Yg. Li et Je. Vidale, Healing of the shallow fault zone from 1994-1998 after the 1992 M7.5 Landers, California, earthquake, GEOPHYS R L, 28(15), 2001, pp. 2999-3002
We conducted seismic surveys at the Johnson Valley fault in 1994, 1996, and
1998. We found that the shear velocity of the fault zone rock increased by
similar to1.2% between 1994 and 1996, and increased further by similar to0
.7% between 1996 and 1998. This trend indicates the Landers rupture zone ha
s been healing by strengthening after the mainshock, most likely due to the
closure of cracks that opened during the 1992 earthquake. The observed fau
lt-zone strength recovery is consistent with a decrease of similar to0.03 i
n the apparent crack density within the fault zone. The ratio of decrease i
n travel time for P to S waves changed from 0.75 in the earlier two years t
o 0.65 in the later two years between 1994 and 1998, suggesting that cracks
near the fault zone are partially fluid-filled and have became more fluid
saturated with time.