The first goal of this research is to determine fault plane solutions for earthquakes with magnitude greater than 3.0 in western Hawaii. This region experienced a magnitude 6.9 earthquake in 1951 but little work has been done on a seismo- tectonic model or focal mechanisms for the hypocentral area. The work will be a test of the hypotheses that the upper crust in Western Hawaii is being pushed westward over a weak oceanic sediment layer and that western Hawaii has a common stress tensor orientation. Recent earthquakes should also allow investigation of the time variability of the stress tensor. From other work, these researchers have anticipated another magnitude 6+0.5 earthquake in this area within a 3-year time window centered on 1994. This research is a component of the National Earthquake Hazard Reduction Program.
