Inclined strike-slip fault in a two layered model of the lithosphere-asthenosphere system

English Abstract:

The lithosphere-asthenosphere system has been represented by layered viscoelastic media consisting of a viscoelastic layer of Maxwell type overlying a viscoelastic half space of liner viscoelastic solid. A long inclined surface breaking strike-slip fault is taken to be situated in the first layer. The medium is taken to be under the action of a tectonic forces arising due to different tectonic phenomena such as mantle convection etc. Expressions for displacement, stresses and strain are obtained during the aseismic period in between two major seismic events. Stresses are found to accumulate near the fault leading to a sudden movement across it resulting in an earthquake. The movement across the fault effect the nature of stress accumulation in the region. In this paper an attempt has been made to obtained and estimate of time to the next major event. Such studies are directly associated with the prediction of an impending earthquake in a medium which has non-homogeneous character.