Origin of slow earthquake statistics in low-friction soft granular shear.

ABSTRACT: Slow earthquakes differ from regular earthquakes in their slower moment release and size distribution dominated by smaller events. However, the physical origin of these slow earthquake statistics remains controversial. In this work, we experimentally demonstrate that their characteristics emerge from low-friction soft granular shear. To model slow-earthquake fault materials under hydrothermal conditions, we use a low-friction soft hydrogel particle layer floating on lubricating fluid and conduct stick-slip experiments. The observed slip events follow the same laws of both moment release rate and size distribution as with slow earthquakes, contrasting with frictional rigid granular shear. Slip size is determined by the competing effects of shear localization and pressure enhancement with de

SUBMITTER: Sasaki Y 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC12669249 | biostudies-literature | 2025 Dec

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature