A frictional-viscous-mixing fault model and its implications for a
single slow slip event rupture
Abstract
Recent geological observations imply that slow slip events (SSEs) occur
in fault zones with a finite thickness of ~100s of
meters. The bulk matrix of the fault zone deforms viscously, while
pervasive frictional surfaces are distributed in the viscous matrix. In
this theoretical study, we investigate the rupture behaviors of a
frictional-viscous-mixing fault model and explore its potential to
generate a single SSE. To simultaneously consider both the
10s-kilometer-scale rupture propagations and the 100s-meter-scale
“frictional-viscous” features in the same model, we treat a fault zone
as a zero-thickness “surface” embedded in an elastic medium. The
“frictional-viscous” characteristics are parameterized into a
constitutive relation, or “friction law”, where fault strength is
partitioned into a frictional and a viscous component. For simplicity,
the frictional strength is set to be slip weakening, while the viscous
strength increases linearly as the bulk shear rate (slip rate)
increases. We explore the rupture behaviors of the above model both
analytically and numerically. We find that: 1. Final slip is
proportional to the static stress drop and slipping area length, as in
fast earthquakes. Peak slip rate increases with dynamic frictional
stress drop, while a high viscous coefficient can significantly reduce
slip rate, leading to slow slip behaviors. 2. Rupture propagation speed
is mainly controlled by the radiation damping factor and viscous
coefficient and can be significantly reduced compared to typical fast
earthquakes when the viscous coefficient is high. 3. The slip rate decay
time increases with the viscous coefficient and slipping area length,
which eventually predicts M~T^3 scaling. When
frictional stress drop is ~1MPa and the viscous
coefficient is smaller than the radiation damping factor μ/(2β), the
above models predict the fast slip behavior of regular fast earthquakes.
Our model predicts slow slip behaviors in a wide range of parameter
space when stress drop is low and viscous coefficient is high. In
particular, a frictional strength drop of ~10 kPa and
viscous coefficient of 10^4-10^5 μ/(2β) can simultaneously explain
many independent characteristic rupture parameters of SSEs. Our model
can be further tested with future geophysical, geological, and
experimental data.