The M 7.1 earthquake in Papua New Guinea, in southwest of Panguna on May 7, 2015 , occurred as the result of normal faulting within the Australia plate, a few tens of kilometers to the southwest of the plate boundary where Australia begins its subduction beneath the Pacific plate at the New Britain Trench.
At the location of the earthquake, the Australia plate moves towards the east-northeast at a velocity of 103 mm/year with respect to the Pacific plate. The moment tensor and location of the event are consistent with its occurrence near what has been termed the outer rise region outboard of the subduction zone, rather than further to the north on the plate boundary (thrust) interface.
Comment list ( 0 )
