Lateral variation of the Main Himalayan Thrust controls the rupture length of the 2015 Gorkha earthquake in Nepal

• DOI: 10.1126/sciadv.aav0723
• Publication Date: 2019-06-26T23:16:00Z
• Authors: Ling Bai; Simon L. Klemperer; James Mori; Marianne S. Karplus; Lin Ding; Hongbing Liu; Guohui Li; Bowen Song; Sanjev Dhakal
• Keywords: Thrust fault; Basement; Seismic zone

The Himalaya orogenic belt produces frequent large earthquakes that affect population centers along a length of over 2500 km. 2015 Gorkha, Nepal earthquake (Mw 7.8) ruptured the Main Himalayan Thrust (MHT) and allows direct measurements behavior continental collision zone. We study MHT using seismic waveforms recorded by local stations completely cover aftershock exhibits clear lateral variation geologic strike, with Lesser ramp having moderate dip on beneath mainshock area flatter deeper eastern end East zone, wave speed increases at depths, perhaps due to subduction an Indian basement ridge. A similar magnitude change occurs western These gross morphological structures controlled rupture Gorkha earthquake.