Geodetic observations of post-seismic transients in the context of the earthquake deformation cycle

Abstract

Satellite geodetic techniques that can measure displacements with millimeter-level accuracy reveal transient signals in the deformation fields produced by both moderate and large earthquakes. These post-seismic signals exhibit characteristic time scales ranging from weeks to decades and distance scales from hundreds of meters to hundreds of kilometers. By considering them in the context of the earthquake deformation cycle, we can test hypotheses about the processes driving them and constrain the rheology of the lithosphere. We discuss three broad categories of mechanism: afterslip in the plane of the co-seismic rupture (analogous to a rubber eraser), fluid flow in the fault zone (analogous to a water-laden sponge), and ductile flow in a weak substrate (analogous to a pot of honey).