Neotectonics of the Sumatran fault, Indonesia

The 1900-km-long, trench-parallel Sumatran fault accommodates a significant amount of the right-lateral component of oblique convergence between the Eurasian and Indian/Australian plates from 10°N to 7°S. Our detailed map of the fault, compiled from topographic maps and stereographic aerial photographs, shows that unlike many other great strike-slip faults, the Sumatran fault is highly segmented. Cross-strike width of step overs between the 19 major subaerial segments is commonly many kilometers. The influence of these step overs on historical seismic source dimensions suggests that the dimensions of future events will also be influenced by fault geometry. Geomorphic offsets along the fault range as high as ~20 km and may represent the total offset across the fault. If this is so, other structures must have accommodated much of the dextral component of oblique convergence during the past few million years. Our analysis of stretching of the forearc region, near the southern tip of Sumatra, constrains the combined dextral slip on the Sumatran and Mentawai faults to be no more than 100 km in the past few million years. The shape and location of the Sumatran fault and the active volcanic arc are highly correlated with the shape and character of the underlying subducting oceanic lithosphere. Nonetheless, active volcanic centers of the Sumatran volcanic arc have not influenced noticeably the geometry of the active Sumatran fault. On the basis of its geologic history and pattern of deformation, we divide the Sumatran plate margin into northern, central and southern domains. We support previous proposals that the geometry and character of the subducting Investigator fracture zone are affecting the shape and evolution of the Sumatran fault system within the central domain. The southern domain is the most regular. The Sumatran fault there comprises six right-stepping segments. This pattern indicates that the overall trend of the fault deviates 4° clockwise from the slip vector between the two blocks it separates. The regularity of this section and its association with the portion of the subduction zone that generated the giant (M_w 9) earthquake of 1833 suggest that a geometrically simple subducting slab results in both simple strike-slip faulting and unusually large subduction earthquakes

A Comparative Study of the Sumatran Subduction-Zone Earthquakes of 1935 and 1984

A M_s 7.7 earthquake struck the western, equatorial coast of Sumatra in December 1935. It was the largest event in the region since the two devastating giant earthquakes of 1833 and 1861. Historical seismograms of this event from several observatories around the world provide precious information that constrains the source parameters of the earthquake. To more precisely quantify the location, geometry, and mechanism of the 1935 event and to estimate the coseismic deformation, we analyze the best of the available teleseismic historical seismograms by comparing systematically the records of the 1935 earthquake with those of a smaller event that occurred in the same region in 1984. First we constrain the source parameters of the 1984 event using teleseismic records. Then, we compare the records of the 1935 event with those of 1984 from the same sites and instruments. To do this, we choose several time windows in the corresponding seismograms that contain clearly identifiable phases and deconvolve the modern event from the older one. The deconvolutions result in very narrow pulses with similar sizes, thus confirming similar locations and mechanisms for the events. The initiation of the 1984 event was on the subduction interface at a depth of 27 ± 2 km; its M_0 is 6.5 x 10^(19) N m (M_w is 7.2). The sense of slip was nearly pure thrust, on a plane dipping 12°. The 1935 event also involved rupture of the shallow subduction interface, but was about five times larger (M_0 3.3 x 10;^(20) N m, M_w 7.7) and initiated a few kilometers to the southeast, along strike. The 1935 rupture propagated unilaterally toward the southeast. The along-strike rupture length was about 65 km. From these source parameters, we calculate the surface deformations, assuming an elastic multilayered medium. These deformations compare favorably with those actually recovered from paleoseismic data in the form of coral microatolls

Crustal deformation at the Sumatran Subduction Zone revealed by coral rings

Analyses of coral rings grown in the interval 1970–1997 reveal a geographically distinct pattern of interseismic uplift off Sumatra's western coast. At distances less than 110 km from the Sumatran trench, coral reefs are submerging as fast as 5 mm/y. At 130 and 180 km distance from the trench, they are emerging at similar rates. We suggest that a locked, or partially locked patch, located above 30 km depth on the upper surface of the subducting oceanic plate, generates this pattern

SIKLUS MEGA-TSUNAMI DI WILAYAH ACEH-ANDAMAN DALAM KONTEKS SEJARAH

Abstract Mega‐tsunami Aceh‐Andaman 2004 revolutionary changed people awareness of earthquakes and tsunami threats. The event also caused major changes in politics and social infrastructures, from a period of terror to a new government of NAD.  Paleoseismological studies indicate two penultimate tsunami events prior to 2004 around 1390 AD and 1440 AD. These are confirmed by the GPS study suggesting the 2004-like event (Mw9.15) can be repeated every six hundred years. In 1236 AD, the well known Islamic state, Samudra Pasai, was arise, marking a new era in Aceh. After 1450 AD, Samudra Pasai seems to be slowly dissapeared.  Later in 1496 AD, a new Islamic Kingdom, Aceh Darussalam, appeared and dominated the Aceh region. It is strongly suspected that the changes of power from Samudra Pasai to Aceh Darussalam was linked to the mega‐tsunami events in 1390 and 1440 AD. Understanding ancient natural catastrophic and the affected society is crucial in developing awareness and in natural‐dissaster mitigations, including to rejuvinate a true local wisdomAbstrak Mega tsunami di wilayah Aceh-Andaman pada tahun 2004 merubah masyarakat menjadi melek terhadap ancaman bencana gempa dan tsunami .  Bencana 2004 merubah pemerintahan dan tatanan masyarakat di Aceh, dari masa teror ke pemerintahan NAD yang baru.  Penelitian paleoseismologi menguak peristiwa bencana gempa-tsunami tahun  sebelumnya, sekitar tahun 1390 M dan 1450 Masehi.  Fakta ini ditunjang oleh data tektonik geodesi (GPS) bahwa siklus perulangan gempa 2004 (Mw9.15) dapat terjadi sekitar 600 tahunan sekali.   Pada tahun 1236, berdirinya Kerajaan islam Samudra Pasai yang cukup dikenal menandai era baru di Aceh.   Setelah tahun 1450 Masehi, Kerajaan Samudra Pasai ini seperti meredup dan menghilang.   Kemudian  pada tahun 1496 Masehi berdiri Kerajaan Baru Islam, Aceh Darussalam yang tidak ada hubungannya dengan Samudra Pasai. Diduga peralihan masa Samudra Pasai  ke masa Aceh Darussalam berkaitan erat dengan kejadian tsunami tahun 1390 dan 1440 Masehi tersebut.   Memahami kejadian bencana katastropik purba dan masyarakat yang terkena dampaknya adalah aspek yang sangat penting dalam pendidikan kebencanaan, khususnya dalam mengembangkan kesiapsiagaan dan kearifan lokal. 

Major Bifurcations, Slip Rates, and A Creeping Segment of Sumatran Fault Zone in Tarutung-Sarulla-Sipirok-Padangsidempuan, Central Sumatra, Indonesia

DOI: 10.17014/ijog.5.2.137-160A detailed active fault study in Tarutung-Sarulla-Sipirok-Padangsidempuan was conducted based on their tectonic-morphological features using SRTM-30, 3D-visualization, and LIDAR data, combined with field and shallow geophysical surveys using the GPR method. Sumatran Fault Zone is bifurcated from the single major Sianok fault segment into two major branches: Angkola and Barumun-Toru Faults that run (sub) parallel to each other. In the studied area, they are merged gradually to become the Renun Fault. The total slip rates from Sianok to Renun segments are constant at about ~ 14 mm/year (13.8 ± 0.3 mm/yr on Renun and 13.7 ± 1.6 mm/yr on Sianok segments). In the bifurcation zone, it is partitioned into 9.3 ± 1.8 mm/yr slip on Toru, and about 4 - 5 mm/yr on Angkola segments. Based on field evidence supported by the seismicity and historical record, the Toru Fault appears to move continuously (creeping). This is crucial for understanding tectonics and its significance to hazard mitigations. Further investigations on Angkola and Toru Faults are crucial for mega installations of Sarulla Geothermal Power Plant, which is located in between Angkola and Toru Fault zones.</p

Source Processes of the March 2007 Singkarak Earthquakes Inferred from Teleseismic Data

The rupture processes of two sequentialearthquakes have been inverted from teleseismic data. The first event released a total seismic moment of 7.9×1018 Nm (Mw 6.5) and the slip distribution shows three asperities, 1.5 m at the shallowside, 0.7 m at the rightsouth-east deep side and 0.5 m atthe north-west deep side. The second event had one asperity with 1.7 m slip and released a seismic moment of 7.5×1018 Nm (Mw 6.5). In both cases, maximum slip occurred above the hypocenter which was responsible for the surface displacement pattern

Interseismic deformation above the Sunda Megathrust recorded in coral microatolls of the Mentawai islands, West Sumatra

The geomorphology and internal stratigraphy of modern coral microatolls show that all the outer arc Mentawai islands of West Sumatra have been subsiding over the past several decades. These same islands rose as much as 3 m during the giant megathrust earthquakes of 1797 and 1833, and the current subsidence probably reflects strain accumulation that will lead to future large earthquakes. Average subsidence rates over the past half century vary from 2 to 14 mm yr^(−1) and increase southwestward, toward the subduction trench. The pattern is consistent with rates of subsidence measured by a sparse network of continuously recording Global Positioning System (cGPS) stations and with locking of a 400-km-long section of the underlying subduction megathrust, between about 1°S and 4°S. This record of subsidence and tilting, extending nearly a century into the past, implies that the region is advancing toward the occurrence of another giant earthquake. However, evidence of episodic rather than steady subsidence reflects a behavior that is more complex than simple elastic strain accumulation and relief. Most prominent of these episodes is an extensive emergence/subsidence couplet in about 1962, which may be the result of rapid, aseismic slip on the megathrust, between the islands and the trench. Lower subsidence rates recorded by the corals since about 1985 may reflect failure on many small patches within the locked section of the megathrust

Uplift and subsidence associated with the great Aceh-Andaman earthquake of 2004

Rupture of the Sunda megathrust on 26 December 2004 produced broad regions of uplift and subsidence. We define the pivot line separating these regions as a first step in defining the lateral extent and the downdip limit of rupture during that great M_w ≈ 9.2 earthquake. In the region of the Andaman and Nicobar islands we rely exclusively on the interpretation of satellite imagery and a tidal model. At the southern limit of the great rupture we rely principally on field measurements of emerged coral microatolls. Uplift extends from the middle of Simeulue Island, Sumatra, at ~2.5°N, to Preparis Island, Myanmar (Burma), at ~14.9°N. Thus the rupture is ~1600 km long. The distance from the pivot line to the trench varies appreciably. The northern and western Andaman Islands rose, whereas the southern and eastern portion of the islands subsided. The Nicobar Islands and the west coast of Aceh province, Sumatra, subsided. Tilt at the southern end of the rupture is steep; the distance from 1.5 m of uplift to the pivot line is just 60 km. Our method of using satellite imagery to recognize changes in elevation relative to sea surface height and of using a tidal model to place quantitative bounds on coseismic uplift or subsidence is a novel approach that can be adapted to other forms of remote sensing and can be applied to other subduction zones in tropical regions

Persistent termini of 2004- and 2005-like ruptures of the Sunda megathrust

To gain insight into the longevity of subduction zone segmentation, we use coral microatolls to examine an 1100-year record of large earthquakes across the boundary of the great 2004 and 2005 Sunda megathrust ruptures. Simeulue, a 100-km-long island off the west coast of northern Sumatra, Indonesia, straddles this boundary: northern Simeulue was uplifted in the 2004 earthquake, whereas southern Simeulue rose in 2005. Northern Simeulue corals reveal that predecessors of the 2004 earthquake occurred in the 10th century AD, in AD 1394 ± 2, and in AD 1450 ± 3. Corals from southern Simeulue indicate that none of the major uplifts inferred on northern Simeulue in the past 1100 years extended to southern Simeulue. The two largest uplifts recognized at a south-central Simeulue site—around AD 1422 and in 2005—involved little or no uplift of northern Simeulue. The distribution of uplift and strong shaking during a historical earthquake in 1861 suggests the 1861 rupture area was also restricted to south of central Simeulue, as in 2005. The strikingly different histories of the two adjacent patches demonstrate that this boundary has persisted as an impediment to rupture through at least seven earthquakes in the past 1100 years. This implies that the rupture lengths, and hence sizes, of at least some future great earthquakes and tsunamis can be forecast. These microatolls also provide insight into megathrust behavior between earthquakes, revealing sudden and substantial changes in interseismic strain accumulation rates

Earthquake risk on the Sunda trench

On 28 March 2005 the Sunda megathrust in Indonesia ruptured again, producing another great earthquake three months after the previous one. The rupture was contiguous with that of the December 2004 Sumatra–Andaman earthquake, and is likely to have been sparked by local stress, although the triggering stresses at its hypocentre were very small — of the order of just 0.1 bar. Calculations show that stresses imposed by the second rupture have brought closer to failure the megathrust immediately to the south, under the Batu and Mentawai islands, and have expanded the area of increased stress on the Sumatra fault. Palaeoseismologic studies show that the Mentawai segment of the Sunda megathrust is well advanced in its seismic cycle and is therefore a good candidate for triggered failure