POSTSEISMIC SURFACE DEFORMATIONS DUE TO LITHOSPHERIC AND ASTHENOSPHERIC VISCOELASTICITY

This paper proposes a model for postseismic surface deformations by attributing them to lithospheric and asthenospheric viscoelasticity. The model predicts that the deformations due to lithospheric viscoelasticity depend on the decrease in the effective shear modulus acting long after the lithospheric relaxation compared to that acting immediately following the earthquake. While such deformations are generally smaller than those associated with asthenospheric viscoelasticity, they occur on a shorter time scale and may be in opposite direction to both the motion occurring at the time of the earthquake and that occurring as the asthenospheric relaxation occurs. This paper is not subject to U.S. copyright.