Absence of Remotely Triggered Large Earthquakes: A Geometric Explanation

Authors

Laxman Bokati, The University of Texas at El PasoFollow
Aaron A. Velasco, The University of Texas at El PasoFollow
Vladik Kreinovich, The University of Texas at El PasoFollow

Publication Date

5-2020

Comments

Technical Report: UTEP-CS-20-45

To appear in: Martine Ceberio and Vladik Kreinovich (eds.), How Uncertainty-Related Ideas Can Provide Theoretical Explanation for Empirical Dependencies, Springer, Cham, Switzerland.

Abstract

It is known that seismic waves from a large earthquake can trigger earthquakes in distant locations. Some of the triggered earthquakes are strong themselves. Interestingly, strong triggered earthquakes only happen within a reasonably small distance (less than 1000 km) from the original earthquake. Even catastrophic earthquakes do not trigger any strong earthquakes beyond this distance. In this paper, we provide a possible geometric explanation for this phenomenon.