Near-simultaneous great earthquakes at Tongan megathrust and outer rise in September 2009
Beavan, J.; Wang, X.; Holden, C.; Wilson, K.; Power, W.; Prasetya, G.; Bevis, M.; Kautoke, R. (2010). Near-simultaneous great earthquakes at Tongan megathrust and outer rise in September 2009. Nature (Lond.) 466(7309): 959-963. https://dx.doi.org/10.1038/nature09292
In: Nature: International Weekly Journal of Science. Nature Publishing Group: London. ISSN 0028-0836; e-ISSN 1476-4687, more
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| Keywords |
Hazards > Geological hazards > Earthquakes
ISE, Tonga
Marine/Coastal |
| Authors | | Top |
- Beavan, J.
- Wang, X.
- Holden, C.
- Wilson, K.
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- Power, W.
- Prasetya, G.
- Bevis, M.
- Kautoke, R.
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| Abstract |
On 29 September 2009, a tsunami devastated the Samoan and northern Tongan islands. It is shown here that an unusual earthquake sequence preceded this tsunami. A magnitude-8 earthquake in the outer-rise intraplate region occurred almost simultaneously with rupture of the shallow subduction interplate interface, equivalent to a magnitude-8 earthquake. The findings provide information on strain release mechanisms at subduction zones, and a possible mechanism for the occasional large tsunamis generated at the Tonga subduction zone. |
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