scholarly journals A new moment-tensor decomposition for seismic events in anisotropic media

2011 ◽  
Vol 188 (1) ◽  
pp. 343-370 ◽  
Author(s):  
C. H. Chapman ◽  
W. S. Leaney
2021 ◽  
Vol 18 (2) ◽  
pp. 231-240
Author(s):  
Yi Yao ◽  
Yibo Wang

Abstract Anisotropy affects the focal mechanism and makes it complicated. A shear motion generates a pure double-couple (DC) source in isotropic media. While in anisotropic media, it will produce non-DC components, which contain isotropic (ISO) and compensated linear vector dipole (CLVD) components. Besides, coupled with the diversity of fault motion, the source may become extremely complicated. In this paper, the seismic moment tensor is obtained based on the dislocation model, and then a variety of analyses are performed with the moment tensor, including moment tensor decomposition, radiation pattern, radiated energy ratio and seismic propagation characteristics. Since the anisotropy of the medium also influences seismic wave propagation, a hypothesis is made that the source region is minimal and anisotropic, but the propagation path is isotropic. The research gives some interesting conclusions. It is found that the anisotropy mainly affects the focal mechanism under low slope angle while high slope angle has little effect on the polarity. In terms of the moment tensor decomposition, if only one of ISO or CLVD exists, it can be asserted that the source region is anisotropic because ISO components are accompanied by CLVD components in isotropy media. As for the DC component, the results indicate it is one of the most important factors for determining the ratio of radiant energy. This paper presents some valuable findings of the focal mechanism of the general dislocation source under anisotropy, which helps to recognise the source characteristics of the earthquake and build solid foundations for the subsequent inversion of the focal mechanism.


Geophysics ◽  
2018 ◽  
Vol 83 (3) ◽  
pp. C85-C97 ◽  
Author(s):  
Nepomuk Boitz ◽  
Anton Reshetnikov ◽  
Serge A. Shapiro

Radiation patterns of earthquakes contain important information on tectonic strain responsible for seismic events. However, elastic anisotropy may significantly impact these patterns. We systematically investigate and visualize the effect of anisotropy on the radiation patterns of microseismic events. For visualization, we use a vertical-transverse-isotropic (VTI) medium. We distinguish between two different effects: the anisotropy in the source and the anisotropy on the propagation path. Source anisotropy mathematically comes from the matrix multiplication of the anisotropic stiffness tensor with the source strain expressed by the potency tensor. We analyze this effect using the corresponding radiation pattern and the moment tensor decomposition. Propagation anisotropy mathematically comes from the deviation between the polarization and the propagation direction of a quasi P-wave in an anisotropic medium. We investigate both effects separately by either assuming the source to be anisotropic and the propagation to be isotropic or vice versa. We find that both effects have a significant impact on the radiation pattern of a pure-slip source. Finally, we develop an alternative visualization of source mechanisms by plotting beach balls proportional to their potency tensors. For this, we multiply the potency tensor with an isotropic elasticity tensor having the equivalent shear modulus [Formula: see text] and [Formula: see text]. In this way, we visualize the tectonic deformation in the source, independently of the rock anisotropy.


1989 ◽  
Vol 60 (2) ◽  
pp. 37-57 ◽  
Author(s):  
M. L. Jost ◽  
R. B. Herrmann

Abstract A review of a moment tensor for describing a general seismic point source is presented to show a second order moment tensor can be related to simpler seismic source descriptions such as centers of expansion and double couples. A review of literature is followed by detailed algebraic expansions of the moment tensor into isotropic and deviatoric components. Specific numerical examples are provided in the appendices for use in testing algorithms for moment tensor decomposition.


Geophysics ◽  
2015 ◽  
Vol 80 (1) ◽  
pp. KS1-KS9 ◽  
Author(s):  
Oksana Zhebel ◽  
Leo Eisner

Microseismic monitoring has become a tool of choice for the development and optimization of oil and gas production from unconventional reservoirs. The primary objective of (micro) seismic monitoring includes localization of (micro) seismic events and characterization of their source mechanisms. Most seismic events are of a nonexplosive nature, and thus, there are waveform (polarity) differences among receivers. Specifically, double-couple sources represented a challenge for migration-based localization techniques. We developed and applied a new migration-type location technique combined with source mechanism inversion that allowed for constructive interference of signal in seismic waveforms. The procedure included constructing image functions by stacking the amplitudes with compensated polarity changes. The compensation weights were calculated by using moment tensor inversion. This method did not require any picking of arrivals at individual receivers, but it required receivers to be distributed in multiple azimuths and offsets. This made the technique suitable for surface or near-surface monitoring, in which a low signal-to-noise ratio (S/N) can be overcome by stacking. Furthermore, the advantage of this technique was that in addition to the position in time and space, we also determined the source mechanism. We determined with numerical tests that the proposed technique can be used for detection and location of events with S/Ns as low as 0.05 at individual (prestacked) receivers. Furthermore, we found that other source mechanism parameters such as magnitude, volumetric, or shear components of the source mechanism were not suitable for the location. Finally, we applied the proposed technique to a microseismic event of moment magnitude [Formula: see text] induced during the hydraulic fracturing treatment of a gas shale reservoir in North America.


Author(s):  
Ting-Chung Huang ◽  
Yih-Min Wu

Abstract Moment tensor decomposition is a method for deriving the isotropic (ISO), double-couple (DC), and compensated linear vector dipole (CLVD) components from a seismic moment tensor. Currently, there are two families of methods, namely, standard moment tensor decomposition and Euclidean moment tensor decomposition. Although both methods can usually provide workable solutions, there are some minor inconsistencies between the two methods: an equality inconsistency that occurs in standard moment tensor decomposition and the pure CLVD unity and flip basis inconsistency encountered in Euclidean moment tensor decomposition. Moreover, there is a sign problem when disentangling the CLVD component from a DC-dominated case. To address these minor inconsistencies, we propose a new moment tensor decomposition method inspired by both previous methods. The new method can not only avoid all these minor inconsistencies but also withstand deviations in ISO- or CLVD-dominated cases when using source-type diagrams.


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