Characterizing the transition from diffuse to localized deformation using optical image correlation: the 2021 Mw7.4 Maduo, Tibet, earthquake

The 2021 M_w7.4 Maduo earthquake generated a ~160 km-long fault rupture within the Eastern Tibetan plateau, at about 100-150 km to the south-west of the Eastern Kunlun fault. Fault slip measured on the field represents only 20% of the displacements from satellite Interferometric Synthetic Aperture Radar (InSAR) measurements, highlighting the primarily diffuse nature of the surface deformation for this earthquake. Most surface deformation associated with this event corresponds to diffuse shear, occurring over widths of a few hundreds of meters to a few kilometers, and sometimes associated with shearing and tensional cracks mapped in the field. In this study, we use sub-pixel correlation of Pleiades (0.5 m) and SPOT-6/7 (1.6 m) optical images to characterize the near-fault displacement patterns associated with the 2021 Maduo event. We also use other optical data to assess the impact of sensor resolution on the measurements. Our results cover three kilometers on both sides of the rupture area with a resolution of 0.5 m. These results show that, despite the large rupture gaps observed in the field, the shear deformation zone at the surface is continuous along the entire length of the 2021 rupture. Even though, we observe variations in the surface deformation patterns, with regions that present more localized deformation whereas others are primarily characterized by diffuse shear. Using the high-resolution displacement maps, we characterize the transitions from the localized to the diffuse shear along the rupture strike, and investigate the relations with the bulk rock properties, and coseismic slip distribution. We also determine the limit at which deformation starts to localize on fractures that are large enough to be visible in the field.