Romain Jolivet on the 2023 Turkey-Syria Earthquakes

Glossary

aseismic slip — often called fault creep, the slower surface displacement along faults that occurs between earthquakes

block boundary fault — a fault that bounds a lithospheric plate

brittle-ductile transition — a transition zone of the Earth's crust from the brittle upper crust to the more ductile lower crust

Coulomb friction — classical dry frictional force parallel to the contacting surfaces, caused by the roughness of the material surfaces

Mercalli Intensity Scale — an earthquake intensity scale based on observed physical disruptions, related to peak acceleration during the earthquake

seismic moment – a measure of the size of an earthquake, used especially for large earthquakes

left-lateral fault – a strike-slip fault on which the displacement of the far block is to the left when viewed from either side

right-lateral fault – a strike-slip fault on which the displacement of the far block is to the right when viewed from either side

dip slip earthquake – also called normal fault earthquake, occurring along an inclined fault plane in which the rock mass above the inclined fault plane moves down with respect to the lower block

thrust fault earthquakes – also called reverse fault earthquakes, occurring along an inclined fault plane in which the rock mass above the inclined fault plane moves up over the lower block

slab rollback – retreat and steepening of a downgoing tectonic plate at a subduction zone

static triggering – static stress change imposed by a first earthquake causing a second earthquake to occur

dynamic triggering – seismic waves radiated by a first earthquake causing a second earthquake to occur