Complexity of low-frequency earthquakes activity in western Shikoku

Author(s):  
Natalia Poiata ◽  
Jean-Pierre Vilotte ◽  
Nikolai Shapiro ◽  
Mariano Supino ◽  
Kazushige Obara

<p>Short-duration transient seismic events known as low-frequency earthquakes (LFEs) are a component of the slow earthquakes family observed in the transition zone, at the root of seismogenic regions of the subduction zones or active faults. LFEs are the signature of impulse seismic energy radiation associated to and often mixed within complex tectonic tremor signal. Detailed analysis and characterization of LFE space-time activity in relation to other slow earthquake phenomena can provide important information about the state and the processes of fault interface.</p><p>We derive a catalog of LFEs in western Shikoku (Japan) by applying a full waveform coherency-based detection and location method to the 4-year continuous data covering the period of 2013-2016 and recorded at Hi-net seismic stations of NIED. The obtained catalog of over 150,000 detected events allows looking into the details of LFE space-time activity during the tectonic tremor sequences and inter-sequence periods.</p><p>We use this catalogue of LFEs to perform a systematic statistical analysis of the event occurrence patterns by applying correlation and clustering analysis to infer the large-scale (long temporal ~ 1-2 day duration) space-time characteristics and interaction patterns of activity and its potential relation to the structural complexity of the subducting plate. We also analyze the correlation between the migration of clustered LFE activity during energetic tremor sequences and short-term slow slip events occurring in the area during the analyzed period.</p>

2020 ◽  
Vol 6 (3) ◽  
pp. eaay5786 ◽  
Author(s):  
Yusuke Yokota ◽  
Tadashi Ishikawa

Various slow earthquakes (SEQs), including tremors, very low frequency events, and slow slip events (SSEs), occur along megathrust zones. In a shallow plate boundary region, although many SEQs have been observed along pan-Pacific subduction zones, SSEs with a duration on the order of a year or with a large slip have not yet been detected due to difficulty in offshore observation. We try to statistically detect transient seafloor crustal deformations from seafloor geodetic data obtained by the Global Navigation Satellite System-Acoustic (GNSS-A) combination technique, which enables monitoring the seafloor absolute position. Here, we report the first detection of signals probably caused by shallow large SSEs along the Nankai Trough and indicate the timings and approximate locations of probable SSEs. The results show the existence of large SSEs around the shallow side of strong coupling regions and indicate the spatiotemporal relationship with other SEQ activities expected in past studies.


2021 ◽  
Author(s):  
Leonard Seydoux ◽  
Michel Campillo ◽  
René Steinmann ◽  
Randall Balestriero ◽  
Maarten de Hoop

<p>Slow slip events are observed in geodetic data, and are occasionally associated with seismic signatures such as slow earthquakes (low-frequency earthquakes, tectonic tremors). In particular, it was shown that swarms of slow earthquake can correlate with slow slip events occurrence, and allowed to reveal the intermittent behavior of several slow slip events. This observation was possible thanks to detailed analysis of slow earthquakes catalogs and continuous geodetic data, but in every case, was limited to particular classes of seismic signatures. In the present study, we propose to infer the classes of seismic signals that best correlate with the observed geodetic data, including the slow slip event. We use a scattering network (a neural network with wavelet filters) in order to find meaningful signal features, and apply a hierarchical clustering algorithm in order to infer classes of seismic signal. We then apply a regression algorithm in order to predict the geodetic data, including slow slip events, from the occurrence of inferred seismic classes. This allow to (1) identify seismic signatures associated with the slow slip events as well as (2) infer the the contribution of each classes to the overall displacement observed in the geodetic data. We illustrate our strategy by revisiting the slow-slip event of 2006 that occurred beneath Guerrero, Mexico.</p>


2021 ◽  
Vol 11 ◽  
Author(s):  
Ning Wang ◽  
Ninglin Du ◽  
Yonghong Peng ◽  
Kuo Yang ◽  
Zixin Shu ◽  
...  

As a well-established multidrug combinations schema, traditional Chinese medicine (herbal prescription) has been used for thousands of years in real-world clinical settings. This paper uses a complex network approach to investigate the regularities underlying multidrug combinations in herbal prescriptions. Using five collected large-scale real-world clinical herbal prescription datasets, we construct five weighted herbal combination networks with herb as nodes and herbal combinational use in herbal prescription as links. We found that the weight distribution of herbal combinations displays a clear power law, which means that most herb pairs were used in low frequency and some herb pairs were used in very high frequency. Furthermore, we found that it displays a clear linear negative correlation between the clustering coefficients and the degree of nodes in the herbal combination network (HCNet). This indicates that hierarchical properties exist in the HCNet. Finally, we investigate the molecular network interaction patterns between herb related target modules (i.e., subnetworks) in herbal prescriptions using a network-based approach and further explore the correlation between the distribution of herb combinations and prescriptions. We found that the more the hierarchical prescription, the better the corresponding effect. The results also reflected a well-recognized principle called “Jun-Chen-Zuo-Shi” in TCM formula theories. This also gives references for multidrug combination development in the field of network pharmacology and provides the guideline for the clinical use of combination therapy for chronic diseases.


2020 ◽  
Author(s):  
Yusuke Yokota ◽  
Tadashi Ishikawa ◽  
Shun-ichi Watanabe ◽  
Yuto Nakamura

<p>Our research group has been studying advanced GNSS-A (Global Navigation Satellite System – Acoustic ranging combination) technique over two decades. In recent years, detection sensitivity of GNSS-A observations has been sophisticated by improving the accuracy and frequency of analysis technology and acoustic systems [e.g., Yokota et al., 2018, MGR; Ishikawa et al., in prep]. The current observation frequency is more than 4 times/year, the observation accuracy for each observation is less than 2 cm, and it can detect a steady deformation rate of 1 cm/year or less and an unsteady fluctuation of 5 cm or less. Also, efforts are being made to strengthen the observation network.</p><p>GNSS-A observations for the 2011 Tohoku-oki earthquake and its postseismic field revealed the details of the crustal deformation field on the Japan Trench side [Sato et al., 2011, Science; Watanabe et al., 2014, GRL]. The long-term observation data in the Nankai Trough region revealed the strain accumulation process at the interseismic period [Yokota et al., 2016, Nature; Watanabe et al., 2018, JGR; Nishimura et al., 2018, Geosphere]. Furthermore, detection and monitoring of large-scale slow slip events (SSEs) in the shallow part of the Nankai Trough was achieved by recent sensitivity improvements [Yokota & Ishikawa, 2020, Science Advances]. The detected postseismic fields, coupling condition and shallow SSEs contain universal features that should be shared in many subduction zones. Here, along with the latest observations, we discuss spatial and temporal relationships of these events, strain accumulations and releases along subduction zones around Japan by GNSS-A and its impact on slow earthquake science.</p><p>Recently, because of the need for continuous monitoring a shallow SSE, the monitoring ability of GNSS-A was also investigated. It was confirmed that relatively large-scale shallow SSE (surface deformation: > 5 cm) could be monitored. However, the ability to determine the time constant of an SSE is poor. For monitoring the detail of an SSE, it is essential to improve the observation frequency in the future. Here, we also discuss the technical issues to be considered and their solution plans (e.g., new platform and system).</p>


1985 ◽  
Vol 154 ◽  
pp. 463-491 ◽  
Author(s):  
Masaru Kiya ◽  
Kyuro Sasaki

This paper describes experiments concerning the structure of large-scale vortices and the unsteady reverse-flow properties in the reattaching zone of a nominally two-dimensional separation bubble formed at the leading edge of a blunt flat plate with right-angled corners. The experiment was performed in a wind tunnel with a constant Reynolds number 2.6 × 104 (based on the main-flow velocity and the thickness of the plate). Split-film probes, being sensitive to instantaneous reversals of flow direction, were extensively employed. An important feature of this study is a judicious use of surface-pressure fluctuations as a conditioning signal to educe the structure of the large-scale vortices.Distributions of fluctuating-velocity vectors and contour lines of high-frequency turbulent energy in a few space–time domains are presented and discussed. The most economical interpretation of these space-time distributions is that the large-scale vortices in the reattaching zone are hairpin vortices whose configuration is sketched in the text. The unsteady flow in the reattaching zone is mainly governed by two agents; the motion of the large-scale vortices and the low-frequency unsteadiness. The unsteady flow is clarified in terms of the motion (in a space–time domain) of zeros of the longitudinal velocity close to the surface of the plate; the effects of the two agents on this motion are presented separately. On the basis of these results, a mathematical model of the unsteady flow in the reattaching zone is suggested and found to yield good comparison with measured reverse-flow intermittency and frequency of local-flow reversals. It appears that the separation bubble experiences shrinkage and enlargement in connection with the low-frequency unsteadiness and that the speed of shrinkage is much greater than that of enlargement. The strength of the large-scale vortices in the reattaching zone seems to be dependent on the phase of the low-frequency unsteadiness.


2015 ◽  
Vol 143 (2) ◽  
pp. 563-580 ◽  
Author(s):  
Joanna Slawinska ◽  
Olivier Pauluis ◽  
Andrew J. Majda ◽  
Wojciech W. Grabowski

Abstract This paper discusses the sparse space–time superparameterization (SSTSP) algorithm and evaluates its ability to represent interactions between moist convection and the large-scale circulation in the context of a Walker cell flow over a planetary scale two-dimensional domain. The SSTSP represents convective motions in each column of the large-scale model by embedding a cloud-resolving model, and relies on a sparse sampling in both space and time to reduce computational cost of explicit simulation of convective processes. Simulations are performed varying the spatial compression and/or temporal acceleration, and results are compared to the cloud-resolving simulation reported previously. The algorithm is able to reproduce a broad range of circulation features for all temporal accelerations and spatial compressions, but significant biases are identified. Precipitation tends to be too intense and too localized over warm waters when compared to the cloud-resolving simulations. It is argued that this is because coherent propagation of organized convective systems from one large-scale model column to another is difficult when superparameterization is used, as noted in previous studies. The Walker cell in all simulations exhibits low-frequency variability on a time scale of about 20 days, characterized by four distinctive stages: suppressed, intensification, active, and weakening. The SSTSP algorithm captures spatial structure and temporal evolution of the variability. This reinforces the confidence that SSTSP preserves fundamental interactions between convection and the large-scale flow, and offers a computationally efficient alternative to traditional convective parameterizations.


2021 ◽  
Author(s):  
Claudia Hulbert ◽  
Romain Jolivet ◽  
Blandine Gardonio ◽  
Paul Johnson ◽  
Christopher Ren ◽  
...  

<p>Active faults release tectonic stress imposed by plate motion through a spectrum of slip modes, from slow, aseismic slip, to dynamic, seismic events. Slow earthquakes are often associated with tectonic tremor, non-impulsive signals that can easily be buried in seismic noise and go undetected. </p><p>We present a new methodology aimed at improving the detection and location of tremors hidden within seismic noise. After detecting tremors with a classic convolutional neural network, we rely on neural network attribution to extract core tremor signatures. By identifying and extracting tremor characteristics, in particular in the frequency domain, the attribution analysis allows us to uncover structure in the data and denoise input waveforms. In particular, we show that these cleaned signals correspond to a waveform traveling in the Earth's crust and mantle at wavespeeds consistent with local estimates. We then use these cleaned waveforms to locate tremors with standard array-based techniques. </p><p>We apply this method to the Cascadia subduction zone. We analyze a slow slip event that occurred in 2018 below the southern end of the Vancouver Island, Canada, where we identify tremor patches consistent with existing catalogs. Having validated our new methodology in a well-studied area, we further apply it to various tectonic contexts and discuss the implications of tremor occurrences in the scope of exploring the interplay between seismic and aseismic slip.</p>


2020 ◽  
Author(s):  
Gaspard Farge ◽  
Nikolai Shapiro ◽  
Claude Jaupart ◽  
Édouard Kaminski

<p>The activity of slow-earthquakes in subduction zones have been closely linked to fluid circulation processes — like hydro fracturation and pore-pressure pulses — on the one hand by geological observations and on the other hand by slow-earthquake triggering and interaction models. In deep fault zone environments, where slow slip events and various regimes of tremor are observed, fluids coming from metamorphic dehydration of slab sediments are channeled towards the surface. Geological observations indicate that fluid transport conditions vary significantly on short time scales, and along dip, strike and width of the fault zone. In homogeneously permeable systems where fluids transit under stable conditions, pore-pressure can be described by a diffusion equation. We use a time and space bimodal description of the transport properties to model a tremor generating, permeable fault zone. Thin zones of low permeability acting as valves are distributed along the 1D channel with a higher background permeability. When a threshold pore-pressure differential is reached, the valve permeability is brought to background levels, until the barrier is healed and closes again. In this model, the opening of a valve occurs at the same time as the source of a low-frequency earthquake (LFE) is triggered. In such a set up, sources interact uniquely due to the channeling of stress through pore-pressure diffusion, and the interaction characteristics in time/space are described in the framework of a diffusive system. When the number of sources is high, the model can reproduce clustering behaviours observed for LFE activity in subduction zones. The transition from a Poisson process description of seismicity to highly clustered, cascading events is governed by the source interaction distances, directly relating to the transport properties of the medium. In time, such a model is meant to diagnose the transport conditions in a subduction zone or a magmatic system, provided that it can be characterized by clustering statistics on the low-frequency seismicity it generates.</p>


2020 ◽  
Vol 72 (1) ◽  
Author(s):  
Keita Chiba

AbstractThe b-value of the Gutenberg–Richter law represents the ratio of earthquake magnitude to frequency of occurrence and is inversely proportional to differential stress. Repeating long-term slow-slip events (SSEs) and low-frequency earthquakes (LFEs) occur at subducting plate interfaces and have stress-dependent characteristics near the interface. In this study, a comprehensive regional b-value distribution is produced for the western Nankai Trough region, which highlights the relationship between b-values, SSEs, and LFEs. b-values vary along the strike direction of the subducting plate and are significantly lower $$ \left( {b \sim 0.6} \right) $$b∼0.6 in central Shikoku district than elsewhere, where LFEs frequently occur. However, b-values in the source regions of other LFEs are moderate to high. These findings imply that b-values in the focal region are controlled by more than the LFE source process; indeed, if this source process were solely responsible, then high b-values would be expected. Meanwhile, the $$ V_{P} /V_{S} $$VP/VS and QP around the plate interface in central Shikoku estimated from seismic velocity and attenuation structure are smaller and larger than those in other regions with LFEs, respectively. SSEs with the migration toward central Shikoku also occurred during the analysis period, suggesting significant accumulation of shear stresses in the focal region, which reduced the b-values. These findings suggest that the spatial distributions of b-values are influenced by complicated stress and shear strength perturbations caused by SSEs and LFEs. On the other hand, the b-values in the region that underwent the greatest slip during the 1946 Nankai earthquake are not necessarily low, although the area covered by the b-value distribution is small owing to the lack of events on the updip side. Whereas the asperity areas of huge earthquakes are characterized by low b-values, the b-value distribution in the Nankai megathrust area is more complicated. It is considered that slow earthquakes, including SSEs and LFEs, are related to megathrust earthquakes via stress transfer from slow earthquakes to adjacent megathrust source regions. A unified analysis of b-values in the source regions of slow and megathrust earthquakes may be required to make precise estimates of the seismic hazard produced by a megathrust event.


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