Call for Papers, 2006 WPGM S12: Fault-Zone Properties and Behaviors in Earthquakes

########### Call for Papers for 2006 WPGM Session S12 #############

Dear Colleagues:

Please take note of the following special session (S12) "Fault-Zone Properties and Behaviors in Earthquakes" of the upcoming Western Pacific Geophysics Meeting (WPGM) in Beijing, China, 24 - 27 July 2006. More information about the meeting is available at:

http://www.agu.org/meetings/wp06/

A description of the session is below. The submission deadline for WPGM abstracts is March 16th:

http://submissions3.agu.org/submission/entrance.asp

If you have any questions about the session please get in touch.

best regards

Aochi Hideo Aochi (h.aochi@brgm.fr)
Yong-Gang Li (ygli@usc.edu)
Peter Malin (malin@duke.edu)
Kinya Nishigami (nishigam@rcep.dpri.kyoto-u.ac.jp)

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SESSION DESCRIPTION:

S12: Fault-Zone Properties and Behaviors in Earthquakes

In this session, we will discuss and document the features of fault zones that effect earthquake physics. Accurate determination of fault-zone properties is essential for studies of earthquake sources and the deformational fields. The extent of fault weakness compared to surrounding bedrock and the loss and recouping of strength across the earthquake cycle are critical ingredients in fault mechanics. Physics-based earthquake-cycle and rupture modeling requires knowledge of fault heterogeneities in space and time as changes in properties are likely to control earthquake nucleation and slip distributions. Likewise, the distribution of seismicity on faults and the possibilities for earthquake forecasting and prediction should also depend on fault structure and physical state. Recent advances have been made in observations and theories of maximum earthquake shaking and time evolution of parameters that control earthquake physics. These efforts have been focused on understanding processes controlling earthquake space-time-magnitude distributions, earthquake slip dynamics, and fault zone geometry, heterogeneity, and stress variations. These processes appear to include fault/fluid interactions and frictional properties. The session will focus on measurements and inferences of on-fault and near-fault stresses, slip-zone thicknesses, fine-scale fault-zone geometries, fault-adjacent damages, and fluid contents at seismogenic depths. Contributions from both practical and theoretical studies will be welcome.