Simultaneous inversion for crustal thickness and anisotropy by multiphase splitting analysis of receiver functions

2020 ◽  
Vol 223 (3) ◽  
pp. 2009-2026
Author(s):  
Frederik Link ◽  
Georg Rümpker ◽  
Ayoub Kaviani

SUMMARY We present a technique to derive robust estimates for the crustal thickness and elastic properties, including anisotropy, from shear wave splitting of converted phases in receiver functions. We combine stacking procedures with a correction scheme for the splitting effect of the crustal converted Ps-phase and its first reverberation, the PpPs-phase, where we also allow for a predefined dipping Moho. The incorporation of two phases stabilizes the analysis procedure and allows to simultaneously solve for the crustal thickness, the ratio of average P- to S-wave velocities, the percentage of anisotropy and the fast-axis direction. The stacking is based on arrival times and polarizations computed using a ray-based algorithm. Synthetic tests show the robustness of the technique and its applicability to tectonic settings where dip of the Moho is significant. These tests also demonstrate that the effects of a dipping layer boundary may overprint a possible anisotropic signature. To constrain the uncertainty of our results we perform statistical tests based on a bootstrapping approach. We distinguish between different model classes by comparing the coherency of the stacked amplitudes after moveout correction. We apply the new technique to real-data examples from different tectonic regimes and show that coherency of the stacked receiver functions can be improved, when anisotropy and a dipping Moho are included in the analysis. The examples underline the advantages of statistical analyses when dealing with stacking procedures and potentially ambiguous solutions.

2016 ◽  
Vol 102 ◽  
pp. 115-120 ◽  
Author(s):  
Antonino D’Alessandro ◽  
Giorgio Mangano ◽  
Giuseppe D’Anna ◽  
Salvatore Scudero

2014 ◽  
Vol 51 (4) ◽  
pp. 407-417 ◽  
Author(s):  
H.S. Kim ◽  
J.F. Cassidy ◽  
S.E. Dosso ◽  
H. Kao

This paper presents results of a passive-source seismic mapping study in the Nechako–Chilcotin plateau of central British Columbia, with the ultimate goal of contributing to assessments of hydrocarbon and mineral potential of the region. For the present study, an array of nine seismic stations was deployed in 2006–2007 to sample a wide area of the Nechako–Chilcotin plateau. The specific goal was to map the thickness of the sediments and volcanic cover, and the overall crustal thickness and structural geometry beneath the study area. This study utilizes recordings of about 40 distant earthquakes from 2006 to 2008 to calculate receiver functions, and constructs S-wave velocity models for each station using the Neighbourhood Algorithm inversion. The surface sediments are found to range in thickness from about 0.8 to 2.7 km, and the underlying volcanic layer from 1.8 to 4.7 km. Both sediments and volcanic cover are thickest in the central portion of the study area. The crustal thickness ranges from 22 to 36 km, with an average crustal thickness of about 30–34 km. A consistent feature observed in this study is a low-velocity zone at the base of the crust. This study complements other recent studies in this area, including active-source seismic studies and magnetotelluric measurements, by providing site-specific images of the crustal structure down to the Moho and detailed constraints on the S-wave velocity structure.


Geophysics ◽  
2016 ◽  
Vol 81 (2) ◽  
pp. KS93-KS111 ◽  
Author(s):  
Yuyang Tan ◽  
Chuan He

Detection and arrival picking of microseismic events with low signal-to-noise ratios (S/N) are problematic because these events are usually obscured by ambient noise. We have developed an intraevent coherence-based event detection method to address this problem. The innovations of this method include the adaptation of a crosscorrelation, least-squares-based algorithm to achieve better moveout correction for successive record segments and the use of a multichannel semblance coefficient to identify the microseismic events. After finding the events, we adopted a new picker to determine their P- and S-wave arrival times. This picker was developed by combining three aspects of the distinction between seismic signal and ambient noise, namely, the (1) amplitude, (2) polarization, and (3) statistic property differences. We evaluated the performance of the proposed methods using a real data set recorded during an 11-stage hydraulic fracture stimulation. We have determined that, for microseismic event detection, the proposed method has an overall false trigger rate of 12%. As for arrival picking, the average picking error of the new picker is [Formula: see text] and its standard deviation is [Formula: see text]. Comparison of the results of different event detection and arrival picking methods versus the S/N of the data demonstrates that the proposed methods are more applicable for detection and arrival picking of low S/N microseismic events.


2019 ◽  
Vol 219 (3) ◽  
pp. 2174-2186
Author(s):  
Miguel Rodríguez-Domínguez ◽  
Xyoli Pérez-Campos ◽  
Conrado Montealegre-Cázares ◽  
Robert W Clayton ◽  
Enrique Cabral-Cano

Summary Mexico has a complex geological history that is typified by the distinctive terranes that are found in the south-central region. Crustal thickness variations often correlate with geological terranes that have been altered by several processes in the past, for example aerial or subduction erosion, underplating volcanic material or rifting but few geophysical studies have locally imaged the entire continental crust in Mexico. In this paper, the thickness of three layers of the crust in south-central Mexico is determined. To do this, we use P- and S-wave receiver functions (RF) from 159 seismological broad-band stations. Thanks to its adaptive nature, we use an empirical mode decomposition (EMD) algorithm to reconstruct the RFs into intrinsic mode functions (IMF) in order to enhance the pulses related to internal discontinuities within the crust. To inspect possible lateral variations, the RFs are grouped into quadrants of 90°, and their amplitudes are mapped into the thickness assuming a three-layer model. Using this approach, we identify a shallow sedimentary layer with a thickness in the range of 1–4 km. The upper-crust was estimated to be of a few kilometers (<10 km) thick near the Pacific coast, and thicker, approximately 15 km in central Oaxaca and under the Trans-Mexican Volcanic Belt (TMVB). Close to the Pacific coast, we infer a thin crust of approximately 16 ± 0.9 km, while in central Oaxaca and beneath the TMVB, we observe a thicker crust ranging between 30 and 50 km ± 2.0 km. We observe a crustal thinning, of approximately 6 km, from central Oaxaca (37 ± 1.9 km) towards the Gulf of Mexico, under the Veracruz Basin, where we estimate a crustal thickness of 31.6 ± 1.9 km. The boundary between the upper and lower crust in comparison with the surface of the Moho do not show significant variations other than the depth difference. We observe small crustal variations across the different terranes on the study area, with the thinnest crust located at the Pacific coast and Gulf of Mexico coast. The thickest crust is estimated to be in central Oaxaca and beneath the TMVB.


Geophysics ◽  
1999 ◽  
Vol 64 (1) ◽  
pp. 182-190 ◽  
Author(s):  
Yanghua Wang

Both traveltimes and amplitudes in reflection seismology are used jointly in an inversion to simultaneously invert for the interface geometry and the elastic parameters at the reflectors. The inverse problem has different physical dimensions in both data and model spaces. Practical approaches are proposed to tackle the dimensional difficulties. In using the joint inversion, which may properly take care of the structural effect, one potentially improves the estimates of the subsurface elastic parameters in the traditional analysis of amplitude variation with offset (AVO). Analysis of the elastic parameters estimated, using the ratio of s-wave to P-wave velocity contrasts and the deviation of this parameter from a normal background trend, promises to have application in AVO analysis. The inversion method is demonstrated by application to real data from the North Sea.


2021 ◽  
Author(s):  
Katinka Tuinstra ◽  
Federica Lanza ◽  
Francesco Grigoli ◽  
Antonio Pio Rinaldi ◽  
Andreas Fichtner ◽  
...  

<p>Currently the capability of detecting earthquakes with decreasing magnitudes demands efficient source localization, especially in seismic monitoring. This work is a step towards automatic high-resolution earthquake localization in a seismic monitoring setup that makes use of Distributed Acoustic Sensing (DAS) as its primary measuring technique. With DAS, the dense spatial sampling of the seismic wavefield leads to an improvement of both event detection and localization of earthquakes. The advantage of DAS is easy and cost-effective deployment compared to traditional seismic instruments (especially in boreholes). However, the single-component nature and the large storage requirements of DAS data demand novel methods for efficient analysis of the recorded events.</p><p>We apply a new seismic event location method to DAS data, based on a distance geometry problem in biochemistry for protein structure determination (HADES<sup>1</sup>). From the distances between individual earthquakes and a seismic station, the relative distance between the events can be computed. This approach allows us to first determine the relative location of earthquakes within a seismic cluster, and subsequently position the cluster in its correct absolute location. The technique has already been successfully applied for a single traditional seismometer. The densely spaced channels in DAS measurements accommodate accurate relative distance computation, without the ability to constrain the azimuth of the seismic cluster. Therefore, after finding the relative locations within the cluster, the position and orientation of the cluster with respect to the fiber-optic cable is calculated by minimizing the difference between observed and calculated P- and S-wave first arrival times, using a grid search approach (multi-event location). In this way, the absolute locations of all earthquakes present in the cluster are found efficiently. We first test this DAS-adapted method on synthetics, then we will move towards a real data application.</p><p><sup>1</sup> HADES: https://github.com/wulwife/HADES</p>


2021 ◽  
Author(s):  
Rakshit Joshi ◽  
Brigitte Knapmeyer-Endrun ◽  
Klaus Mosegaard ◽  
Felix Bissig ◽  
Amir Khan ◽  
...  

<p>Since InSight (the Interior Exploration using Geodesy and Heat Transport) landed 26 months ago and deployed an ultra sensitive broadband seismometer(SEIS) on the surface of Mars, around 500 seismic events of diverse variety have been detected, making it possible to directly analyze the subsurface properties of Mars for the very first time. One of the primary goals of the mission is to retrieve the crustal structure below the landing site. Current estimates differ by more than 100% for the average crustal thickness. Since data from orbital gravity measurementsprovide information on relative variations of crustal thickness but not absolute values, this landing site measurement could serve as a tie point to retrieve global crustal structure models. To do so, we propose using a joint inversion of receiver functions and apparent incidence angles, which contain information on absolute S-wave velocities of the subsurface. Since receiver function inversions suffer from a velocity depth trade-off, we in addition exploit a simple relation which defines apparent S-wave velocity as a function of observed apparent P-wave incidence angles to constrain the parameter space. Finally we use the Neighbourhood Algorithm for the inversion of a suitable joint objective function. The resulting ensemble of models is then used to derive the full uncertainty estimates for each model parameter. Before its application on data from InSight mission, we successfully tested the method on Mars synthetics and terrestrial data from various geological settings using both single and multiple events. Using the same method, we have previously been able to constrain the S-wave velocity and depth for the first inter-crustal layer of Mars between 1.7 to 2.1 km/s and 8 to 11 km, respectively. Here we present the results of applying this technique on our selected data set from the InSight mission. Results show that the data can be explained equally well by models with 2 or 3 crustal layers with constant velocities. Due to the limited data set it is difficult to resolve the ambiguity of this bi-modal solution. We therefore investigate information theoretic statistical tests as a model selection criteria and discuss their relevance and implications in seismological framework.</p><div></div><div></div><div></div>


2020 ◽  
Vol 223 (3) ◽  
pp. 1688-1707
Author(s):  
Mei Feng ◽  
Meijian An ◽  
James Mechie ◽  
Wenjin Zhao ◽  
Guangqi Xue ◽  
...  

SUMMARY We present an updated joint tomographic method to simultaneously invert receiver function waveforms and surface wave dispersions for a 3-D S-wave velocity (Vs) model. By applying this method to observations from ∼900 seismic stations and with a priori Moho constraints from previous studies, we construct a 3-D lithospheric S-wave velocity model and crustal-thickness map for the central–east Tibetan plateau. Data misfit/fitting shows that the inverted model can fit the receiver functions and surface wave dispersions reasonably well, and checkerboard tests show the model can retrieve major structural information. The results highlight several features. Within the plateau crustal thickness is >60 km and outwith the plateau it is ∼40 km. Obvious Moho offsets and lateral variations of crustal velocities exist beneath the eastern (Longmen Shan Fault), northern (central–east Kunlun Fault) and northeastern (east Kunlun Fault) boundaries of the plateau, but with decreasing intensity. Segmented high upper-mantle velocities have varied occurrences and depth extents from south/southwest to north/northeast in the plateau. A Z-shaped upper-mantle low-velocity channel, which was taken as Tibetan lithospheric mantle, reflecting deformable material lies along the northern and eastern periphery of the Tibetan plateau, seemingly separating two large high-velocity mantle areas that, respectively, correspond to the Indian and Asian lithospheres. Other small high-velocity mantle segments overlain by the Z-shaped channel are possibly remnants of cold microplates/slabs associated with subductions/collisions prior to the Indian–Eurasian collision during the accretion of the Tibetan region. By integrating the Vs structures with known tectonic information, we derive that the Indian slab generally underlies the plateau south of the Bangong–Nujiang suture in central Tibet and the Jinsha River suture in eastern Tibet and west of the Lanchangjiang suture in southeastern Tibet. The eastern, northern, northeastern and southeastern boundaries of the Tibetan plateau have undergone deformation with decreasing intensity. The weakly resisting northeast and southeast margins, bounded by a wider softer channel of uppermost mantle material, are two potential regions for plateau expansion in the future.


2021 ◽  
Vol 11 (1) ◽  
Author(s):  
Philipp Balling ◽  
Christoph Grützner ◽  
Bruno Tomljenović ◽  
Wim Spakman ◽  
Kamil Ustaszewski

AbstractThe Dinarides fold-thrust belt on the Balkan Peninsula resulted from convergence between the Adriatic and Eurasian plates since Mid-Jurassic times. Under the Dinarides, S-wave receiver functions, P-wave tomographic models, and shear-wave splitting data show anomalously thin lithosphere overlying a short down-flexed slab geometry. This geometry suggests a delamination of Adriatic lithosphere. Here, we link the evolution of this continental convergence system to hitherto unreported sets of extensively uplifted Oligocene–Miocene (28–17 Ma) marine terraces preserved at elevations of up to 600 m along the Dinaric coastal range. River incision on either side of the Mediterranean-Black Sea drainage divide is comparable to the amounts of terrace uplift. The preservation of the uplifted terraces implies that the most External Dinarides did not experience substantial deformation other than surface uplift in the Neogene. These observations and the contemporaneous emplacement of igneous rocks (33–22 Ma) in the internal Dinarides suggest that the Oligo-Miocene orogen-wide uplift was driven by post-break-off delamination of the Adriatic lithospheric mantle, this was followed by isostatic readjustment of the remaining crust. Our study details how lithospheric delamination exerts an important control on crustal deformation and that its crustal signature and geomorphic imprint can be preserved for millions of years.


Geophysics ◽  
2021 ◽  
pp. 1-62
Author(s):  
Wencheng Yang ◽  
Xiao Li ◽  
Yibo Wang ◽  
Yue Zheng ◽  
Peng Guo

As a key monitoring method, the acoustic emission (AE) technique has played a critical role in characterizing the fracturing process of laboratory rock mechanics experiments. However, this method is limited by low signal-to-noise ratio (SNR) because of a large amount of noise in the measurement and environment and inaccurate AE location. Furthermore, it is difficult to distinguish two or more hits because their arrival times are very close when AE signals are mixed with the strong background noise. Thus, we propose a new method for detecting weak AE signals using the mathematical morphology character correlation of the time-frequency spectrum. The character in all hits of an AE event can be extracted from time-frequency spectra based on the theory of mathematical morphology. Through synthetic and real data experiments, we determined that this method accurately identifies weak AE signals. Compared with conventional methods, the proposed approach can detect AE signals with a lower SNR.


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