SGER Collaborative Research: Seismic and Geodetic Deployment in Anticipation of a Predicted Slow Earthquake at Kilauea Volcano

SGER资助了一项地震和大地测量实验，以捕捉预计于2007年3月17日发生在基拉韦厄火山侧翼的缓慢地震（SE）的特征。该实验将暂时加强基拉韦厄的地震和大地测量网，以澄清下一个基拉韦厄东南地震带形变与触发地震活动性之间的关系。在过去的十年里，基拉韦沃火山的南侧至少发生了7次缓慢（或“无声”）地震（SEs），这些地震是由连续的GPS （CGPS）数据确定的。SEs可以分为“西方”和“东方”家族，由相似的水平运动模式定义，其中，西方家族是周期性的，间隔774±7天（Brooks et al., 2006）。周期性的SEs在同一地点触发了一群明显的微地震。目前对于微地震是发生在区域沉降上还是可能发生在较浅的构造水平上存在一些分歧。解决这种差异是很重要的，因为微震活动的位置可以用来帮助限制位置，并进一步我们对se本身的机制理解。引起缓慢滑动和相关震颤的物理过程是地震科学家正在进行的深入研究的主题。观察和对理论解释的探索激发了一些具有挑衅性和潜在重要性的假设。这项工作将增加可能有助于区分机制的重要数据。

This SGER funds a seismic and geodetic experiment to capture thecharacteristics of an anticipated slow earthquake (SE) predicted to occur on the flanks ofKilauea volcano on March 17, 2007. The experiment would temporarily densify the seismic and geodetic networks at Kilauea in order to clarify the relationship between SE deformation and triggered seismicity during the next Kilauea SE. In the past decade, Kilaueavolcano's south flank has been the site of at least 7 slow (or 'silent') earthquakes (SEs)identified with continuous GPS (CGPS) data. The SEs can be divided into 'Western' and 'Eastern' families defined by similarpatterns of horizontal motions and, of these, theWestern family are periodic and separated by 774 +/-7 day periods (Brooks et al., 2006). Adistinct swarm of micoearthquakes is triggered in the same place by the periodic SEs. There is currently some disagreement about whethermicroearthquakes occur on the regional decollement orpotentially at shallower structural levels. Resolving the discrepancy isimportant because the location of the microseismicity could be used to help constrain thelocation and further our mechanistic understanding of the SEs themselves.The physical processes giving rise to the slow slip and associated tremor are the subject ofintensive ongoing research by the community of earthquake scientists. The observations andsearch for theoretical explanations have stimulated some provocative and potentiallyimportant hypotheses. This work would add vital data that may help to distinguish between mechanisms.