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EARTHQUAKE ›› 2009, Vol. 29 ›› Issue (1): 60-67.

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Load/Unload Response Ratio Analysis of the Wenchuan Aftershock Sequence

ZHANG Lang-ping1,2, YIN Xiang-chu1,3, ZHUANG Jian-cang4, ZHANG Xiao-tao5, YUAN Shuai1,3, LIANG Nai-gang1   

  1. 1. LNM, Institute of Mechanics, CAS, Beijing 100190, China;
    2. Institute of Earthquake Science, CEA, Beijing 100036, China;
    3. Graduate University of CAS, Beijing 100190, China;
    4. Institute of Statistical Mathematics, Tokyo 106-8569, Japan;
    5. China Earthquake Networks Center, CEA, Beijing 100036, China
  • Received:2008-09-28 Revised:2008-10-23 Online:2009-01-31 Published:2021-10-15

Abstract: On 12 May 2008, Wenchuan earthquake with magnitude MS8.0 occurred in Sichuan, China. Because of the different focal mechanisms, we divide the distribution region of Wenchuan aftershocks into two parts, namely the southwest part and the northeast part, which are analysed using the Load/Unload Response Ratio (LURR) method separately. The results showed that LURR-values in both the two parts are obviously smaller than 1.0 after the main shock, so the Wenchuan earthquake can be determined to be the usual mainshock-aftershock type. On the other hand, before the occurrence of strong aftershocks (M≥5.0) in the sequence, the LURR-values show anomalies of high values and most strong aftershocks occurred after LURR experienced a peak value. Considering the temporal clustering and spatial concentration of aftershock sequences after the occurrence of most major earthquakes, an improved version of LURR combining the epidemic-type aftershock sequence (ETAS) model is applied to the analyses of the sequence in the first 15 days after the main shock. The results showed that the new LURR can eliminate the fluctuations caused by aftershock clusters to some extent and is better for forecasting strong aftershocks.

Key words: Load/Unload Response Ratio (LURR), Strong aftershock forecast, ETAS model, Wenchuan earthquake

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