Introduction to Special Section: Stress Triggers, Stress Shadows, and Implications for Seismic Hazard

TLDR

Many aspects of earthquake mechanics remain enigmatic, yet simple stress‑change calculations may explain some interactions, as recent studies suggest. This paper introduces the special section “Stress Triggers, Stress Shadows, and Implications for Seismic Hazard” and reviews many published works. It compiles quantitative earthquake‑interaction studies from a stress‑change perspective. The synthesis offers clues about certain aspects of earthquake mechanics but also shows that much work remains to fully understand how earthquakes operate.

Abstract

Many aspects of earthquake mechanics remain an enigma as we enter the closing years of the twentieth century. One potential bright spot is the realization that simple calculations of stress changes may explain some earthquake interactions, just as previous and on going studies of stress changes have begun to explain human‐induced seismicity. This paper, which introduces the special section “Stress Triggers, Stress Shadows, and Implications for Seismic Hazard,” reviews many published works and presents a compilation of quantitative earthquake interaction studies from a stress change perspective. This synthesis supplies some clues about certain aspects of earthquake mechanics. It also demonstrates that much work remains before we can understand the complete story of how earthquakes work.