A mechanism study: The earthquake of October 24, 1927

Summary The fault plane solution for the Alaska earthquake of October 24, 1927, is obtained and is found to be similar to that of the more recent earthquake of July 10, 1958, which occurred in the same general region. Using the data from the plane of polarization of theS waves, the mechanism at the focus is seen to conform to a single couple or faulting model rather than to a double couple. TheS waves, further, select one of the nodal planes forP as the fault plane.     

Source parameters for the January 1975 Brawley — Imperial valley earthquake swarm

The source parameters, moment, stress drop and source dimension are estimated for 61 events from the January 1975 Brawley earthquake swarm. Earthquakes studied range in local magnitude from 1.0 to 4.7. Stress drops range from 1 to 636 bars and increase with source depth. It is estimated that the sedimentary structure of the Imperial Valley amplifies shear waves by a factor of 2 to 3 in addition to the free surface amplification of 2. Estimates of moment from 10 sec surface waves are 4 to 6 times larger than the moment estimated from the relatively flat part of the local body wave spectrum at 1 sec. This may be due to after-slip on the fault, a long thin fault, or partial stress drop. It is shown that the experimentally determined ratio of stress drop to apparent stress should be approximately 4.0 when spectrum integration is used to obtainS-wave energy and theP-wave energy is 1/3 theS-wave energy.     

SEISMIC GROUND MOTION SYNTHETICS OF THE 1989 LOMA PRIETA EARTHQUAKE

A discrete wave number approach in conjunction with a propagator-based formalism is used to synthesize the Loma Prieta earthquake ground motion at both the near and the far field, taking into account all kinds of seismic waves (body and surface). A bilaterally propagating shear slip over a rectangular fault is used to describe the seismic source mechanism, while the earth model is based on geological profiles of the Santa Cruz mountain area and consists of three layers overlaying a half-space. The synthesized ground motion is first compared with actual records from the Loma Prieta earthquake and the agreement between the two is found to be satisfactory, as far as magnitude, duration and essential wave form characteristics are concerned. Then, ground motions are synthesized and plotted at a dense grid of observer locations over a large area around the epicenter, at different time instants. Using such plots, it is possible to study the generation ana propagation of different kinds of seismic waves, the spatial variability of ground motion, as well as the development of the permanent gound deformation.     

福建台网接入台湾台站对定位台湾中深源地震精度影响分析

福建台网负责监测中国台湾地区地震。对于中深源地震使用何种定位方法能获得较好的地震参数,这直接影响到地震定位精度。利用JOPENS系统中交互分析软件MSDP提供的定位方法,对同一地震进行两次定位,即不使用和使用接入的台湾台站,将福建台网得出的两次结果与中国台湾公布的地震参数进行对比,分析定位精度,进而找出适用于台湾地区中深源地震的定位方法,以便进一步判断在地震速报中使用这些台站进行辅助定位的可行性,并给出相关的操作方法及建议。     

论三水地震的成因

１９９７年９月２３日和２６日,在广东省三水相继发生ＭＬ３．７和４．４地震,由于这两次地震震源浅,具有震级小,烈度高和地震面波发育的特征,因震中位于盐矿开采区,震源深度与盐矿开采注水－抽水深度接近,故震源机制解表明该震为一次沿Ｆ７断上滑错动的正倾滑型地震,显著,这与盐矿注水－抽水采盐有着成生联系。由于注水－抽水极盐使开采地段产生一定规模的采空区,注水沿Ｆ７断层的渗透所产生的孔隙压降低了有效正应力,加     

Coupling of tectonic loading and earthquake fault slips at subduction zones

Because of the viscoelastic behaviour of the earth, accumulation of elastic strain energy by tectonic loading and release of such energy by earthquake fault slips at subduction zones may take place on different spatial scales. If the lithospheric plate is acted upon by distant tectonic forces, strain accumulation must occur in a broad region. However, an earthquake releases strain only in a region comparable to the size of the rupture area. A two-dimensional finite-element model of a subduction zone with viscoelastic rheology has been used to investigate the coupling of tectonic loading and earthquake fault slips. A fault lock-and-unlock technique is employed so that the amount of fault slip in an earthquake is not prescribed, but determined by the accumulated stress. The amount of earthquake fault slip as a fraction of the total relative plate motion depends on the relative sizes of the earthquake rupture area and the region of tectonic strain accumulation, as well as the rheology of the rock material. The larger the region of strain accumulation is compared to the earthquake rupture, the smaller is the earthquake fault slip. The reason for the limited earthquake fault slip is that the elastic shear stress in the asthenosphere induced by the earthquake resists the elastic rebound of the overlying plate. Since rapid permanent plate shortening is not observed at subduction zones, there must be either strain release over a large region or strain accumulation over a small region over earthquake cycles. The former can be achieved only by significant aseismic fault slip between large subduction earthquakes. The most likely mechanism for the latter is the accumulation of elastic strain around isolated locked asperities of the fault, which requires significant aseismic fault slip between asperities.     

A large normal-fault earthquake at the junction of the Tonga trench and the Louisville ridge

The source mechanism of a large (M_s ? 7.2) earthquake that occurred in the oceanic plate at the junction of the Tonga—Kermadec trench systems with the aseismic Louisville ridge is found by inverting long-period vertical-component Rayleigh waves recorded by the IDA network. The solution is an almost-pure normal fault, on a plane striking roughly parallel to the trench axis, with seismic moment of 1.7 × 10²⁷ dyn cm, and thus is among the ten largest documented shallow normal-fault earthquakes. A point-source depth of 20 km for the event is resolved by modeling teleseismic body waves; the actual rupture may have extended deeper, to 30 or 40 km. The earthquake was a multiple event, consisting of two sources separated by 16 s. A rupture velocity of 3.5 km s^?1 is inferred. The earthquake can be interpreted as tensional failure in the shallow portion of the downgoing plate caused by the gravitational pull of the slab. The Louisville ridge may be creating a local degree of decoupling of the oceanic plate from the overriding plate, and/or a zone of extension within the slab, which could enhance the effect of the gravitational forces in the shallower part of the downgoing plate. In particular, the earthquake could be associated with the break-up of the leading seamount of the ridge, which is currently right at the trench. Alternatively, the earthquake may have been caused by stresses associated with the bending of the plate prior to subduction.     

Late Quaternary Activity of the Chuxiong-Nanhua Fault and the 1680 Chuxiong MS6 ¾ Earthquake

In this paper, according to the results of the satellite imagery interpretation and field investigation, we study the active features and the latest active times of the Chuxiong-Nanhua fault, the Quaternary basins formation mechanism, and the relationship between the fault and the 1680 Chuxiong M_S6 ¾ earthquake. Several Quaternary profiles at Lvhe, Nanhua reveal that the fault has offset the late Pleistocene deposits of the T2 and T3 terraces of Longchuan river, indicating that the fault was obviously active in late Quaternary. The Chuxiong-Nanhua fault has been dominated by dextral strike slip motion in the late Quaternary, with an average rate of 1.6-2.0mm/a. Several pull apart Quaternary basins of Chuxiong, Nanhua, and Ziwu etc. have developed along the fault. The 1680 Chuxiong M_S6 ¾ earthquake and several moderate earthquakes have occurred near the fault. The Chuxiong-Nanhua fault are the seismogenic structure of those earthquakes, the latest fault movement was in the late-Pleistocene, and even the Holocene. In large area, the Chuxiong-Nanhua fault and the eastern Qujiang fault and the Shiping fault composed a set of NW-trending oblique orientation active faults, and the motion characteristics are all mainly dextral strike slip. The motion characteristics, like the red river fault of the Sichuan-Yunnan Rhombic Block southwestern boundary, are concerned with the escaping movement of the Sichuan-Yunnan Rhombic Block.     

2013年8月德钦—得荣M_S 5.9地震序列S波分裂

2013年8月28日、31日云南德钦、四川得荣交界地区分别发生M_S 5.2、M_S 5.9地震,采用纵横比与偏振分析相结合的方法,测定此次地震序列S波分裂参数,即快波偏振方向和慢波延迟时间。BZL流动地震台得到272对S波分裂参数,等面积玫瑰图显示快波优势方向为NWW向,与台站附近断层走向和地震序列分布长轴方向一致;在M_S 5.9地震发生后,快波偏振方向出现紊乱现象;观测到在M_S 5.9地震发生的前一天慢波延迟时间迅速下降,表明较大地震发生前地壳应力突然释放。     

Historical 1942 Ecuador and 1942 Peru subduction earthquakes and earthquake cycles along Colombia-Ecuador and Peru subduction segments

Two large shallow earthquakes occurred in 1942 along the South American subduction zone inclose proximity to subducting oceanic ridges: The 14 May event occurred near the subducting Carnegie ridge off the coast of Ecuador, and the 24 August event occurred off the coast of southwestern Peru near the southern flank of the subducting Nazca ridge. Source parameters for these for these two historic events have been determined using long-periodP waveforms,P-wave first motions, intensities and local tsunami data.We have analyzed theP waves for these two earthquakes to constrain the focal mechanism, depth, source complexity and seismic moment. Modeling of theP waveform for both events yields a range of acceptable focal mechanisms and depths, all of which are consistent with underthrusting of the Nazca plate beneath the South American plate. The source time function for the 1942 Ecuador event has one simple pulse of moment release with a duration of 22 suconds, suggesting that most of the moment release occurred near the epicenter. The seismic moment determined from theP waves is 6–8×10²⁰N·m, corresponding ot a moment magnitude of 7.8–7.9. The reported location of the maximum intensities (IX) for this event is south of the main shock epicenter. The relocated aftershcks are in an area that is approximately 200 km by 90 km (elongated parallel to the trench) with the majority of aftershocks north of the epicenter. In contrast, the 1942 Peru event has a much longer duration and higher degree of complexity than the Ecuador earthquake, suggesting a heterogeneous rupture. Seismic moment is released in three distinct pulses over approximately 74 seconds; the largest moment release occurs 32 seconds after rupture initiation. the seismic moment as determined from theP waves for the 1942 Peru event is 10–25×10²⁰N·m, corresponding to a moment magnitude of 7.9–8.2. Aftershock locations reported by the ISS occur over a broad area surrounding the main shock. The reported locations of the maximum intensities (IX) are concentrated south of the epicenter, suggesting that at least part of the rupture was to the south.We have also examined great historic earthquakes along the Colombia-Ecuador and Peru segments of the South American subduction zone. We find that the size and rupture length of the underthrusting earthquakes vary between successive earthquake cycles. This suggests that the segmentation of the plate boundary as defined by earthquakes this century is not constant.     

2006年青海玉树地震类型和发震构造分析

2006年7月18和19日在青海玉树相继发生了5.0、5.6和5.4级地震。本文通过玉树地震台记录的地震波形及青海省地震台网监测结果分析该地震事件属于震群型地震;通过现场考察及宏观烈度区、余震分布和震源机制解、区域构造分析认为发震构造为乌兰乌拉湖-玉树构造带。     

1969年阳江MS6.4地震发震断层面参数的确定

利用2010~2016年阳江地区小震资料,对围绕广东阳江6.4级地震发震构造的NEE走向平冈断层的西南段及NW走向的程村断层展布的密集地震,经双差定位方法重新进行震源位置的修定,获得了1411个精定位震源资料。依据成丛地震发生在断层附近的原则,采用模拟退火算法及高斯-牛顿算法相结合的方式,较精确地获得了2个断层面的详细参数：即平冈断层西南段走向258°、倾角85°、倾向NW,与6.4级地震的震源机制解结果十分一致,断层长度约15km并穿过了其西南端海域抵达了对岸;程村断层走向331°、倾角88°、倾向NE,长度约28km,较已有结果更长、走向也朝NE向偏转了约15°。2条陡直断层近乎垂直相交于近海,在构造应力作用下均以走滑错动为主。     

Critical evaluation of strong motion in Kocaeli and Düzce (Turkey) earthquakes

Turkey was struck by two major events on August 17th and November 12th, 1999. Named Kocaeli (M_w=7.4) and Düzce (M_w=7.2) earthquakes, respectively, the two earthquakes provided the most extensive strong ground motion data set ever recorded in Turkey. The strong motion stations operated by the General Directorate of Disaster Affairs, the Kandilli Observatory and Earthquake Research Institute of Bogazici University and Istanbul Technical University have produced at least 27 strong motion records for the Kocaeli earthquake within 200 km of the fault. Kocaeli earthquake has generated six motions within 20 km of the fault adding significantly to the near-field database of ground motions for M_w>=7.0 strike–slip earthquakes. The paper discusses available strong motion data, studies their attenuation characteristics, analyses time domain, as well as spectral properties such as spectral accelerations with special emphasis on fault normal and fault parallel components and the elastic attenuation parameter, kappa. A simulation of the Kocaeli earthquake using code FINSIM is also presented.     

Research on the seismotectonics of the January 17, 1995 Hanshin M 7.2 earthquake

Based on the geological tectonics, aftershock activity, earthquake surface rupture and peak ground motion, the geometric and dynamic characteristics of seismogenic tectonics about the 1995 Hanshin earthquake are analysed. Nojima fault and Rokko fault have the same trending direction, but opposite dips. Their rising and falling plates are in symmetrically diagonal distribution. The two faults can be defined as thrust-strike slip faults and constitute a pivotal strike-slip fault. The earthquake just occurred at the pivot, which is the seismotectonics for the earthquake to develop and occur. The pivotal movement along a strike-slip fault often leads to the occurrence of large earthquakes, whose dynamic process can be demonstrated by the stress analysis on the torsion of a beam with rectangle section. The displacement of earthquake surface rupture, aftershock density and peak acceleration change in a certain range of epicentral distance just similar as the shear stress changes from the center to the sides in the rectangle section. The distribution characteristics of the heaviest damage areas are also discussed in the article from the aspects of special geological tectonics and seismotectonic condition. The result obtained from the article can be applied not only to realizing the potencial earthquake sources in middle-long time, but also to build reasonably the prediction model about earthquake hazard.     

Research on the seismotectonics of the January 17, 1995 HanshinM7.2 earthquake

Based on the geological tectonics, aftershock activity, earthquake surface rupture and peak ground motion, the geometric and dynamic characteristics of seismogenic tectonics about the 1995 Hanshin earthquake are analysed. Nojima fault and Rokko fault have the same trending direction, but opposite dips. Their rising and falling plates are in symmetrically diagonal distribution. The two faults can be defined as thrust-strike slip faults and constitute a pivotal strike-slip fault. The earthquake just occurred at the pivot, which is the seismotectonics for the earthquake to develop and occur. The pivotal movement along a strike-slip fault often leads to the occurrence of large earthquakes, whose dynamic process can be demonstrated by the stress analysis on the torsion of a beam with rectangle section. The displacement of earthquake surface rupture, aftershock density and peak acceleration change in a certain range of epicentral distance just similar as the shear stress changes from the center to the sides in the rectangle section. The distribution characteristics of the heaviest damage areas are also discussed in the article from the aspects of special geological tectonics and seismotectonic condition. The result obtained from the article can be applied not only to realizing the potencial earthquake sources in middle-long time, but also to build reasonably the prediction model about earthquake hazard.     

T-phases from Atlantic earthquakes

Summary Underwater sound waves from earthquakes or so-calledT-waves are investigated for the Atlantic-Arctic area for the years 1953–1968, mainly from Swedish seismograph records, and for comparison also from an earthquake in the equatorial Atlantic withT-waves recorded on both sides of the ocean. The waves travel as sound waves through water, and asPg, Sg andRg over the land path. The North Atlantic source area of theT-waves, recorded at Scandinavian stations, is very well limited in extent with a strong concentration northeast of Jan Mayen, probably due to favourable bottom topography. The calculated sound velocities in water are 1.43 km/sec for the Arctic case and 1.52 km/sec for the equatorial one. TheT-waves exhibit a clear inverse dispersion. The dispersion explains their long duration. The duration of theT-phase increases logarithmically with the maximum amplitudes within theT-wave group and decreases linearly with distance over the land path, corresponding to a quality factor of about 700. Propagation across the ocean by multiple reflections between surface and bottom appears as the most probable mechanism. The particle motion ofT Sg is dominantly transverse horizontal, which is explained by refraction when the waves are transmitted to land. TheT-wave spectra at two different localities show clear relations, depending upon the ocean depths.     

A viscoelastic relaxation model for post-seismic deformation from the San Francisco earthquake of 1906

We present a realistic model of the San Andreas fault zone. We propose that aseismic ground displacement is a sum of visco-elastic relaxation following large earthquakes, transient fault slip, steady fault slip and a large-scale relative plate motion. We used the model to explain the aseismic ground displacements observed after the San Francisco earthquake of 1906.The data do not resolve the question of which is the dominant mechanism, but viscoelastic relaxation can contribute a significant fraction of the displacement if the elastic plate thickness is 50 km or less. If the relative plate motion is taken to be 5.5 cm/yr, as found from plate rotation pole studies, then the zone of significant shearing in the mantle is probably at least 100 km thick beneath California.     

Dynamic subduction process of local plate revealed by Ibaraki earthquake sequence of 1982 in Japan

IntroductionIt has been brought forward in the plate tectonic theory that the global lithosphere consists of a number of active blocks floating above the asthenosphere since 1960s. And from then on, the kinematics and dynamics of lithosphere have been the frontal subjects in the contemporary geoscientific study. The Pacific Plate is the biggest one covering one fourth of the earth surface. Situated in the Eurasia Plate, our country is affected directly by the compression from the Pacific Pl…     

1989年大同震群的体破裂特征

采用点源位错模型,由区域地震台网的P,S振幅资料,反演得到1989年10月大同震群135次小震的可信震源机制解.结果显示机制解的空间取向分布比较离散,但其优势及平均方向与震群中3次最大地震的断层面解一致,和华北构造应力场的应力作用方式相符.讨论了小地震对序列地震过程的贡献,表明大量小震的群体行为对震源体起着重要的作用.由震源的时空分布图像,展现出震源体动态扩展、“处处”破裂的特征.由此得出,大同震群并非沿着已有的断层面滑动所致,而可能是该区域新生的破裂;震源体内的多次破裂没有沿一个断层面扩展,而表现为一种体破裂的过程.     

The earthquake of July 22, 2011 (<Emphasis Type="Italic">M</Emphasis><Subscript><Emphasis Type="Italic">w</Emphasis></Subscript> = 4.5) in a low-seismicity area of the Argun region

The paper considers the Argun earthquake of July 22, 2011 (M _w = 4.5), which occurred in the Argun River valley in a low-seismicity territory in China. The focal parameters of the earthquake (depth of the hypocenter, moment magnitude, scalar seismic moment, and focal mechanism) were determined by calculating the seismic moment tensor from the amplitude spectra of surface waves and the data on the signs of the first arrivals of body waves at regional stations. The solution of the focal mechanism makes it possible to assume a relationship between the earthquake focus and a fault with a northeastern strike bordering the southeastern side of the Argun Basin (in Chinese territory). The Argun earthquake was felt in Russia with an intensity of II–III to V at the epicentral distances up to 255 km. The intensity of shaking did not exceed values suggested by new GSZ-2012 and GSZ-2014 seismic zoning maps of Russian territory. Nevertheless, the question on the possible occurrence of stronger earthquakes in the studied region remains open.