Abstract
Large, shallow earthquakes typically produce surface ruptures, whereas aftershocks rarely do. Here, we document a rare case in which the 2024 Mw 7.0 Wushi earthquake (western China) did not rupture the surface, but a Mw 5.7 aftershock did. Integrated field observations, satellite imagery, interferometric synthetic aperture radar (InSAR) data, and relocated seismicity reveal that the aftershock reactivated shallow back- and fore-thrusts, forming a pop-up structure with clear surface breaks. This event demonstrates that aftershocks can generate significant surface deformation by reactivating pre-existing shallow faults—a process not commonly accounted for in seismic hazard assessments. Our findings emphasize the need to incorporate secondary shallow faults into hazard models, especially in complex fold-and-thrust systems.Aftershock-induced surface ruptures overshadow the 2024 M w 7.0 Wushi mainshock, China
Journal Article
Published by Geology
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