Earthquake Sources

Abstract

Figure 7.1 Mathematical idealization of an “earthquake fault.” In this case we have an elastic material in which we induce a shear strain inside a tabular body. The opposing surfaces of the tabular body are offset by the induced shear strain. We then shrink the thickness of the tabular body to zero, but increase the shear strain so that the net offset is constant; that is, we make the shear strain an impulse in the z-coordinate.