Slow slip events and megathrust coupling changes reveal the earthquake
potential before the 2020 Mw 7.4 Huatulco, Mexico event
Carlos Villafuerte
Posgrado en Ciencias de la Tierra, Instituto de Geofísica, Universidad Nacional Autónoma de México, Mexico City, Mexico., Posgrado en Ciencias de la Tierra, Instituto de Geofísica, Universidad Nacional Autónoma de México, Mexico City, Mexico., Posgrado en Ciencias de la Tierra, Instituto de Geofísica, Universidad Nacional Autónoma de México, Mexico City, Mexico.
Corresponding Author:[email protected]
Author ProfileVíctor M. Cruz-Atienza
Instituto de Geofísica, Universidad Nacional Autónoma de México, Mexico City, Mexico., Instituto de Geofísica, Universidad Nacional Autónoma de México, Mexico City, Mexico., Instituto de Geofísica, Universidad Nacional Autónoma de México, Mexico City, Mexico., Instituto de Geofísica, Universidad Nacional Autónoma de México, Mexico City, Mexico.
Author ProfileJosué Tago
Facultad de Ingeniería, Universidad Nacional Autónoma de México, Mexico City, Mexico, Facultad de Ingeniería, Universidad Nacional Autónoma de México, Mexico City, Mexico, Facultad de Ingeniería, Universidad Nacional Autónoma de México, Mexico City, Mexico, Facultad de Ingeniería, Universidad Nacional Autónoma de México, Mexico City, Mexico
Author ProfileSara Franco
Instituto de Geofísica, Universidad Nacional Autónoma de México, Mexico City, Mexico., Instituto de Geofísica, Universidad Nacional Autónoma de México, Mexico City, Mexico., Instituto de Geofísica, Universidad Nacional Autónoma de México, Mexico City, Mexico., Instituto de Geofísica, Universidad Nacional Autónoma de México, Mexico City, Mexico.
Author ProfileRicardo Garza-Girón
Department of Earth and Planetary Sciences, University of California, Santa Cruz, USA., Department of Earth and Planetary Sciences, University of California, Santa Cruz, USA., Department of Earth and Planetary Sciences, University of California, Santa Cruz, USA., Department of Earth and Planetary Sciences, University of California, Santa Cruz, USA.
Author ProfileLuis Antonio Dominguez
Escuela Nacional de Estudios Superiores, Campus Morelia, Universidad Nacional Autónoma de México, Mexico, Escuela Nacional de Estudios Superiores, Campus Morelia, Universidad Nacional Autónoma de México, Mexico, Escuela Nacional de Estudios Superiores, Campus Morelia, Universidad Nacional Autónoma de México, Mexico, Escuela Nacional de Estudios Superiores, Campus Morelia, Universidad Nacional Autónoma de México, Mexico
Author ProfileVladimir Kostoglodov
Instituto de Geofísica, Universidad Nacional Autónoma de México, Mexico City, Mexico., Instituto de Geofísica, Universidad Nacional Autónoma de México, Mexico City, Mexico., Instituto de Geofísica, Universidad Nacional Autónoma de México, Mexico City, Mexico., Instituto de Geofísica, Universidad Nacional Autónoma de México, Mexico City, Mexico.
Author ProfileAbstract
The diversity of slip processes occurring in the megathrust indicates
that stress is highly variable in space and time. Based on GNSS and
InSAR data, we study in depth the evolution of the interplate slip-rate
along the Oaxaca subduction zone, Mexico, from October 2016 through
August 2020, including the pre-seismic, coseismic and post-seismic
phases associated with the 2020 Mw 7.4 Huatulco earthquake, to
understand how different slip processes contribute to the stress
accumulation in the region. Our results show that continuous changes in
both the aseismic stress-releasing slip and the coupling produced a high
stress concentration over the main asperity of the Huatulco earthquake
and a stress shadow zone in the adjacent updip region. These findings
may explain both the downdip rupture propagation of the Huatulco
earthquake and its rupture impediment to shallower, tsunamigenic
interface regions, respectively. Time variations of the interplate
coupling around the adjacent 1978 Puerto Escondido rupture zone clearly
correlate with the occurrence of the last three Slow Slip Events (SSEs)
in Oaxaca far downdip of this zone, suggesting that SSEs are
systematically accompanied by interplate coupling counterparts in the
shallower seismogenic zone. In the same period, the interface region of
the 1978 event experienced a remarkably high CFS built-up, imparted by
the co-seismic and early post-seismic slip of the Huatulco rupture,
indicating large earthquake potential near Puerto Escondido. Continuous
monitoring of the interplate slip-rate thus provides a better estimation
of the stress accumulation in the seismogenic regions where future
earthquakes are likely to occur.