Figure 1

(a) We simulate earthquake ruptures on a velocity-weakening strike-slip fault, and study the impact of rock-fluid coupled responses on rupture speed (see Supplementary Information). (b–d) Solid acceleration patterns reveal the transition from sub-Rayleigh to supershear rupture. In supershear earthquakes, a Mach cone emerges behind the propagating rupture front (illustrated here through snapshots of the solid accelerations at a horizontal plane in c and d). Above each plot of accelerations, we show a conceptual description of the superposition of radiating waves during sub-Rayleigh (b) and supershear (c and d) ruptures.