X2 (2020-2022): High Resolution Imaging of the Pedernales Earthquake Rupture zone

• Karlsruhe Institute of Technology (KIT GPI), Germany

Understanding the physical processes that control the behavior of subduction zone megathrust faults remains one of the outstanding challenges in Earth sciences. These faults generate the largest earthquakes and giant tsunami (e.g. Mw 9.5 Chile 1960, Mw 9.2 Alaska 1964, Sumatra 2004 Mw 9.1, Mw 9.0 Tohoku 2011). Furthermore, deformation along megathrust faults is ultimately responsible for mountain building processes which generate the longest and tallest mountain ranges on Earth and therefore shaping Earth surface and climate and contributing to mineral concentration of major economic and strategic importance. A broad spectrum of slip behavior along the plate interface has been observed in a number of subduction zones, a direct link between seismic properties and slip behavior still remains elusive, although necessary for improved seismic hazard assessment.
The subduction margin along Ecuador and the 2016 Pedernales earthquake where spatial heterogeneities exist on slip behavior provide an excellent opportunity to link seismic properties to slip behavior and to assess the role of structural and seismic asperities and slow slip in subduction zone megathrust rupture. We therefore deployed a dense of array of broadband and short period seismic station along the northern Ecuadorian subduction margin together wit a large passive and active seismic experiment offshore as part of a joined French/German experiment.

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