On the Application of 1 Versus 2 State Variable Rate‐and‐State Friction Laws: An Example From the Nankai Trough Megasplay Fault Zone

Abstract Frictional slip behavior in fault zones can be analyzed with friction laws using 1 or 2 state variables, but the physical meaning and applicability of the 2‐state variable form of the law remain unclear. Here, we re‐analyze friction experiments by Roesner et al. (2022, https://doi.org/10.1186/s40623‐022‐01728‐w ) using a natural sample from the megasplay fault in the Nankai subduction zone offshore Japan. At low effective normal stress, the 2‐state variable law provides a superior fit t