The Stress Cycle of Large Earthquakes

这项研究试图确定中美洲俯冲带地震的应力循环参数。这项工作将把观测到的地震活动的时间和空间模式与板块俯冲的理论模型结合起来。这些模型将受到来自当地和全球地震仪的水深、地震活动和断层机制数据的约束。将通过比较墨西哥近海中美洲海沟相对简单的区域与中美洲和智利近海较为复杂的区域来评估几何和耦合对观测地震活动的相对影响。这项研究的主要目标是定义地震周期，以期利用所产生的模型来预测俯冲带的地震。因此，它直接适用于国家防震减灾规划。

This research seeks to determine the parameters of the stress cycle of earthquakes along the Central American subduction zone. The work will integrate observed temporal and spatial seismicity patterns with theoretical models of plate subduction. The models will be constrained with bathymetric, seismicity, and fault mechanism data from local and global seismographs. The relative influences of geometry and coupling on observed seismicity will be evaluated via comparisons of the relatively simple regime of the Middle America Trench offshore Mexico with the more complex regions offshore Central America and Chile. This research has as its main goal the definition of the earthquake cycle in anticipation of utilizing the resultant model for prediction of earthquakes at subduction zones. It is therefore directly applicable to the National Earthquake Hazard Reduction Program.