this experiment is successful, future experiments with ongoing improvements to sensors and our distributed computing network will allow for extremely dense and rapid aftershock deployments. Through the work proposed here we hope to better understand the limitations and benefits of using a distributed computing network for rapid aftershock investigations and investigate the feasibility of utilizing such a deployment for earthquake advanced alert in the future.