MODERATE-MAGNITUDE SEISMICITY REMOTELY TRIGGERED IN THE TAIWAN REGIONBY LARGE EARTHQUAKES AROUND THE PHILIPPINE SEA PLATE

Seismicity in the Taiwan region was studied before and after the 12 la rgest seismic events with body-wave magnitudes exceeding 6.5, occurrin g around the Philippine Sea plate in the 1973 to 1994 period. The tota l local seismicity rate involving events with magnitudes as small as 2 .0 was not affected by remote large events. However, the number of loc al earthquakes with magnitude M(L) greater than or equal to 4.5 in the 15 days following a large event exceeded the number before it in 9 ou t of 12 cases studied. When earthquakes with M(L) greater than or equa l to 4.0 were considered, then 10 cases showed an increase in seismic activity after the big event. This suggests a 75 to 83% probability of remote triggering.