scholarly journals A focal mechanism catalogue of earthquakes that occurred in the southeastern Alps and surrounding areas from 1928–2019

2021 ◽  
Vol 13 (5) ◽  
pp. 2245-2258
Author(s):  
Angela Saraò ◽  
Monica Sugan ◽  
Gianni Bressan ◽  
Gianfranco Renner ◽  
Andrea Restivo
Keyword(s):  
Focal Mechanism ◽  
Moment Tensor ◽  
Active Regions ◽  
Focal Mechanisms ◽  
Seismic Moment Tensor ◽  
Fault Plane Solutions ◽  
First Arrival ◽  
Populated Region ◽  
Surrounding Areas ◽  
Catalogue Of Earthquakes

Abstract. We present a focal mechanism catalogue of earthquakes that occurred in the southeastern Alps and surrounding areas from 1928 to 2019. The area involved in the process of convergence between the Adria microplate and Eurasia is one of the most seismically active regions in the Alpine Belt. The seismicity is minor, with the Ms= 6.5 Friuli earthquake being the strongest event recorded in the area, but the seismic risk is relevant because it is a highly populated region. For this reason, numerous studies have been carried out over time to investigate the stress field and the geodynamic characteristics of the region using focal mechanisms. To provide a comprehensive set of revised information, which is challenging to build quickly because the data are dispersed over many papers, we collected and revised the focal mechanisms that were previously published in the literature. Additionally, depending on the data quality and availability, we computed new focal mechanisms by first arrival polarity inversion or seismic moment tensor. Finally, we merged all the fault plane solutions to obtain a catalogue for a selection of 772 earthquakes with 1.8≤M≤6.5. For each earthquake, we reported all the available focal mechanisms obtained by different authors. We also suggested a preferred solution for users who need information provided expeditiously. The catalogue (https://doi.org/10.5281/zenodo.4660412; Saraò et al., 2021) is given as the Supplement of this paper and will be updated periodically (https://doi.org/10.5281/zenodo.4284970).

scholarly journals A focal mechanism catalogue of earthquakes that occurred in the southeastern Alps and surrounding areas from 1928–2019

2021 ◽  
Author(s):  
Angela Saraò ◽  
Monica Sugan ◽  
Gianni Bressan ◽  
Gianfranco Renner ◽  
Andrea Restivo
Keyword(s):  
Focal Mechanism ◽  
Moment Tensor ◽  
Active Regions ◽  
Focal Mechanisms ◽  
Seismic Moment Tensor ◽  
Fault Plane Solutions ◽  
First Arrival ◽  
Populated Region ◽  
Surrounding Areas ◽  
Catalogue Of Earthquakes

Abstract. We present a focal mechanism catalogue of earthquakes that occurred in the southeastern Alps and surrounding areas from 1928 to 2019. The area involved in the process of convergence between the Adria microplate and Eurasia is one of the most seismically active regions in the Alpine Belt. The seismicity is minor, with the Ms =thinsp;6.5 Friuli earthquake being the strongest event recorded in the area, but the seismic hazard is relevant because it is a highly populated region. For this reason, numerous studies have been carried out over time to investigate the stress field and the geodynamic characteristics of the region using focal mechanisms. To provide a comprehensive set of revised information, which is challenging to build quickly because the data is dispersed over many papers, we collected and revised the focal mechanisms that were previously published in the literature. Additionally, depending on the data quality and availability, we computed new focal mechanisms by first arrival polarity inversion or seismic moment tensor. Finally, we merged all the fault plane solutions to obtain a catalogue for a selection of 772 earthquakes with 1.8thinsp;≤thinsp;Mthinsp;≤thinsp;6.5. For each earthquake, we reported all the available focal mechanisms obtained by different authors. However, we also suggested a preferred solution for users who need expeditious information. The catalogue is available at https://doi.org/10.5281/zenodo.4284971 (Saraò et al., 2020).

Methods for determining focal mechanisms in laboratory experiments

2021 ◽  
Author(s):  
Natalia Shikhova ◽  
Andrey Patonin
Keyword(s):  
Laboratory Experiments ◽  
High Efficiency ◽  
Moment Tensor ◽  
Focal Mechanisms ◽  
Half Period ◽  
Seismic Moment Tensor ◽  
Incoming Wave ◽  
Directional Diagram ◽  
P Waves ◽  
First Arrival

<p>In laboratory experiments, acoustic emission (AE) caused by the deformation of geomaterial reflects changes in the strength and stress state of the sample. By analogy with the solution of focal mechanisms of earthquake sources, there are several methods for determining the mechanisms and types of AE sources using the amplitudes and signs of the first arrival of an elastic wave on sensors that register acoustic signals. With 16 receiving acoustic sensors, the number of polarity determinations of the incoming wave usually does not exceed 5-10, while the sign determination on some sensors is often incorrect due to the omission of the first half-period of the weak signal by the automatic registration algorithm. This reduces the reliability of determining the mechanism of the focus in laboratory tests of rocks by wellknown methods based on the distribution of signs of the first arrival of the AE wave. We propose a method for determining the directions of the axes and the values of compression and tension in the AE source. The algorithm uses information about the coordinates of events and receivers, values of amplitudes and signs of the first half-period of P-waves coming to the receivers. In this case, the model of the AE source is assumed as a quadrupole with compression and tension axes. The source-receiver distance, the directional diagram of the receiver, and the emission diagram of the source are taken into account for each of the receivers to calculate the value of displacements in the source. To test the proposed algorithm and compare it with the known methods, there was developed a program for generating an acoustic signal source of a given type with random coordinates and directions of the compression and tension axes. An array of signs and amplitudes of the first arrivals coming to the receivers was calculated from simulated data. The high efficiency of the proposed algorithm was shown. The usage of this method together with the determination of AE event types [Zang et.al., 1998] in real laboratory experiments allows us to characterize the prevailing processes of destruction during separate phases of the experiment on triaxial loading of rocks in more detail. The developed algorithm makes it possible to determine the directions of the axes and the values of compression-tension with a minimum number of signs of the arrivals of P- waves, to estimate the components of the seismic moment tensor and obtain more complete information about the mechanism of the AE source.</p><p>The work was supported partly by the mega-grant program of the Russian Federation Ministry of Science and Education under the project no. 14.W03.31.0033 and partly by the state assignment of the Ministry to IPE RAS.</p>

scholarly journals KAMCHATKA AND COMMANDER ISLANDS

2020 ◽  
pp. 172-182
Author(s):  
D. Chebrov ◽  
A. Chebrova ◽  
I. Abubakirov ◽  
E. Matveenko ◽  
S. Mityushkina ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Moment Tensor ◽  
Seismic Intensity ◽  
Earthquake Catalogue ◽  
Seismic Moment Tensor ◽  
Magnitude Of Completeness ◽  
Commander Islands ◽  
Strong Earthquakes ◽  
Double Couple ◽  
Kamchatka Earthquake ◽  
Surrounding Areas

The seismicity review of Kamchatka and surrounding territories for 2014 is given. In Kamchatka earthquake catalogue minimum local magnitude of completeness is MLmin=3.5, and for earthquakes under the Okhotsk sea with h≥350 kmMLmin=3.6. The Kamchatka earthquake catalogue for 2014 with ML3.5, published in the Appendix to this annual, includes 1114 events. 86 earthquakes of the catalogue with ML=3.35–6.2 were felt in Kamchatka and surrounding areas with seismic intensity I ranged from 2 to 5 according the MSK-64 scale. For all events with ML5.0 occurred in the area of responsibility of the KB GS RAS in 2014, an attempt to calculate the seismic moment tensor (SMT) was made. There are 40 such events in the regional catalogue. For 36 earthquakes, the SMT and depth h of the equivalent point source were calculated successfully. The calcu-lations were performed for the SMT double-couple model using a nonlinear algorithm. In 2014, a typical location of the earthquake epicenters was observed in the Kamchatka zone. In 2014, the seismicity level in all selected zones and in the region as a whole corresponded to the background one according to the “SESL’09” scale. The number of recorded events with ML3.6 and strong earthquakes with ML5.1 is close to the average annual value. Anomalous and outstanding events were not recorded.

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.

scholarly journals Classification of Zagros earthquakes based on focal mechanism

2021 ◽  
Vol 51 (3) ◽  
pp. 265-275
Author(s):  
Mehdi Nouri DELOUEI ◽  
Mohammad-Reza GHEITANCHI
Keyword(s):  
Focal Mechanism ◽  
Strike Slip ◽  
Focal Mechanisms ◽  
Nodal Plane ◽  
Iranian Plateau ◽  
Populated Region ◽  
Compression Type ◽  
Selection Of

The Zagros suture zone is seismically active region in Iranian plateau. This region is of high importance in terms of seismicity, since it is a vast and populated region and in recent years the earthquakes with high intensities have frequently occurred and have caused extensive destruction and heavy human loss. The study of the focal mechanism is very important in understanding the seismotectonic characteristics. Focal mechanisms of Zagros were collected over a period of 20 years and they were classified by FMC software. Seven groups were considered for the type of faulting and Zagros was divided into three zones. For each zone, the frequency percentage of each group of faults was determined. The most of faulting are of the reverse and compression type with the strike-slip component. Finally, the role of nodal plane selection in determining the type of faulting was discussed and it was found that the selection of each nodal plane in determining the type of faulting has the same result.

scholarly journals SEISMICITY of KAMCHATKA and COMMANDER ISLANDS in 2015

2021 ◽  
pp. 153-163
Author(s):  
D. Chebrov ◽  
V. Saltikov ◽  
E. Matveenko ◽  
S. Droznina ◽  
E. Romasheva ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Moment Tensor ◽  
Seismic Intensity ◽  
Earthquake Catalogue ◽  
Seismic Moment Tensor ◽  
Commander Islands ◽  
Strong Earthquakes ◽  
Significant Events ◽  
Double Couple ◽  
Kamchatka Earthquake ◽  
Surrounding Areas

The seismicity review of Kamchatka and surrounding territories for 2015 is given. In the Kamchatka earthquake catalogue, the minimum local magnitude of completeness is MLmin=3.5, and for earthquakes with h≥350 km under the Okhotsk sea MLmin=3.6. The Kamchatka earthquake catalogue for 2015 with ML3.5, published in the Appendix to this issue, includes 1213 events. 92 earthquakes of the catalogue with ML=3.0–6.5 were felt in Kamchatka and surrounding areas with seismic intensity I=2–6 according to the MSK-64 scale. For all events with ML5.0 that occurred in 2015 in the KB GS RAS area of responsibility, an attempt to calculate the seismic moment tensor (SMT) was made. There are 32 such events in the regional catalogue. For 28 earthquakes the SMT and depth h of the equivalent point source were calculated successfully. The calculations were performed for the SMT double-couple model using a nonlinear algorithm. In 2015, a typical location of the earthquake epicenters was observed in the Kamchatka zone. In 2015, the seismicity level in all selected zones and in the region as a whole correspond to the background one according to the “SESL’09” scale. The number of recorded events with ML3.5 and strong earthquakes with ML5.0 is close to the average annual value. Anomalous and significant events were not recorded.

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

Solid Earth ◽  
2022 ◽  
Vol 13 (1) ◽  
pp. 65-83
Author(s):  
Guido Maria Adinolfi ◽  
Raffaella De Matteis ◽  
Rita de Nardis ◽  
Aldo Zollo
Keyword(s):  
Focal Mechanism ◽  
Fault Plane ◽  
Normal Fault ◽  
Focal Mechanisms ◽  
Seismic Network ◽  
Fault System ◽  
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 a 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 operating in the Campania–Lucania Apennines (southern Italy) aimed to monitor the complex normal fault system activated during the Ms 6.9, 1980 earthquake. We demonstrate that the method we propose is effective and can be adapted for other case studies with 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.

Microseismic moment-tensor inversion and sensitivity analysis in VTI media

Geophysics ◽  
2020 ◽  
pp. 1-74
Author(s):  
Han Li ◽  
Xu Chang ◽  
Xiao-Bi Xie ◽  
Yibo Wang
Keyword(s):  
Hydraulic Fracturing ◽  
Focal Mechanism ◽  
Moment Tensor ◽  
Staggered Grid ◽  
Inversion Method ◽  
Model Parameters ◽  
Seismic Moment Tensor ◽  
Tensor Model ◽  
Double Couple ◽  
The Impact

Through the study of microseismic focal mechanisms, information such as fracture orientation, event magnitude, and in-situ stress status can be quantitatively obtained, thus, providing a reliable basis for unconventional oil and gas exploration. Most source inversion methods assume that the medium is isotropic. However, hydraulic fracturing is usually conducted in sedimentary rocks, which often exhibit strong anisotropy. Neglecting this anisotropy may cause errors in focal mechanism inversion results. We propose a microseismic focal mechanism inversion method that considers velocity anisotropy in a vertically transverse isotropic (VTI) medium. To generate synthetic data, we adopt the moment-tensor model to represent microearthquake sources. We use a staggered-grid finite-difference (SGFD) method to calculate synthetic seismograms in anisotropic media. We perform seismic moment-tensor (SMT) inversion with only P-waves by matching synthetic and observed waveforms. Both synthetic and field datasets are used to test the inversion method. For the field dataset, we investigate the inversion stability using randomly selected partial datasets in the calculation. We pay special attention to analyze the sensitivity of the inversion. We test and evaluate the impact of noise in the data and errors in the model parameters ( VP0, ε, and δ) on the SMT inversion using synthetic datasets. The results indicate that for a surface acquisition system, the proposed method can tolerate moderate noise in the data, and deviations in the anisotropy parameters can cause errors in the SMT inversion, especially for dip-slip events and the inverted percentages of non-double-couple components. According to our study, including anisotropy in the model is important to obtain reliable non-double-couple components of moment tensors for hydraulic fracturing induced microearthquakes.

scholarly journals Fault-plane solutions from moment-tensor inversion and preliminary Coulomb stress analysis for the Emilia Plain

2012 ◽  
Vol 55 (4) ◽  
Author(s):  
Angela Saraò ◽  
Laura Peruzza
Keyword(s):  
Elastic Stress ◽  
Fault Plane ◽  
Moment Tensor ◽  
Focal Mechanisms ◽  
Structural System ◽  
Fault Plane Solutions ◽  
Stress Changes ◽  
Intermediate Distance ◽  
Complex Structural ◽  
Coulomb Stress Analysis

<p>We investigate the seismicity occurred in the Po area, in the period July 2011-June 1012, by means of moment tensor and we use our set of revised focal mechanisms - computed for M&gt; 3.7 earthquakes - to evaluate Coulomb elastic stress changes in order to detect potential intermediate-distance faults interaction, and the main features of this complex structural system.</p>

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