Seismotectonic characterization of the 2024 Tuban-Bawean earthquake (M 6.42) using time-domain moment tensor inversion: Implications for SDG 9 and 11

With a magnitude of 6.42, a moderate earthquake on March 22, 2024 struck the north side of Bawean Island, East Java, a region of somewhat low seismicity. This study employed Time Domain Moment Tensor (TDMT) inversion using three-component broadband waveform data from five seismic to explore the origin mechanism of this earthquake. Stations and a hybrid 1-D velocity model created from CRUST1.0. With a focal depth of 12 km, an 80.78% variance reduction, and a major double couple component of 87%, the solution moment tensor inversion generated a well-resolved deviatoric. The focal mechanism reveals a major strike-slip fault with nodal planes concentrated at strike = 346°, dip = 81°, rake = 170°. These values are in line with the geometry of the offshore Muria Fault, a reactivated strike-slip fault inside the Meratus tectonic trend. These findings highlight the need for active faults in the northern Javan Earth’s crust that humans previously assumed were inactive, therefore underlining reconsider the patterns of earthquakes in the region and risks along the northern border of Java. This rethinking strongly supports Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) 11 and 9 as it is crucial for better local plans to reduce disaster hazards.