An earthquake occurring in the region affected by an earlier event during its subsequent relaxation and stress redistribution. A spatial aftershock pattern can help identify a fault, but not every aftershock must lie on the main rupture plane.
The term "aftershock" primarily refers to a secondary tremor that occurs after the main shock of an earthquake. Aftershocks generally decrease in magnitude and frequency over time following the initial earthquake event. They can vary in intensity and can sometimes be strong enough to cause additional damage to buildings and infrastructure that may have already been weakened by the main quake.
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