Collaborative Research: Faulting Processes During Early-Stage Rifting: Analysis of an Unusual Earthquake Sequence in Northern Malawi

Lead PI: James Gaherty , Donna Jean Shillington, Scott Nooner

Unit Affiliation: Seismology, Geology and Tectonophysics, Lamont-Doherty Earth Observatory (LDEO)

December 2010 - December 2013
Inactive
Africa ; Sub-Saharan Africa ; Malawi ; East Africa Rift System
Project Type: Research

DESCRIPTION: The project will research what fault(s) caused the December 2009 Karonga earthquakes and why; what are the characteristics of the secondary faults; and what role magma or magmatic fluids had in that sequence of earthquakes. This will be done using data collected from a four-month temporary deployment of seismometers.

OUTCOMES: Data from InSAR suggests that the St. Mary's fault is responsible for the earthquake group, but seismic data is suggesting that the events were on a west-dipping hanging-wall 10-15km east. Work is being done to reconcile these data.