SELF-AFFINE ASPERITY MODEL FOR EARTHQUAKES

A model for fault dynamics consisting of two rough and rigid Brownian profiles that slide one over the other is introduced. An earthquake oc curs when there is an intersection between the two profiles. The energ y released is proportional to the overlap interval. Our model exhibits some specific features which follow from the fractal geometry of the fault: (1) nonuniversality of the exponent of the Gutenberg-Richter la w for the magnitude distribution, (2) presence of local stress accumul ation before a large seismic event, and (3) nontrivial space-time clus tering of the epicenters.