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
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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.