Potential for Continental Scientific Drilling to Inform Fault Mechanics and Earthquake Science

Authors

  • Elizabeth S. Cochran U.S. Geological Survey, Earthquake Science Center https://orcid.org/0000-0003-2485-4484
  • Natalia Zakharova Department of Earth and Atmospheric Sciences, Central Michigan University
  • Brett Carpenter School of Geosciences, Sarkeys Energy Center, The University of Oklahoma
  • Folarin Kolawole Department of Earth and Environmental Sciences, Columbia University https://orcid.org/0000-0002-5695-2778
  • Nicholas W. Hayman Oklahoma Geological Survey, Sarkeys Energy Center, The University of Oklahoma https://orcid.org/0000-0001-6743-045X
  • Hiroki Sone Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering, University of Wisconsin-Madison https://orcid.org/0000-0001-5525-1294
  • Douglas R. Schmitt Department of Earth, Atmospheric, and Planetary Sciences, Purdue University https://orcid.org/0000-0001-6920-0658
  • Peter Eichhubl Jackson School of Geoscience, University of Texas
  • William Ellsworth Department of Geophysics, Stanford University https://orcid.org/0000-0001-8378-4979
  • Yves Guglielmi Earth and Environment Sciences Area, Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory
  • Stephen Hickman U.S. Geological Survey, Earthquake Science Center
  • Harold J. Tobin College of the Environment, University of Washington

DOI:

https://doi.org/10.26443/seismica.v4i2.1700

Keywords:

earthquake, fault mechanics, fault geometry, earthquake hazard, Near-Fault Observatory, fault drilling, subsurface fluid flow

Abstract

Our understanding of fault mechanics and earthquake processes remains limited, largely due to minimal direct observations near active faults at seismogenic depths. This lack of data restricts our ability to accurately assess and mitigate both natural and human-induced seismic hazards. However, recent advancements in drilling capabilities and downhole sensing technologies offer an opportunity: the ability to observe the physical conditions within a volume near active fault zones. In this contribution, we highlight how scientific drilling can provide access to the near-fault environment, enabling measurements of the stress, temperature, fluid pressure, and rock properties at depths where ruptures initiate, propagate, and arrest. These observations are essential to refine models of earthquake nucleation and dynamic rupture, bridging gaps between laboratory experiments, numerical simulations, and surface observations. These insights can advance fundamental understanding in earthquake science but also support the development of more effective seismic hazard assessments and risk mitigation strategies.

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2025-11-07

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Cochran, E. S., Zakharova, N., Carpenter, B., Kolawole, F., Hayman, N. W., Sone, H., Schmitt, D. R., Eichhubl, P., Ellsworth, W., Guglielmi, Y., Hickman, S., & Tobin, H. J. (2025). Potential for Continental Scientific Drilling to Inform Fault Mechanics and Earthquake Science. Seismica, 4(2). https://doi.org/10.26443/seismica.v4i2.1700

Issue

Vol. 4 No. 2 (2025)

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Articles

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Copyright (c) 2025 Elizabeth S. Cochran, Natalia Zakharova, Brett Carpenter, Folarin Kolawole, Nicholas W. Hayman, Hiroki Sone, Douglas R. Schmitt, Peter Eichhubl, William Ellsworth, Yves Guglielmi, Stephen Hickman, Harold J. Tobin

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This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License.