Earthquake Likelihood Model Testing

Abstract

The Regional Earthquake Likelihood Models (RELM) project aims to produce and evaluate alternate models of earthquake potential (probability per unit volume, magnitude, and time) for California. Based on differing assumptions, these models are produced both to test the validity of their assumptions and explore which models should be incorporated in seismic hazard and risk evaluation. Tests based on physical and geological criteria are useful but here we focus on statistical methods using future earthquake data only. We envision two evaluations: a self-consistency test, and comparison of every pair of models for relative consistency. Both tests are based on the likelihood ratio method, and both would be fully prospective (that is, the models are not adjusted to fit the test data). To be tested, each model must assign a probability or probability density to any possible event within a specified region of space, time, and magnitude. For our tests the models must use a common format: earthquake rates in specified ”bins ” with location, magnitude, time and in some cases focal mechanism limits. 2