Earthquake Science's Maxwell Demons
Professor Emily Brodsky
Abstract: The basic principles of the earthquake cycle have been understood for over a century. Tectonic motion loads faults and the energy is released in sudden slip events. Why, then, do we lack the predictive understanding that is the gold standard of scientific inquiry? Two factors are commonly blamed for the lack of ability to anticipate or even explain many observations about the earthquake cycle. One is the ubiquitous role of fluids in the faults, and the other is the complex heterogeneity of the system. Here, I will discuss how we can approach both problems quantitatively. For the fluid problem, we will examine borehole data of fluid motion in response to earthquakes and inside fault zones. For the heterogeneity problem, we will examine the direct measures of the variability in the Earth, such as fault topography and the statistics of triggered earthquakes. We will also use analog experiments in the laboratory to guide our thinking about the controls and relevant observations that might crack open the earthquake problem.
This event will be available in person and online via Zoom. To register for the online component, click here!
