Türkiye's 2023 earthquake doublet ruptured faults at dramatically different speeds
In short: Seismologists who analyzed GNSS and strong-motion data from the February 2023 Türkiye earthquake doublet found that the magnitude-7.8 quake began on a previously unmapped fault before jumping onto the East Anatolian Fault, while the magnitude-7.6 quake tore along a second fault at sharply contrasting speeds in opposite directions.
Using relocated aftershocks and kinematic rupture models built from satellite and seismic station data, the team estimated rupture speeds up to 4.8 kilometres per second in one direction versus 2.8 in the other, with peak slip reaching about 8 metres. The analysis covers only this one earthquake sequence, so how typical such speed contrasts are remains unclear.
Why it matters: Even within a single earthquake doublet, rupture speed can vary enormously, revealing how complex multi-fault earthquakes can be.
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Sources
- Source: Research: Melgar et al. (2023). Sub- and super-shear ruptures during the 2023 Mw 7.8 and Mw 7.6 earthquake doublet in SE Türkiye. Seismica. · cc-by
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