A study of the aftershocks and focal mechanism of the Salinas-Watsonville earthquakes of August 31 and September 14, 1963

Abstract The earthquake sequences connected with the earthquakes of August 31 and September 14, 1963 in the Salinas-Watsonville region of California are here studied with reference to the background seismic activity. A very favorable distribution of permanent and mobile stations in this area permits the analysis to include earthquakes of small magnitudes. The mechanism of the larger aftershocks of both sequences is found to be similar to the mechanism of the main shock of September 14, 1963. The orientation of the principal axes of stress derived from the focal mechanism of the September 14 earthquake, is related to the strike of the San Andreas fault.