Collaborative Research: Patterns of Serial Fault Rupture in Taiwan

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Abstract for proposals EAR0107114 and EAR0106827 (PH #39x)Title: Collaborative Research: Patterns of Serial Fault Rupture in TaiwanPI's: Charles M. Rubin, Central Washington Univ (EAR0107114) and Kerry Sieh, CalTech (EAR0106827)ABSTRACT OF PROPOSED WORKUnderstanding the sequential rupture of faults is one of the fundamental goals in earthquake science. Simply stated, the question is: How do ruptures repeat on a fault and on systems of faults? Although this question is at the heart of both practical and academic aspects of our science, it remains largely unanswered, mostly because data are difficult to obtain. Three of the most important issues are 1) How regular are intervals between fault ruptures? 2) How repeatable is the pattern of slip on a fault? 3) How does geologic structure influence fault rupture? These are questions we propose to begin to tackle through paleoseismic and neotectonic studies in Taiwan. During our first year, our reconnaissance work would focus on paleoseismic investigations along the 1999 rupture of the Chelungpu fault and on preparation of a neotectonic and earthquake source map of all of Taiwan. The record of prehistoric seismicity along the Chelungpu at one site we hope to begin to test a few plausible hypotheses, ranging from unpatterned or random recurrence to highly clustered behavior. If successful, our work will justify continued work on understanding of earthquake faults and provide constraints on theoretical models of fault interaction. Our neotectonic earthquake source map will provide the context for future studies of fault behavior there.