Dynamics of a Traveling Density Wave Model for Earthquakes

We propose a unifying new framework for friction and earthquakes. Predictions from theory include (1) scaling exponents, and (2) metastable lifetimes for nucleating slip droplets. Earthquake simulations produce Gutenberg-Richter distributions of events with b values similar to observed declustered values, and populations of characteristic earthquakes, with associated aftershocks. Time is a relevant scaling field, justifying statistical time-to-failure analyses. When applied to integrate-and-fire neurons, the theory yields an explicit equation for the cell potential.