Crustal deformation due to non-uniform slip along a long fault

Abstract

The problem of the static deformation of a homogeneous, isotropic, perfectly elastic half-space caused by non-uniform slip along vertical strike-slip and dip-slip faults of infinite length and finite depth is studied. Four slip profiles are considered: elliptic b=b₀(1 -h²/L²)^1/2; parabolic b=b₀(1-h²/L²); linear b=b₀(1-h/L); and cubic b=b₀(1-h²/L²)^3/2; where b is the slip at depth h, b₀ is the surface slip and L is the fault depth. The deformation corresponding to the four non-uniform slip profiles is compared with the deformation due to a uniform slip, assuming the source potency ∫ ^L₀b(h) dh to be the same. The parity in source potency is achieved by varying the fault-depth L, keeping the surface-slip b₀ constant. Contour maps showing the displacement and stress fields around a long, vertical, strike-slip fault are also obtained. It is found that the effect of the non-uniformity of slip on the subsurface deformation is significant in the near field. The surface deformation is affected by the non-uniformity to a lower extent.