[Dane]

can an afteshock be of a greater magnitude than the original quake?

IIRC, a decade ago in California the "aftershock" which happened 24-48 hours after the original earthqauke on the same fault line was stronger than the original earthquake and the original earthquake was named a "foreshock" by a geologist on TV.

Yes I think that aftershocks can be stronger, but that it is reletively rare.

[redheadtoo]

I think that aftershocks can be stronger

If a fault line experiences multiple tremors then the largest of them is considered to be the main earthquake. Smaller tremors, that occur before the main quake, are called fore shocks just as smaller tremors, that occur after the main quake, are called aftershocks.

Of course these designations are just human inventions to try and classify quakes and have no actual relation to the death and damage that a particular earthquake causes.

Being a Californian has made me an amateur expert on earthquakes. I have been in the state for every big quake since Sylmar.