Journal ArticleComplex multi-fault rupture and triggering during the 2023 earthquake doublet in southeastern TürkiyeLiu, Chengli; Lay, Thorne; Wang, Rongjiang; Taymaz, Tuncay; Xie, Zujun; Xiong, Xiong; Irmak, Tahir Serkan; Kahraman, Metin; Erman, Ceyhun<title>Abstract</title> <p>Two major earthquakes (M_W7.8 and M_W7.7) ruptured left-lateral strike-slip faults of the East Anatolian Fault Zone (EAFZ) on February 6, 2023, causing >59,000 fatalities and ~$119B in damage in southeastern Türkiye and northwestern Syria. Here we derived kinematic rupture models for the two events by inverting extensive seismic and geodetic observations using complex 5-6 segment fault models constrained by satellite observations and relocated aftershocks. The larger event nucleated on a splay fault, and then propagated bilaterally ~350 km along the main EAFZ strand. The rupture speed varied from 2.5-4.5 km/s, and peak slip was ~8.1 m. 9-h later, the second event ruptured ~160 km along the curved northern EAFZ strand, with early bilateral supershear rupture velocity (>4 km/s) followed by a slower rupture speed (~3 km/s). Coulomb Failure stress increase imparted by the first event indicates plausible triggering of the doublet aftershock, along with loading of neighboring faults.</p>Nature2023-12-0110520410Nature Communications1412041-1723https://doi.org/10.1038/s41467-023-41404-51802364National Science Foundation