Universality of slow earthquakes in the very low frequency band

• Published in: Geophysical research letters Vol. 41; no. 8; pp. 2786 - 2793
• Main Authors: Ide, Satoshi, Yabe, Suguru
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Washington Blackwell Publishing Ltd 28.04.2014; John Wiley & Sons, Inc
• Subjects: Broadband; Deformation; Direction; Earthquakes; Energy; Energy distribution; Frequency dependence; Geophysics; Identification; Low frequency; Mathematical analysis; Nankai; Plate motion; Plate tectonics; Plates (tectonics); Regions; scaled energy; Seismic activity; Seismic energy; Seismograms; Seismology; Shear; Slip; slow earthquake; Spatial distribution; Spatial variations; Stacking; Subduction; Subduction (geology); Subduction zones; tectonic tremor; Tensors; Time measurement; Tremors; Vectors; Very Low Frequencies; very low frequency; VLF
• ISSN: 0094-8276; 1944-8007
• DOI: 10.1002/2014GL059712

Deep tectonic tremors have been observed together with signals in the very low frequency (VLF) band from 0.02 to 0.05 Hz, which have been identified as VLF events in limited regions of subduction zones. By stacking broadband seismograms relative to the timing of tremors, we have detected similar signals in all regions where tremors occur in western Japan. These signals are inverted to obtain the moment tensor, and the fault‐normal and slip vectors are generally consistent with the geometry of the plate interface and the direction of plate motion. Therefore, these signals are probably radiated by shear slip on the plate interface. The ratio between the seismic energy rate estimated from the tremors and seismic moment rate in the VLF band is almost proportional, with a proportionality constant (i.e., scaled energy) of around 5 × 10−10. The spatial distribution of scaled energy may reflect spatial variations in the frequency‐dependent characteristics of slow deformation. Key Points Detection of hidden signals in the VLF band by stacking broadband tremor signalsSpatial distribution of moment tensor for all tremor regions in western JapanProportionality between tremor energy and VLF seismic moment