Resources
BackgroundActivities
Spaghetti Asperity
Vocabulary
Related Animations
Elastic Rebound in a Strike-slip Fault
Elastic Rebound in a Subduction Zone
Asperities
- Animations are available for preview in embedded YouTube.
- To download, right click the 'Quicktime Animation' link and choose 'Save Target As' (PC) or 'Download Linked File' (Mac).
Multiple Asperities on a Strike-Slip Fault Plane
Oblique view of a right-lateral strike-slip fault with multiple asperities. When one asperity slips, there is an added load on the adjoining asperities. In a large earthquake there is a cascading effect as each zone that slips loads the next zone, which then slips, and so forth, sometime for hundreds of miles, in a process that can continue for 5 or more minutes. Narration by John C. Lahr taken from the "Spaghetti Vice" video lecture below.
Simple Models of Fault Movement with Single Asperity, High Friction, and Little or No Friction
Single Asperity Along Fault Zone
View looking into a fault zone with a single asperity. Regional right lateral strain puts stress on the fault zone. A single asperity resists movement of the green line which deforms before finally rupturing.
Low-friction Fault Zones
View looking into right- and left-lateral fault with low friction along fault contact. There is no deformation of the rock adjacent to contact.
Quicktime- Left Lateral (260 Kb)
Quicktime- Right Lateral (260 Kb)
John Lahr Demonstrates Asperities Along a Strike-Slip Fault
Animations By Jenda Johnson. Please send any comments or questions to .(JavaScript must be enabled to view this email address)
