The wrinkle‐like slip pulse is not important in earthquake dynamics

A particular solution for slip on an interface between different elastic materials, the wrinkle‐like slip pulse, propagates in only one direction with reduced normal compressive stress. More general solutions, and natural earthquakes, need not share those properties. In a 3D dynamic model with a drop in friction and heterogeneous initial stress, the wrinkle‐like slip pulse is only a small part of the solution. Rupture propagation is determined primarily by the potential stress drop, not by the wrinkle‐like slip pulse. A 2D calculation with much finer resolution shows that energy loss to friction might not be significantly reduced in the wrinkle‐like slip pulse.