Scale invariance and intermittency in a creep-slip model of earthquake faults

The dynamics of a generalization of the one-dimensional, spatially discreti zed Burridge-Knopoff model (slider-block model) is investigated numerically . Plastic deformation of the fault interface is considered in addition to r igid sliding (creep-slip model). The event-size distribution exhibits scale invariance (beta=1.5), as does the power spectral density of the intermitt ent time series of the spatially averaged sliding rate (sigma= 1.3). A diff usive cellular automaton model that reproduces the algebraic correlations i n the event-size distribution in the presence of dissipation is proposed. [ S1063-651X(99)50906-93].