Fault geometry and slip distribution of the 1999 Chi‐Chi, Taiwan Earthquake imaged from inversion of GPS data

Abstract

GPS measurements of coseismic displacements from the 1999, Chi‐Chi, Taiwan earthquake are modeled using elastic dislocation theory. We find that a single fault plane cannot fit the data, but rather a curved fault surface consisting of multiple segments dipping 20–25° best fits the observations. The model fault exhibits reverse and left‐lateral slip on a 75 km long N‐S trending segment and reverse and right‐lateral slip on a 25 km E‐W trending segment at the northern end of the rupture. The 21° dipping E‐W segment is inconsistent with previous interpretations of high angle tear faulting.