loading page

Seasonal Modulation of Deep Slow-slip and Earthquakes on the Main Himalayan Thrust
  • +6
  • Dibyashakti Panda,
  • Bhaskar Kundu,
  • Vineet K Gahalaut,
  • Roland Burgmann,
  • Birendra Jha,
  • Renuhaa Asaithambi,
  • Rajeev Kumar Yadav,
  • Naresh Krishna Vissa,
  • Amit Bansal
Dibyashakti Panda
Department of Earth and Atmospheric Sciences, NIT Rourkela, India

Corresponding Author:[email protected]

Author Profile
Bhaskar Kundu
Department of Earth and Atmospheric Sciences, NIT Rourkela, India
Author Profile
Vineet K Gahalaut
NCS, Ministry of Earth Sciences, New Delhi, India
Author Profile
Roland Burgmann
Dept. of Earth and Planetary Science, Univ. of California, Berkeley, USA
Author Profile
Birendra Jha
University of Southern California, USA
Author Profile
Renuhaa Asaithambi
University of Southern California, USA
Author Profile
Rajeev Kumar Yadav
Institute of Seismological Research, Gujarat, India
Author Profile
Naresh Krishna Vissa
Department of Earth and Atmospheric Sciences, NIT Rourkela, India
Author Profile
Amit Bansal
CSIR-NGRI, Hyderabad, India
Author Profile

Abstract

We explore seasonal mass oscillations by continental water storage in Southeast Asia and Himalayan arc region using continuous Global Positioning System (cGPS) measurements and satellite data from the Gravity Recovery and Climate Experiment (GRACE). While the interaction between seasonally induced non-tectonic and tectonic deformation along the Himalayan plate boundary is still debated, we propose that tectonic deformation along this plate boundary can be significantly influenced by the deformation induced by the non-tectonic hydrological loading cycles. We suggest that the substantially higher transient displacements above the base of the seismogenic zone indicate a role of changes in aseismic slip rate on the deep megathrust that may be controlled by seasonal hydrological loading. We invoke modulation of aseismic slip on the megathrust down-dip of the seismogenic zone due to a fault resonance process induced by the seasonal stress changes. This process modulates mid-crustal ramp associated micro-seismicity and influences the timing of Central Himalayan earthquakes.
08 Oct 2018Published in Nature Communications volume 9 issue 1. 10.1038/s41467-018-06371-2