The complex dynamics of the 2023 Kahramanmaraş, Turkey, Mw 7.8-7.7 earthquake doublet
TYPE OF PUBLICATION
Article in journal
AUTHORS
Jia, Z., Jin, Z., Marchandon, M., Ulrich, T., Gabriel, A.-A., Fan, W., Shearer, P., Zou, X., Rekoske, J., Bulut, F., Garagon, A., & Fialko, Y.
TITLE OF THE JOURNAL
Science
YEAR OF PUBLICATION
2023
DOI
https://doi.org/10.1016/j.future.2023.04.006
ABSTRACT
The destructive 2023 moment magnitude (Mw) 7.8-7.7 earthquake doublet ruptured multiple segments of the East Anatolian Fault system in Turkey. We integrated multiscale seismic and space-geodetic observations with multifault kinematic inversions and dynamic rupture modeling to unravel the events’ complex rupture history and stress-mediated fault interactions. Our analysis reveals three subshear slip episodes during the initial Mw 7.8 earthquake with a delayed rupture initiation to the southwest. The Mw 7.7 event occurred 9 hours later with a larger slip and supershear rupture on its western branch. Mechanically consistent dynamic models accounting for fault interactions can explain the unexpected rupture paths and require a heterogeneous background stress. Our results highlight the importance of combining near- and far-field observations with data-driven and physics-based models for seismic hazard assessment.