Abstract

Deep tectonic tremor (also known as non-volcanic tremor) has been observed along many major plate boundary faults around the world. It occurs primarily below the seismic-aseismic transition zone in the lower crust and is extremely sensitive to external stress perturbations. In this talk, I summarize tremor observations around the world. So far tremor is mostly found along major subduction zones and strike-slip fault systems around the Pacific Rim. Elsewhere, it is observed only in selected regions along the Sumatra-Java subduction zones, and western portion of the Alpine-Himalaya orogenic belt. I focus primarily on tremor triggered instantaneously by surface waves of remote earthquakes, because it is relatively easy to observe and hence allows us to quickly map out the tremor source region. A better mapping of tremor distribution can improve our understand of the ambient conditions that host tremor and its physical mechanism.

Additional Reading: Peng and Gomberg (2010): An integrated perspective of the continuum between earthquakes and slow-slip phenomena, Nature Geosci., 3, 599–607, doi:10.1038/ngeo940. http://geophysics.eas.gatech.edu/zpeng/zpeng_paper/Peng_Gomberg_NGEO_2010.pdf

Behr and Burgmann (2021): What’s down there? The structures, materials and environment of deep-seated slow slip and tremorPhil. Trans. R. Soc. A.3792020021820200218 https://royalsocietypublishing.org/doi/10.1098/rsta.2020.0218