scholarly journals Focal Mechanism and Seismogenic Structure of the MS 5.1 Qingbaijiang Earthquake on February 3, 2020, Southwestern China

2021 ◽  
Vol 9 ◽  
Author(s):  
Min Zhao ◽  
Feng Long ◽  
Guixi Yi ◽  
MingJian Liang ◽  
Jiangtao Xie ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Fault Zone ◽  
Focal Mechanism ◽  
Earthquake Sequence ◽  
Southwestern China ◽  
Joint Analysis ◽  
Focal Mechanism Solution ◽  
Inversion Method ◽  
Seismogenic Structure ◽  
Initial Rupture ◽  
Hypocentral Distribution

The 3 February 2020 MS 5.1 Qingbaijiang earthquake, southwestern China, is the closest recorded MS ≥ 5.0 event to downtown Chengdu City to date, with an epicentral distance of only 38 km. Here we analyze seismic data from the Sichuan and Chengdu regional seismic networks, and employ a multi-stage location method to relocate the earthquakes that have occurred along the central and northern segments of the Longquanshan fault zone since 2009, including the MS 5.1 Qingbaijiang earthquake sequence, to investigate the seismogenic structure of the region. The relocation results indicate that the seismicity along the central and northern segments of the Longquanshan fault zone has occurred mainly along the eastern branch since 2009, with the hypocentral distribution along a vertical cross-section illustrating a steep, NW-dipping parallel imbricate structure. The terminating depth of the eastern branch is about 12 km. The distribution of the MS 5.1 Qingbaijiang earthquake sequence is along the NE–SW-striking Longquanshan fault zone. The aftershock focal depths are in the 3–6 km range, with the mainshock located at 104.475°E, 30.73°N. Its initial rupture depth of 5.2 km indicates that the earthquake occurred above the shallow decollement layer of the upper crust in this region. The hypocentral distribution along the long axis of the aftershock area highlights that this earthquake sequence occurred along a fault dipping at 56° to the NW. Our surface projection of the inferred fault plane places it near the eastern branch of the Longquanshan fault zone. We infer the MS 5.1 mainshock to be a thrust faulting event based on the focal mechanism solution via the cut-and-paste waveform inversion method, with strike/dip/rake parameters of 22°/36°/91° and 200°/54°/89° obtained for nodal planes I and II, respectively. We identify that the seismogenic fault of the MS 5.1 Qingbaijiang earthquake lies along the eastern branch of the Longquanshan fault zone, and nodal plane II represents the coseismic rupture plane, based on a joint analysis of the event relocation results, mainshock focal mechanism, and regional geological information. Our study provides vital information for assessing the seismic hazard of the Longquanshan fault zone near Chengdu City.

A Note on the December 1986 - January 1987 Richmond, Virginia, Felt Earthquake Sequence

1987 ◽  
Vol 58 (3) ◽  
pp. 73-80
Author(s):  
Frederick C. Davison ◽  
Melissa J. Bodé
Keyword(s):  
Focal Mechanism ◽  
Earthquake Sequence ◽  
Focal Mechanism Solution ◽  
Groundwater Environment ◽  
Reverse Faulting ◽  
The Stability ◽  
Epicentral Intensity

Abstract A series of small, felt earthquakes occurred in Richmond, Virginia, during December 1986 and January 1987. Historie records show that such a sequence is unique for Richmond. There were at least 11 felt events, of which six were instrumentally recorded and four were located. Duration magnitudes of these four ranged from 1.5 to 2.2. A focal mechanism solution was calculated and indicates reverse faulting on a plane striking north-northwest and dipping either 45° northeast or 44° southwest. Epicentral intensity reports, up to MMI V, and felt areas do not conform to usual intensity - magnitude relationships. Independent estimates of depth suggest that extremely shallow foei (<2.5 km) may be the cause for this anomaly. The shallow focal depths have important implications concerning the stability of the crust around any shallow underground facilities sited in the area, especially with respect to protection of the groundwater environment.

scholarly journals Stress state along the Anninghe-Zemuhe fault zone, southwestern China, estimated from an array of stress orientation measurements with a new method

2012 ◽  
Vol 64 (1) ◽  
pp. 13-25 ◽  
Author(s):  
Yasuto Kuwahara ◽  
Tsutomu Kiguchi ◽  
Xinglin Lei ◽  
Shengli Ma ◽  
Xueze Wen ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Stress State ◽  
Fault Zone ◽  
New Method ◽  
Southwestern China ◽  
Stress Orientation

Inversion of regional surface-wave spectra for source parameters of aftershocks from the 1992 Petrolia earthquake sequence

1995 ◽  
Vol 85 (3) ◽  
pp. 705-715
Author(s):  
Mark Andrew Tinker ◽  
Susan L. Beck
Keyword(s):  
Surface Wave ◽  
Focal Mechanism ◽  
Source Parameters ◽  
Strike Slip ◽  
Earthquake Sequence ◽  
Fault System ◽  
Accretionary Wedge ◽  
Wave Spectra ◽  
The North ◽  
Gorda Plate

Abstract Regional distance surface waves are used to study the source parameters for moderate-size aftershocks of the 25 April 1992 Petrolia earthquake sequence. The Cascadia subduction zone had been relatively seismically inactive until the onset of the mainshock (Ms = 7.1). This underthrusting event establishes that the southern end of the North America-Gorda plate boundary is seismogenic. It was followed by two separate and distinct large aftershocks (Ms = 6.6 for both) occurring at 07:41 and 11:41 on 26 April, as well as thousands of other small aftershocks. Many of the aftershocks following the second large aftershock had magnitudes in the range of 4.0 to 5.5. Using intermediate-period surface-wave spectra, we estimate focal mechanisms and depths for one foreshock and six of the larger aftershocks (Md = 4.0 to 5.5). These seven events can be separated into two groups based on temporal, spatial, and principal stress orientation characteristics. Within two days of the mainshock, four aftershocks (Md = 4 to 5) occurred within 4 hr of each other that were located offshore and along the Mendocino fault. These four aftershocks comprise one group. They are shallow, thrust events with northeast-trending P axes. We interpret these aftershocks to represent internal compression within the North American accretionary prism as a result of Gorda plate subduction. The other three events compose the second group. The shallow, strike-slip mechanism determined for the 8 March foreshock (Md = 5.3) may reflect the right-lateral strike-slip motion associated with the interaction between the northern terminus of the San Andreas fault system and the eastern terminus of the Mendocino fault. The 10 May aftershock (Md = 4.1), located on the coast and north of the Mendocino triple junction, has a thrust fault focal mechanism. This event is shallow and probably occurred within the accretionary wedge on an imbricate thrust. A normal fault focal mechanism is obtained for the 5 June aftershock (Md = 4.8), located offshore and just north of the Mendocino fault. This event exhibits a large component of normal motion, representing internal failure within a rebounding accretionary wedge. These two aftershocks and the foreshock have dissimilar locations in space and time, but they do share a north-northwest oriented P axis.

scholarly journals A functional tool to explore the reliability of micro-earthquake focal mechanism solution for seismotectonic purposes

2021 ◽  
Author(s):  
Guido Maria Adinolfi ◽  
Raffaella De Matteis ◽  
Rita De Nardis ◽  
Aldo Zollo
Keyword(s):  
Focal Mechanism ◽  
Fault Plane ◽  
Focal Mechanisms ◽  
Seismic Network ◽  
Fault System ◽  
Focal Mechanism Solution ◽  
Fault Plane Solutions ◽  
Stress Regime ◽  
Focal Mechanism Solutions ◽  
Earthquake Focal Mechanism

Abstract. Improving the knowledge of seismogenic faults requires the integration of geological, seismological, and geophysical information. Among several analyses, the definition of earthquake focal mechanisms plays an essential role in providing information about the geometry of individual faults and the stress regime acting in a region. Fault plane solutions can be retrieved by several techniques operating in specific magnitude ranges, both in the time and frequency domain and using different data. For earthquakes of low magnitude, the limited number of available data and their uncertainties can compromise the stability of fault plane solutions. In this work, we propose a useful methodology to evaluate how well a seismic network used to monitor natural and/or induced micro-seismicity estimates focal mechanisms as function of magnitude, location, and kinematics of seismic source and consequently their reliability in defining seismotectonic models. To study the consistency of focal mechanism solutions, we use a Bayesian approach that jointly inverts the P/S long-period spectral-level ratios and the P polarities to infer the fault-plane solutions. We applied this methodology, by computing synthetic data, to the local seismic network operated in the Campania-Lucania Apennines (Southern Italy) to monitor the complex normal fault system activated during the Ms 6.9, 1980 earthquake. We demonstrate that the method we propose can have a double purpose. It can be a valid tool to design or to test the performance of local seismic networks and more generally it can be used to assign an absolute uncertainty to focal mechanism solutions fundamental for seismotectonic studies.

Spatial distribution of high-frequency energy radiation on the fault of the 1995 Hyogo-Ken Nanbu, Japan, earthquake (MW 6.9) on the basis of the seismogram envelope inversion

1999 ◽  
Vol 89 (1) ◽  
pp. 22-35 ◽  
Author(s):  
Hisashi Nakahara ◽  
Haruo Sato ◽  
Masakazu Ohtake ◽  
Takeshi Nishimura
Keyword(s):  
Spatial Distribution ◽  
Wave Energy ◽  
High Frequency ◽  
Fault Plane ◽  
Time Window ◽  
Source Region ◽  
Inversion Method ◽  
S Wave ◽  
Energy Radiation ◽  
Initial Rupture

Abstract We studied the generation and propagation of high-frequency (above 1 Hz) S-wave energy from the 1995 Hyogo-Ken Nanbu (Kobe), Japan, earthquake (MW 6.9) by analyzing seismogram envelopes of the mainshock and aftershocks. We first investigated the propagation characteristics of high-frequency S-wave energy in the heterogeneous lithosphere around the source region. By applying the multiple lapse time window analysis method to aftershock records, we estimated two parameters that quantitatively characterize the heterogeneity of the medium: the total scattering coefficient and the intrinsic absorption of the medium for S waves. Observed envelopes of aftershocks were well reproduced by the envelope Green functions synthesized based on the radiative transfer theory with the obtained parameters. Next, we applied the envelope inversion method to 13 strong-motion records of the mainshock. We divided the mainshock fault plane of 49 × 21 km into 21 subfaults of 7 × 7 km square and estimated the spatial distribution of the high-frequency energy radiation on that plane. The average constant rupture velocity and the duration of energy radiation for each subfault were determined by grid searching to be 3.0 km/sec and 5.0 sec, respectively. Energy radiated from the whole fault plane was estimated as 4.9 × 1014 J for 1 to 2 Hz, 3.3 × 1014 J for 2 to 4 Hz, 1.5 × 1014 J for 4 to 8 Hz, 8.9 × 1012 J for 8 to 16 Hz, and 9.8 × 1014 J in all four frequency bands. We found that strong energy was mainly radiated from three regions on the mainshock fault plane: around the initial rupture point, near the surface at Awaji Island, and a shallow portion beneath Kobe. We interpret that energetic portions were associated with rupture acceleration, a fault surface break, and rupture termination, respectively.

A study of microseismicity in Northern Baja California, Mexico

1976 ◽  
Vol 66 (6) ◽  
pp. 1921-1929 ◽  
Author(s):  
Tracy L. Johnson ◽  
Juan Madrid ◽  
Theodore Koczynski
Keyword(s):  
Fault Zone ◽  
Focal Mechanism ◽  
Baja California ◽  
Surface Deformation ◽  
Normal Faults ◽  
East Side ◽  
Composite Focal Mechanism ◽  
Agua Blanca Fault ◽  
Eastern Edge ◽  
Low Activity

abstract Five microearthquake instruments were operated for 2 months in 1974 in a small mobile array deployed at various sites near the Agua Blanca and San Miguel faults. An 80-km-long dection of the San Miguel fault zone is presently active seismically, producing the vast majority of recorded earthquakes. Very low activity was recorded on the Agua Blanca fault. Events were also located near normal faults forming the eastern edge of the Sierra Juarez suggesting that these faults are active. Hypocenters on the San Miguel fault range in depth from 0 to 20 km although two-thirds are in the upper 10 km. A composite focal mechanism showing a mixture of right-lateral and dip slip, east side up, is similar to a solution obtained for the 1956 San Miguel earthquake which proved consistent with observed surface deformation.

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