Mechanisms of the aftershocks of the Kern County, California, earthquake of 1952

Abstract

Using directions of first motion of longitudinal waves recorded at near-by stations, the orientation of fault traces and the nature of fault motions have been deduced for fifty-seven earthquakes of the Kern County aftershock series. Unlike the main shock, the aftershocks exhibit considerable strike slip with left-hand strike slip dominating on and to the south of the White Wolf fault and right-hand strike slip and dip slip to the north of it. The two last-mentioned mechanisms represent a secondary strain release, beginning not earlier than thirty-seven hours after the main shock.