loading page

Evidence for a Listric Wasatch Fault From the 2020 Magna, Utah, Earthquake Sequence
  • +12
  • Guanning Pang,
  • Keith D. Koper,
  • Maria Mesimeri,
  • Kristine L. Pankow,
  • Ben Baker,
  • Jamie Farrell,
  • James Holt,
  • John Mark Hale,
  • Paul Roberson,
  • Relu Burlacu,
  • James C. Pechmann,
  • Katherine Whidden,
  • Monique Holt,
  • Amir Allam,
  • Christiopher DuRoss
Guanning Pang
University of Utah
Author Profile
Keith D. Koper
University of Utah

Corresponding Author:[email protected]

Author Profile
Maria Mesimeri
University of Utah
Author Profile
Kristine L. Pankow
University of Utah
Author Profile
Ben Baker
University of Utah
Author Profile
Jamie Farrell
University of Utah
Author Profile
James Holt
University of Utah
Author Profile
John Mark Hale
University of Utah
Author Profile
Paul Roberson
University of Utah
Author Profile
Relu Burlacu
University of Utah
Author Profile
James C. Pechmann
University of Utah
Author Profile
Katherine Whidden
University of Utah
Author Profile
Monique Holt
University of Utah
Author Profile
Amir Allam
University of Utah
Author Profile
Christiopher DuRoss
U.S. Geological Survey
Author Profile

Abstract

The 18 March 2020 M 5.7 Magna earthquake near Salt Lake City, Utah, offers a rare glimpse into the subsurface geometry of the Wasatch fault system—one of the world’s longest active normal faults and a major source of seismic hazard in northern Utah. We analyze the Magna earthquake sequence and resolve oblique-normal slip on a shallow (30–35º) west-dipping fault at ~9–12 km depth. Combined with near-surface geological observations of steep dip (~70º), our results support a curved, or listric, fault shape. High-precision aftershock locations show the activation of multiple, low-angle (<30º) structures, indicating the existence of a complicated fault system. Our observations provide the first direct evidence for the deep structure of the Wasatch fault system, and suggest that ground shaking in the Salt Lake City region in future Wasatch fault earthquakes may be higher than previously estimated.