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1. The spectrum of fault slip in elastoplastic fault zones

   https://doi.org/10.1016/j.epsl.2023.118310  

   Mia, Md Shumon; Abdelmeguid, Mohamed; Elbanna, Ahmed E (October 2023, Earth and Planetary Science Letters)
2. The Role of Along‐Fault Dilatancy in Fault Slip Behavior

   https://doi.org/10.1029/2021JB022310  

   Caniven, Yannick; Morgan, Julia K.; Blank, David G. (November 2021, Journal of Geophysical Research: Solid Earth)

   Abstract Earthquakes result from fast slip that occurs along a fault surface. Interestingly, numerous dense geodetic observations over the last two decades indicate that such dynamic slip may start by a gradual unlocking of the fault surface and related progressive slip acceleration. This first slow stage is of great interest, because it could define an early indicator of a devastating earthquake. However, not all slow slip turns into fast slip, and sometimes it may simply stop. In this study, we use a numerical model based on the discrete element method to simulate crustal strike‐slip faults of 50 km length that generate a wide variety of slip‐modes, from stable‐slip, to slow earthquakes, to fast earthquakes, all of which show similar characteristics to natural cases. The main goal of this work is to understand the conditions that allow slow events to turn into earthquakes, in contrast to those that cause slow earthquakes to stop. Our results suggest that fault surface geometry and related dilation/contraction patterns along strike play a key role. Slow earthquakes that initiate in large dilated regions bounded by neutral or low contracted domains, might turn into earthquakes. Slow events occurring in regions dominated by closely spaced, alternating, small magnitude dilational and contractional zones tend not to accelerate and may simply stop as isolated slow earthquakes. 

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3. Fault-tip damage zone development during normal fault propagation within the Sevier Fault Zone, southern Utah

   https://doi.org/10.18277/AKRSG.2025.37.06  

   Ryter, Lila (July 2025, Keck Geology Consortium)
4. Seismicity, Fault Architecture, and Slip Mode of the Westernmost Gofar Transform Fault

   https://doi.org/10.1029/2022JB024918  

   Gong, Jianhua; Fan, Wenyuan (November 2022, Journal of Geophysical Research: Solid Earth)
5. Fault rock heterogeneity can produce fault weakness and reduce fault stability

   https://doi.org/10.1038/s41467-022-27998-2  

   Bedford, John D.; Faulkner, Daniel R.; Lapusta, Nadia (December 2022, Nature Communications)

   Abstract Geological heterogeneity is abundant in crustal fault zones; however, its role in controlling the mechanical behaviour of faults is poorly constrained. Here, we present laboratory friction experiments on laterally heterogeneous faults, with patches of strong, rate-weakening quartz gouge and weak, rate-strengthening clay gouge. The experiments show that the heterogeneity leads to a significant reduction in strength and frictional stability in comparison to compositionally identical faults with homogeneously mixed gouges. We identify a combination of weakening effects, including smearing of the weak clay; differential compaction of the two gouges redistributing normal stress; and shear localization producing stress concentrations in the strong quartz patches. The results demonstrate that geological heterogeneity and its evolution can have pronounced effects on fault strength and stability and, by extension, on the occurrence of slow-slip transients versus earthquake ruptures and the characteristics of the resulting events, and should be further studied in lab experiments and earthquake source modelling. 

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