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Earthquake, Foreshocks

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  • First Online:
Encyclopedia of Solid Earth Geophysics

Part of the book series: Encyclopedia of Earth Sciences Series ((EESS))

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Synonyms

Preshocks

Definition

Foreshocks. Smaller earthquakes preceding a large earthquake (the mainshock) in the same ruptured area.

Introduction

Earthquakes typically occur in sequences that may include foreshocks, the mainshock (the largest event or events), and Earthquake, Aftershocks . Earthquake sequences without a clear mainshock are called swarms.

Foreshocks are the most obvious premonitory phenomenon of earthquakes. They are thought to indicate earthquake nucleation and hence may have the potential for short-term earthquake prediction (Scholz, 2002). However, proof of the physical link between foreshores and earthquake nucleation is inconclusive, and earthquake prediction using foreshocks has not been reliable.

The problem begins with their recognition – foreshocks are earthquakes that are called foreshocks retrospectively, when a large event (the mainshock) followed. To be considered as foreshocks, these events need to occur within certain spatial and temporal windows, and...

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Author information

Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Geological Sciences, University of Missouri, Columbia, MO, 65211, USA

    Mian Liu

Authors
  1. Mian Liu
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Corresponding author

Correspondence to Mian Liu .

Editor information

Editors and Affiliations

  1. National Geophysical Research Institute, Council of Scientific and Industrial Research, Hyderabad, India

    Harsh K. Gupta

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Liu, M. (2011). Earthquake, Foreshocks. In: Gupta, H.K. (eds) Encyclopedia of Solid Earth Geophysics. Encyclopedia of Earth Sciences Series. Springer, Dordrecht. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-90-481-8702-7_203

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