Stick-slip statistics for two fractal surfaces: A model for earthquakes

Abstract

Following the observations of the self-similarity in various length scales in the roughness of the fractured solid surfaces, we propose here a new model for the earthquake. We demonstrate rigorously that the contact area distribution between two fractal surfaces follows an unique power law. This is then utilised to show that the elastic energy releases for slips between two rough fractal surfaces indeed follow a Guttenberg-Richter like power law.