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Start of funding 01.07.2001
Simulation of earthquakes on supercomputers
Prof. Dr. Heiner Igel
Ludwig-Maximilians-University of Munich
Fakultät für Geophysik - Department Geo- und Umweltwissenschaften
Prof. Dr. Yehuda Ben-Zion
University of Southern California, Los Angeles
Department of Earth Sciences
One of the biggest unsolved problems in the Earth Sciences is the understanding of the earthquake rupture process. Novel computational methods combined with high-performance computers allows us today to simulate the complexity of the earthquake rupture process. We propose to combine the simulation of earthquake rupture and seismic wave propagation in order to study the effects of 3D structure, fault plane geometry and regional stress field on the ground motion radiated during the earthquake process. The aim is (1) to gain understanding on the behavior of earthquakes and (2) to accurately simulate ground motion due to realistic earthquakes scenarios. In the long term this will lead to regional maps of seismic hazard for areas at risk from strong earthquake ground motion (LA basin, SF basin, Cologne basin, etc.).
Final report:
This project was supposed to intensify the cooperation between the LMU and the University of Southern California (Southern California Earthquake Center). The cooperation led to several joint publications on seismic wave propagation in fault zones. These studies were carried out using simulation methods that were developed in Munich, ideally complementing the expertise on earthquake rupture processes at USC. The travel costs were spent partly by two masters students who worked on the projects. Both these students are now continuing their studies in PhD projects (one in New Zealand, one at ETH Zurich). The funds were also used to develop new contacts with CalTech (LA) and SCRIPPS (La Jolla). This has led to intensive collaboration between the Munich based EU SPICE project (www.spice-rtn.org) and the CalTech based project CIG (www.geodynamics.org). Further collaboration is just starting with SCRIPPS on the observation of earthquake-induced rotational motions.