scholarly journals DETERMINATION OF FAULT PLANE SOLUTIONS USING WAVEFORM AMPLITUDES AND RADIATION PATTERN

2004 ◽  
Vol 36 (3) ◽  
pp. 1529
Author(s):  
D. A. Vamvakaris ◽  
C. B. Papazachos ◽  
E. E. Karagianni ◽  
E. M. Scordilis ◽  
P. M. Chatzidimitriou
Keyword(s):  
Radiation Pattern ◽  
Multiple Solutions ◽  
Fault Plane ◽  
Synthetic Data ◽  
P Wave ◽  
Original Version ◽  
Fault Plane Solutions ◽  
S Waves ◽  
Short Period

In the present work a modified version of the program FPFIT (Reasenberg and Oppenheimer, 1985) is developed, in order to improve the calculation of the fault plane solutions. The method is applied on selected earthquakes from short period waveform data in the Mygdonia basin (N. Greece) as recorded by the permanent network of the Seismological Station of Aristotle University of Thessaloniki during the period 1989-1999. The proposed modification of the FPFIT program was developed in order to minimize the derivation of multiple solutions, as well as the uncertainties in the location of Ρ and Τ axis of the determined fault plane solutions. Compared to the original version of FPFIT the modified approach takes also into account the radiation pattern of SV and SH waves. For each earthquake horizontal and vertical components of each station were used and the first arrivals of Ρ and S waves were picked. Using the maximum peak-to-peak amplitude of Ρ and S waves the ratio Pmax/(S/\/2max+SE2max)1/2 was estimated, where S/Vmax and SEmax are the maximum amplitudes of the two horizontal components (N-S, E-W) for the S waves and Pmax is the maximum amplitude of the vertical one for the P- waves. This ratio for the observed data, as well as the corresponding ratio Prad/iS/Aad+SlAad)1'2 of the synthetic data was used as a weight for the determination of the observed and theoretical P-wave polarities, respectively. The method was tested using synthetic data. A significant improvement of the results was found, compared to the original version of FPFIT. In particular, an improved approximation of the input focal mechanism is found, without multiple solutions and the best-estimated Ρ and Τ axes exhibit much smaller uncertainties. The addition of noise in the synthetic data didn't significantly change the results concerning the fault plane solutions. Finally, we have applied the modified program on a real data set of earthquakes that occurred in the Mygdonia basin.

The effect of an initial hypocentral stress upon the radiation patterns of P and S waves

1972 ◽  
Vol 62 (5) ◽  
pp. 1173-1182 ◽  
Author(s):  
F. A. Dahlen
Keyword(s):  
Radiation Pattern ◽  
Fault Plane ◽  
Deviatoric Stress ◽  
P Wave ◽  
Stress Deviator ◽  
Radiation Patterns ◽  
Fault Plane Solutions ◽  
S Waves ◽  
Quadrupole Component ◽  
Sufficient Magnitude

Abstract The effect of an initial hypocentral deviatoric stress upon the radiation patterns of radiated P and S waves is explicitly described for the case of an infinitesimal, nonpropagating seismic dislocation. A nonzero hypocentral stress deviator produces two small changes in the familiar quadrupole radiation pattern; it gives rise to a small additional explosion-like component, and it acts to skew slightly the quadrupole component relative to the fault plane and auxiliary plane. The latter phenomenon is not of sufficient magnitude to give rise to any serious uncertainties in the interpretation of fault-plane solutions; in fact, both phenomena are so small that they will be exceedingly difficult ever to detect. The recent measurements of P-wave amplitudes on the focal sphere by Randall and Knopoff (1970) cannot be explained by these results.

scholarly journals Microearthquake Source Locations and Mechanisms: Ice Stream B, West Antarctica (Abstract)

1988 ◽  
Vol 11 ◽  
pp. 199-199
Author(s):  
S. Anandakrishnan ◽  
D. D. Blankenship ◽  
C. R. Bentley
Keyword(s):  
Depth Profile ◽  
Fault Plane ◽  
P Wave ◽  
West Antarctica ◽  
Precise Location ◽  
Fault Plane Solutions ◽  
Ice Flow ◽  
Ice Stream ◽  
Ice Stream B

An array of nine seismographic stations, each sensitive to all three components of motion, was deployed on Ice Stream B, West Antarctica, during the austral summer of 1985–86. The network was sensitive to high-frequency (=400 Hz) seismic activity within a 350 km2 area of the ice stream, and the deployment geometry allows the precise determination of depths for events beneath the 10 km2 array. Microearthquakes from both beneath and beside the ice stream were detected and recorded (Blankenship and others 1987). Inversion of P-wave and S-wave travel times and radiation patterns allows the determination of locations and fault-plane solutions for many of these events.We find that bottom events involve low-angle thrusting, in the down-stream direction, of ice or till; displacement is ∼½ cm per event over a (15 m)2 area. Such faulting is rare and releases an insignificant part of the total energy dissipated by ice flow. However, this is a possible mechanism for plucking of the ice-stream bed.Fault-plane solutions for most major surface events are consistent with the opening of tensional fractures oriented transverse to ice flow. Precise location of these events shows that they correspond to open crevasses, mapped by Vornberger and Whillans (1986), that are oriented transverse to ice flow.In addition, shear-wave splitting observed on some of the microearthquakes shows that the c-axes in the ice stream are slightly, but not strongly, anisotropic. Precise location of the sources requires the use of a detailed velocity-depth profile in the firn, which was obtained by seismic short-refraction studies (Anandakrishnan and others 1988, this volume). A density-depth profile calculated from these velocities agrees well with direct density measurements on a single core nearby (Alley and Bentley 1988, this volume).

A comparison of some S-wave studies of earthquake mechanisms

1961 ◽  
Vol 51 (2) ◽  
pp. 277-292
Author(s):  
William Stauder ◽  
Adams W. M.
Keyword(s):  
Fault Plane ◽  
Analytical Techniques ◽  
P Wave ◽  
Graphical Methods ◽  
S Wave ◽  
Fault Plane Solutions ◽  
P Waves ◽  
S Waves ◽  
Analytical Technique ◽  
Direction Of Polarization

Abstract Graphical and analytical techniques for using S-waves in focal mechanism studies are compared. In previous applications the analytical technique has shown little or no agreement with the results of fault-plane solutions from P-waves, whereas for other groups of earthquakes the graphical methods have shown good agreement between the S-waves and the P-wave solutions. It is shown that the graphical and analytical techniques are identical in principle and that when the graphical methods are applied to the same three earthquakes to which the analytical technique had been applied the identical results are obtained. Closer examination of the graphical presentation of the data, however, shows that the disagreement between the S-waves and the fault plane solutions from P is largely apparent. The discrepancy follows upon the peculiar scatter in the S-wave data and the chance occurrence of observations of S at stations located along closely parallel planes of polarization of S. Once this is understood, it is seen that the direction of polarization of S-waves is in substantial agreement with the methods of analysis of focal mechanisms from P-waves, and that the data are consistent with a simple dipole as the point model of the earthquake focus.

S waves: Alaska and other earthquakes

1960 ◽  
Vol 50 (4) ◽  
pp. 581-597 ◽  
Author(s):  
William Stauder
Keyword(s):  
Focal Mechanism ◽  
Fault Plane ◽  
P Wave ◽  
Wave Analysis ◽  
Point Model ◽  
S Wave ◽  
S Waves ◽  
Wave Solutions ◽  
Single Force

ABSTRACT Techniques of S wave analysis are used to investigate the focal mechanism of four earthquakes. In all cases the results of the S wave analysis agree with previously determined P wave solutions and conform to a dipole with moment or single couple as the point model of the focus. Further, the data from S waves select one of the two nodal planes of P as the fault plane. Small errors in the determination of the angle of polarization of S are shown to result in scatter in the data of a peculiar character which might lead to misinterpretation. The same methods of analysis which in the present instances show excellent agreement with a dipole with moment source are the methods which in a previous paper required a single force type mechanism for a different group of earthquakes.

scholarly journals Microearthquake Source Locations and Mechanisms: Ice Stream B, West Antarctica (Abstract)

1988 ◽  
Vol 11 ◽  
pp. 199
Author(s):  
S. Anandakrishnan ◽  
D. D. Blankenship ◽  
C. R. Bentley
Keyword(s):  
Depth Profile ◽  
Fault Plane ◽  
P Wave ◽  
West Antarctica ◽  
Precise Location ◽  
Fault Plane Solutions ◽  
Ice Flow ◽  
Ice Stream ◽  
Ice Stream B

An array of nine seismographic stations, each sensitive to all three components of motion, was deployed on Ice Stream B, West Antarctica, during the austral summer of 1985–86. The network was sensitive to high-frequency (=400 Hz) seismic activity within a 350 km2 area of the ice stream, and the deployment geometry allows the precise determination of depths for events beneath the 10 km2 array. Microearthquakes from both beneath and beside the ice stream were detected and recorded (Blankenship and others 1987). Inversion of P-wave and S-wave travel times and radiation patterns allows the determination of locations and fault-plane solutions for many of these events. We find that bottom events involve low-angle thrusting, in the down-stream direction, of ice or till; displacement is ∼½ cm per event over a (15 m)2 area. Such faulting is rare and releases an insignificant part of the total energy dissipated by ice flow. However, this is a possible mechanism for plucking of the ice-stream bed. Fault-plane solutions for most major surface events are consistent with the opening of tensional fractures oriented transverse to ice flow. Precise location of these events shows that they correspond to open crevasses, mapped by Vornberger and Whillans (1986), that are oriented transverse to ice flow. In addition, shear-wave splitting observed on some of the microearthquakes shows that the c-axes in the ice stream are slightly, but not strongly, anisotropic. Precise location of the sources requires the use of a detailed velocity-depth profile in the firn, which was obtained by seismic short-refraction studies (Anandakrishnan and others 1988, this volume). A density-depth profile calculated from these velocities agrees well with direct density measurements on a single core nearby (Alley and Bentley 1988, this volume).

Aftershocks of the February 21, 1973 Point Mugu, California earthquake

1976 ◽  
Vol 66 (6) ◽  
pp. 1931-1952
Author(s):  
Donald J. Stierman ◽  
William L. Ellsworth
Keyword(s):  
Fault Zone ◽  
Main Shock ◽  
Fault Plane ◽  
Body Wave ◽  
P Wave ◽  
Fault System ◽  
Wave Radiation ◽  
Fault Plane Solutions ◽  
Complex Deformation ◽  
Transverse Ranges

abstract The ML 6.0 Point Mugu, California earthquake of February 21, 1973 and its aftershocks occurred within the complex fault system that bounds the southern front of the Transverse Ranges province of southern California. P-wave fault plane solutions for 51 events include reverse, strike slip and normal faulting mechanisms, indicating complex deformation within the 10-km broad fault zone. Hypocenters of 141 aftershocks fail to delineate any single fault plane clearly associated with the main shock rupture. Most aftershocks cluster in a region 5 km in diameter centered 5 km from the main shock hypocenter and well beyond the extent of fault rupture estimated from analysis of body-wave radiation. Strain release within the imbricate fault zone was controlled by slip on preexisting planes of weakness under the influence of a NE-SW compressive stress.

Determination of source parameters of small earthquakes from P-wave rise time

1973 ◽  
Vol 63 (2) ◽  
pp. 599-614 ◽  
Author(s):  
M. E. O'Neill ◽  
J. H. Healy
Keyword(s):  
Rise Time ◽  
Source Parameters ◽  
P Wave ◽  
Simple Method ◽  
Zero Crossing ◽  
Basic Measurement ◽  
Earthquake Source Parameters ◽  
Short Period ◽  
Stress Drops

abstract A simple method of estimating source dimensions and stress drops of small earthquakes is presented. The basic measurement is the time from the first break to the first zero crossing on short-period seismograms. Graphs relating these measurements to rise time as a function of Q and instrument response permit an estimate of earthquake source parameters without the calculation of spectra. Tests on data from Rangely, Colorado, and Hollister, California, indicate that the method gives reasonable results.

scholarly journals Relative moment tensors and deep Yakutat seismicity

2019 ◽  
Vol 219 (2) ◽  
pp. 1447-1462 ◽  
Author(s):  
Alexandre P Plourde ◽  
Michael G Bostock
Keyword(s):  
Principal Components ◽  
Moment Tensor ◽  
Synthetic Data ◽  
Principal Component ◽  
P Wave ◽  
Inversion Method ◽  
Low Velocity ◽  
Stress Regime ◽  
Moment Tensors ◽  
S Waves

SUMMARY We introduce a new relative moment tensor (MT) inversion method for clusters of nearby earthquakes. The method extends previous work by introducing constraints from S-waves that do not require modal decomposition and by employing principal component analysis to produce robust estimates of excitation. At each receiver, P and S waves from each event are independently aligned and decomposed into principal components. P-wave constraints on MTs are obtained from a ratio of coefficients corresponding to the first principal component, equivalent to a relative amplitude. For S waves we produce constraints on MTs involving three events, where one event is described as a linear combination of the other two, and coefficients are derived from the first two principal components. Nonlinear optimization is applied to efficiently find best-fitting tensile-earthquake and double-couple solutions for relative MT systems. Using synthetic data, we demonstrate the effectiveness of the P and S constraints both individually and in combination. We then apply the relative MT inversion to a set of 16 earthquakes from southern Alaska, at ∼125 km depth within the subducted Yakutat terrane. Most events are compatible with a stress tensor dominated by downdip tension, however, we observe several pairs of earthquakes with nearly antiparallel slip implying that the stress regime is heterogeneous and/or faults are extremely weak. The location of these events near the abrupt downdip termination of seismicity and the low-velocity zone suggest that they are caused by weakening via grain-size and volume reduction associated with eclogitization of the lower crustal gabbro layer.

Analysis of Shallow Microearthquakes in the South Sebec Seismic Zone, Maine, 1989–1990

1992 ◽  
Vol 63 (4) ◽  
pp. 557-566 ◽  
Author(s):  
William E. Doll ◽  
Carol D. Rea ◽  
John E. Ebel ◽  
Sandra J. Craven ◽  
John J. Cipar
Keyword(s):  
New England ◽  
Satellite Images ◽  
Fault Plane ◽  
Seismic Zone ◽  
Fault Plane Solutions ◽  
Motion Data ◽  
First Motion ◽  
High Level ◽  
Surface Geology

Abstract Fifteen years of regional monitoring by the New England Seismic Network indicated a locally high level of seismicity near South Sebec, between the towns of Milo and Dover-Foxcroft in central Maine. Most of the events were located in a diffuse zone south of the distinctive, ENE trending Harriman Pond Fault (HPF) which is indicated by brittle deformation in outcrop and is represented as a depression in topographic maps and satellite images. A portable network consisting of both digital and analog instruments was deployed during the summers of 1989 and 1990 in order to characterize the pattern of the microearthquakes and to determine high-resolution epicenters, depths, and fault plane solutions. Seventy-three events were detected during the experiment, of which 28 could be located. Many of the events south of the fault lie along a NNW trending line which has no major expression in the surface geology. Only, a few of the events are subparallel to the HPF. The first motion data were insufficient for the determination of any fault plane solutions.

scholarly journals Seismic evidence for the tectonics of Central and Western Asia

1959 ◽  
Vol 49 (4) ◽  
pp. 369-378
Author(s):  
A. E. Scheidegger
Keyword(s):  
Fault Plane ◽  
Stress System ◽  
Motion Direction ◽  
Fault Plane Solutions ◽  
Small Areas ◽  
Mountain Ranges ◽  
Central Asian ◽  
Western Asia ◽  
Tectonic Motion

Abstract A statistical analysis of the null axes of the fault-plane solutions of earthquakes in any one area permits determination of the average tectonic motion direction of that area. In the present paper this method has been applied to areas in central and western Asia for which several hundred fault-plane solutions are readily available in the literature. The investigation yields the result that (seismically) calculated tectonic motion directions in a series of small areas that are part of a larger unit are consistent with each other and that there is in every case an excellent correlation with the tectonic motion of the area as postulated from geological studies. This appears to justify completely the seismic method. The seismically determined tectonic motion in central Asia appears to be mainly in a north-south direction. The motion refers to the present time (since the earthquakes occur at the present time), but it is the same as that postulated in geology for an explanation of the folding of the central Asian mountain ranges. This demonstrates that the stress system which created the central Asian mountains is active at the present time.

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