What drives aftershocks?

(GFZ GeoForschungsZentrum Potsdam, Helmholtz Centre) An international research group lead by GFZ analysed the main shock as well as the following postseismic phase with a dense network of instruments including more than 60 high-resolution GPS stations (Earth and Planetary Science Letters, Dec. 01, 2013).The aftershocks and the now found "silent" afterslip are key to understand the processes occurring after strong earthquakes.