Statistical evaluation and probabilistic modeling of aftershock sequences of Iranian plateau

The present research focuses on the statistical evaluation of Iranian plateau aftershocks from an engineering perspective and presents probabilistic models applicable for generating random earthquake scenarios. Accordingly, a comprehensive earthquake data catalog including the period from 1964 to 2016 is prepared. Data are declustered into 37 separate mainshock-aftershock sequences by considering the completeness moment magnitude of the database. The well-known modified Omori occurrence rate formula is adopted to determine the recurrence time of the events, considering the effect of secondary aftershocks. In addition to computing the probability density functions of the parameters of the Omori formula, the joint probability distribution of the aftershock occurrence versus magnitude and occurrence time is obtained for modeling their magnitude sequences. The obtained results are applicable for producing randomly generated mainshock-aftershock scenarios.     

基于指数函数的川滇地区余震序列衰减规律研究

较大的余震可能造成额外损失并有二次触发建筑物受灾的风险。为研究余震序列衰减规律,文章尝试采用指数衰减模型拟合分析5个不同地区余震序列,并借助修正赤池信息准则、贝叶斯信息准则与调整后R²,分析其与传统余震衰减模型的性能。结果表明,指数模型描述余震序列衰减规律的能力与修正的大森余震模型、修正的拉伸指数模型接近。尤其对于四川长宁M_S6.0余震序列和云南彝良M_S5.7余震序列,指数模型表现优于其他两种模型。指数模型参数具有明确的物理意义：参数A与r之和能够准确代表强震后的实际初始余震数,5个余震序列初始余震数偏差均小于1.70%;参数k可作为反映余震序列衰减快慢的特征值,k值越大则余震序列衰减越慢,其值与主震震级呈反比例关系。     

Analysis of the 1997 Zirkuh (Ghean-Birjand) aftershock sequence in east-central Iran

IntroductionThesouthernpartofKhorasanProvinceineast-centralIranisoneoftheseismicallyactiveregionsintheMiddleeast.Historicalreportsindicatedseveralearthquakeshavecausedseveredestructionsandhumanlossinthisregionduringthepastcenturies(Ambraseys,Melville,1982).Theinstrumentallyrecordedearthquakesaswellastheexistenceofseveralactivefaultsalsosug-gestedthattheregionhadahighpotentialofseismicactivities.OnMay10,1997at07:57:29.6GMT,12:27:29.6localtime,ashallowdestructiveearthquakewithoutanyfeltfores…     

1976年唐山MS7.8地震余震序列持续时间及对地震危险性分析的意义

1976年7月28日唐山MS7.8大地震对唐山及其周边地区造成了重大的人员伤亡和财产损失. 主震之后约15小时滦县又发生了MS7.1地震; 同年11月15日宁河也发生了MS6.9地震. 唐山MS7.8主震后的余震一直持续至今,使该区域至今保持了与主震前相比具有较高的地震活动性．如何估计余震的持续时间,并进一步将余震从主震目录中去除,一直是地震学中所关注的问题．该文通过对数线性回归和理论计算,从不同角度求取并讨论了1976年唐山MS7.8大地震的余震持续时间．结果表明,由对数线性回归计算得到的余震持续时间约为80 a．而基于Dieterich的余震触发理论所得到的余震持续时间则与区域剪应力变化率有关．区域剪应力变化率可有几种不同方法求得: ① 根据剪应力变化率和静态应力降Delta;tau;e及地震回复周期tr之间的关系求取应力变化率,该方法所得到的余震持续时间约为70——100 a;② Ziv和Rubin对Dieterich的方法进行了修正,给出了通过远场加载速率和断层宽度求取应力变化率, 该方法得到的余震持续时间约为80 a;③ 由背景场地震活动性求取远场剪应力速率, 可以得到该地区二维分布式的余震持续时间,此方法得到的研究区域内余震持续时间为130——160 a．综上,唐山地区余震持续时间约为70——140 a,据此, 该地区现今所发生的地震仍为MS7.8唐山地震所触发的余震．      

基于经验模型和物理模型研究2013 M_S7.0芦山地震余震序列

基于中国地震台网中心2013 MS7.0芦山地震余震数据我们首先确定了余震空间分布范围并根据G-R关系计算了主震后半小时内的完备震级Mc=3.5,并且得到了ML≥3.5和ML≥3.0的地震在2001年至芦山地震前的背景场地震发生率.通过Omori-Ustu经验定律和两种Dieterich模型对芦山地震余震发生率的拟合,我们发现阶梯型Dieterich模型只能模拟p=1的情况,从而造成了模拟曲线与观测数据的差别;前人研究表明震后滑移同样是产生余震的原因,如果假设余震序列由主震静态剪应力Δτ和震后滑移共同作用所产生,我们数值模拟得到的对数型Dieterich模型能够较好地推断余震发生率R随时间t增加而衰减的趋势,能够从物理机制上解释MS7.0芦山地震余震序列衰减指数大于1这一现象.通过对数型Dieterich模型的拟合并结合Andrews的方法,我们还得到MS7.0芦山地震Aσ约为0.155 MPa,ta约为8.4年,这一值与前人研究结果十分接近.     

A quantitative study of some aftershock sequences in greece

Temporal features of the aftershock activities following twelve moderate shallow earthquakes in Greece have been studied quantitatively, by making use of the modified Omori's formula and Akaike's Information Criterion (AIC).Although the earthquake sequences occurred in different seismotectonic regions in Greece, similar seismic patterns before the occurrence of large aftershocks have been observed. Aftershock activity shows an appreciable decrease from the level expected from the modified Omori formula before the occurrence of the large aftershock. Also in some cases, the aftershock activity recovers to a normal level or increases beyond it prior to the occurrence of the large aftershock, if the aftershock activity is monitored immediately after the occurrence of the main shock. In such case, the observed pattern may be useful in predicting a large aftershock.     

余震序列的时空特征ht

研究我国东部9次余震序列的总体特征得到:余震频度符合 n=n1t-h关系;频度和强度随时间衰减较慢;最大地震后3、4天内发生的余震所勾划的余震区常常比最终余震区小;多数余震分布在地壳中5至10公里的深度上.一些强余震前的中小余震时空分布有下述特征:（1）强余震前几天至十几天,余震序列的频度偏离正常衰减值;（2）强余震前有中小余震震中向下一次强余震的震中附近扩展或形成空区的现象;（3）强余震前震级序列出现缺震现象;（4）余震序列有准周期性.上述特性预示其后将发生强余震,同时表明强余震有类似于大地震的孕震过程.种种现象还表明余震序列在时间和空间上可能是由主震的直接余震和强余震的次级余震相互叠加所组成的.最后将某些特性和岩石试验结果进行了比较和讨论.      

The partitioning of radiated energy and the largest aftershock of seismic sequences occurred in the northeastern Italy and western Slovenia

We analyzed the most relevant seismic sequences that occurred from 1977 to 2007 in the Friuli-Venezia Giulia region (northeastern Italy) and western Slovenia. The eight aftershock sequences were triggered by low- to moderate-magnitude earthquakes with mainshock duration magnitude ranging from 3.7 to 5.6. The b-value of the Gutenberg–Richter law varies from 0.8 to 1.1. The modified Omori’s modeling of the sequences evidences values of the p exponent ranging from 0.8 to 1.0. Using the Reasenberg and Jones (Science 243:1173–1176, 1989; Science 265:1251–1252, 1994) approach, we computed the probabilistic estimate of the aftershock rates and the largest aftershock in given time intervals. The difference in magnitude between the mainshock and the largest aftershock is calculated according to the modified Båth law and using an approach that considers the partitioning of the radiated seismic energy between mainshock and aftershocks. The partitioning of the radiated seismic energy appears to play a significant role in the evolution of the sequences. We define the parameter R _ES as the ratio between the radiated seismic energy of the mainshock and the summation of the seismic energy radiated by the aftershocks. The difference in magnitude between the mainshock and the largest aftershock, calculated with the parameter R _ES, agrees well with the observed difference. In most sequences, the parameter R _ES decreases very quickly until the occurrence of the largest aftershock and then becomes constant. By analyzing the values of R _ES during the early hours following the mainshock, we found that the R _ES values after 24 h are well related to the final ones, calculated on the whole sequence, and to the differences in magnitude between the mainshock and the largest aftershock.     

A Damage Mechanics Model for Aftershocks

— All earthquakes are followed by an aftershock sequence. A universal feature of aftershock sequences is that they decay in time according to the modified Omori’s law, a power-law decay. In this paper we consider the applicability of damage mechanics to earthquake aftershocks. The damage variable introduced in damage mechanics quantifies the deviation of a brittle solid from linear elasticity. We draw an analogy between the metastable behavior of a stressed brittle solid and the metastable behavior of a superheated liquid. The nucleation of microcracks is analogous to the nucleation of bubbles in the superheated liquid. In this paper we obtain a solution for the evolution of damage after the instantaneous application of a constant strain to a rod. We show that the subsequent stress relaxation can reproduce the modified Omori’s law. It is argued that the aftershocks themselves cause random fluctuations similar to the thermal fluctuations associated with phase transitions.     

1997年伊朗中东部加恩-比尔兼德(GheanBirjiand)Zirkuh余震序列分析

分析了由当地地震台网记录的1997年伊朗加恩-比尔兼德(Ghean-Birjiand)Zirkuh余震序列. 基于余震的分布，可以判断出一垂直的北西南东走向的断层，其长度90 km. 加恩比尔兼德Zirkun地震的断层破裂明显地表现为起始于震中区，单方向地向东南方向传播. 沿断层的余震分布剖面显示，余震分布的深度范围可达20 km. 表明地震活动发生在上地壳，这一地区地震发生层的厚度20 km. 余震的分布表明，在主震的震源过程中块体西部是断层的上盘. 余震的时空分布表现出两个显著的空区，与地表断裂中所见到的间断一致. 可以得出这样的结论: 在主震和余震过程中第一个空区起着障碍体的作用，而第二个空区较深的部位在主震或余震的过程中发生了破裂. 地震后的前10天, 其余震的时间频次衰减图象遵循修正的大森关系，而此后的余震序列非常好地遵循大森模型.      

Stochastic procedure for the simulation of synthetic main shock‐aftershock ground motion sequences

According to the current seismic codes, structures are designed to resist the first damaging earthquake during their service life. However, after a strong main shock, a structure may still face damaging aftershocks. The main shock‐aftershock sequence may result in major damage and eventually the collapse of a structure. Current studies on seismic hazard mainly focus on the modeling and simulation of main shocks. This paper proposes a 3‐step procedure to generate main shock‐aftershock sequences of pairs of horizontal components of a ground motion at a site of interest. The first step generates ground motions for the main shock using either a source‐based or site‐based model. The second step generates sequences of aftershocks' magnitudes, locations, and times of occurrence using either a fault‐based or seismicity‐based model. The third step simulates pairs of ground motion components using a new empirical model proposed in this paper. We develop prediction equations for the controlling parameters of a ground motion model, where the predictors are the site condition and the aftershock characteristics from the second step. The coefficients in the prediction equations and the correlation between the model parameters (of the 2 horizontal components of 1 record and of several records in 1 sequence) are estimated using a database of aftershock accelerograms. A backward stepwise deletion method is used to simplify the initial candidate prediction equations and avoid overfitting the data. The procedure, based on easily identifiable engineering parameters, is a useful tool to incorporate effects of aftershocks into seismic analysis and design.     

Aftershock risk assessment and the decision to open traffic on bridges

Critical issues in emergency management after a seismic event are assessing the functionality of the main infrastructures (hospitals, road network, etc.) and deciding on their usability just after the mainshock. The use of a pure analytical tool to assess the aftershock risk of a structure can be contrasted with the limited time available to make a decision about the usability of a structure. For this reason, this paper presents a method for evaluating post‐earthquake bridge practicability based on a rational combination of information derived from numerical analyses and in situ inspections. In particular, we propose an effective tool to speed up the decision‐making process involved in evaluating the seismic risk of mainshock‐damaged bridges in the context of aftershocks. The risk is calculated by combining the aftershock hazard using the Omori law and the fragility curves of the structure, which are calculated using the regression analysis of a sample of results obtained with data randomly generated by the Latin Hypercube Sampling technique and updated based on the results of in situ inspection. Different decision criteria regarding the practicability of bridges are discussed, and a new criterion is proposed. This tool was applied to an old highway RC viaduct. There are two main findings, including the high sensitivity to Bayesian updating (especially when the damage predicted by numerical analysis does not match the real damage) and the criteria used to decide when re‐open bridges to traffic. Copyright © 2013 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

Aftershock sequences of the strongest earthquakes of the world: Stages of development

Analysis of aftershock sequences of the strongest earthquakes of the world showed that previously discovered empirical relations are not universal. Båth’s law is found to be invalid in the majority of cases, while Omori’s law is valid only in a short initial interval of aftershock activity. It is supposed that aftershocks of the strongest earthquakes of normal depths are related initially to fracture of zones that preserved their integrity after the rupture in the source of the main shock and at a later stage to relaxation of stresses in the medium adjacent to the rupture.     

On the applicability of the RETAS model for forecasting aftershock probability in underground mines (Kiirunavaara Mine,Sweden)

Aftershock series of even comparatively small seismic events can pose a risk to the mining operation or the personnel in deep underground mines as the main shocks and some of the aftershocks can cause damage in the rock mass. Stochastic modeling was applied in this study for the analysis of the temporal evolution of aftershock occurrence probability during a M1.85 aftershock sequence in Kiirunavaara Mine, Sweden. The Restricted Epidemic-Type Aftershock Sequence (RETAS) model was chosen for estimation of the aftershock occurrence probability. This model considers all events with magnitude above the magnitude of completeness M₀ and has the advantage of including the Modified Omori Formula (MOF) model and Epidemic-Type Aftershock Sequence (ETAS) model as its end versions, considering also all intermediate models. The model was applied sequentially to data samples covering cumulative periods of time, starting from the first 2 h after the main event and increasing them by 2 h until the period covered the entire 72-h sequence. For each sample, the best-fit RETAS version was identified and the probability of a M?≥?0.5 aftershock for every next 2 h was determined through Monte Carlo simulation. The feasibility of the resulting probability evolution for suspension and re-starting of the mining operations was discussed together with possible prospects for future development of the methodology.

     

Study of the correlations between main shocks and aftershocks and aftershock synthesis method

To consider the influence of aftershocks in engineering design, the correlations between main shocks and aftershocks should be examined, and an aftershock simulation method with main shock ground motions needs to be developed. In this study, the data on the sequences of main shock-aftershock ground motions and other related parameters were collected. Using these data, correlations between the magnitude, frequency, duration and energy of the main shock-aftershock ground motions were investigated. The results showed that the magnitude of the aftershock can be larger than that of the main shock. The shapes of the Fourier amplitude spectra of main shocks and aftershocks were similar; however, the predominant frequency and high-frequency components of the aftershock tended to be larger. Considering the magnitude difference between the main shock and the aftershock, the correlation of durations was explored. Additionally, a new concept, the duration ratio, was defined to describe the concentration of seismic energy release, and main shock energy was strongly positively correlated with the energy attenuated during the main shock-aftershock sequence. Finally, based on these results regarding correlation, an aftershock synthesis using recorded main shock ground motions was constructed with the trigonometric series method for seismic design, and some examples are given to analyze the rationality of this synthetic method.

     

Statistical Analysis of Triggered Seismicity in the Kresna Region of SW Bulgaria (1904) and the Umbria-Marche Region of Central Italy (1997)

A version of the restricted trigger model is used to analyse the temporal behaviour of some aftershock sequences. The conditional intensity function of the model is similar to that of the Epidemic Type Aftershock-Sequence (ETAS) model with the restriction that only the aftershocks of magnitude bigger than or equal to some threshold M_tr can trigger secondary events. For this reason we have named the model Restricted Epidemic Type Aftershock-Sequence (RETAS) model. Varying the triggering threshold we examine the variants of the RETAS model which range from the Modified Omori Formula (MOF) to the ETAS model, including such models as limit cases. In this way we have a quite large set of models in which to seek the model that fits best an aftershock sequence bringing out the specific features of the seismotectonic region struck by the crisis. We have applied the RETAS model to the analysis of two aftershock sequences: The first is formed by the events which followed the strong earthquake of M=7.8 which occurred in Kresna, SW Bulgaria, in 1904. The second includes three main shocks and a large swarm of minor shocks following the quake of 26 September 1997 in the Umbria-Marche region, central Italy. The MOF provides the best fit to the sequence in Kresna; that leads to the thought that just the stress field changes due to the very strong main shock generate the whole sequence. On the contrary, the complex behaviour of the seismic sequence in Umbria-Marche appears when we make the threshold magnitude vary. Setting the cut-off magnitude M₀=2.9 the best fit is provided by the ETAS model, while if we raise the threshold magnitude M₀=3.6 and set M_tr=5.0, the RETAS model turns out to be the best model. In fact, observing the time distribution of this reduced data set, it appears more evident that especially the strong secondary events are followed by a cluster of aftershocks.     

Oscillatory regime of aftershocks of the 1984 Ddzhirgatal earthquake: Implications for the internal dynamics of an unstable geological system

On the basis of seismological and geological evidence, the aftereffect region of the strong Dzhirgatal earthquake is localized as a real physical object. The time dependence of the number of aftershocks of this earthquake is best described by a simple hyperbolic law (p = 1, or the Omori law), which is well consistent with the ideas of self-similarity of the material fracture and the development of the seismotectonic process. Features characteristic of the evolution of self-similar systems are recognizable in the dynamics of the aftershock flow and parameters of seismotectonic deformation (STD) calculated from focal mechanisms of aftershocks. The evidence for this is the Feigenbaum inverse cascade in predominant frequencies of variations in the numbers of aftershocks and “catastrophes” in the form of an increase in the variability of STD parameters at the time moments when the corresponding predominant periods abruptly change. In this way, the term “catastrophe,” speculative with respect to the geophysical medium, acquires real meaning as a set of observable changes in the dynamics of STD parameters and the flow of aftershocks that occur over a fairly short time compared to the entire duration of the aftershock series.     

地震危险性评价中余震活动的影响--以邢台余震区为例

目前通用的地震危险性模型在确定有关地震活动性参数时都强调删除余震,其理由是因为所应用的地震活动模型是泊松模型。但是在现实的地震灾害中,有些是因为余震活动所引起的。忽略余震活动的影响,可能会低估某些区域的地震危险。本文提出考虑余震活动的地震危险性分析模型,并从此模型出发,以邢台地震为例,对余震区内、余震区边界和余震区外等场点计算了考虑余震活动的地震危险性结果,同时,在原有模型的基础上,只改变余震区所处的潜在震源区的地震年发生率,计算相同场点的地震危险性结果,并把这两个结果与不考虑余震活动的结果进行比较,在此基础上讨论在某些区域考虑余震活动的必要性。     

Seismic analyses of a RCC building under mainshock–aftershock seismic sequences

A large mainshock may trigger numerous aftershocks within a short period, and nuclear power plant (NPP) structures have the probability to be exposed to mainshock–aftershock seismic sequences. However, the researchers focused on seismic analyses of reinforced concrete containment (RCC) buildings under only mainshocks. The aim of this paper is to thoroughly investigate the dynamic responses of a RCC building under mainshock–aftershock seismic sequences. For that purpose, 10 as-recorded mainshock–aftershock seismic sequences with two horizontal components are considered in this study, and a typical three-dimensional RCC model subjected to the selected as-recorded seismic sequences is established. Peak ground accelerations (PGAs) of mainshocks equal to 0.3 g (safe shutdown earthquake load-SSE load) are considered in this paper. The results indicate that aftershocks have a significant effect on the responses of the RCC in terms of maximum top accelerations, maximum top displacements and accumulated damage. Furthermore, in order to preserve the RCC from large damage under repeated earthquakes, local damage and global damage indices are suggested as limitations under only mainshocks.     

Data replenishment of five moderate earthquake sequences in Japan,with semi-automatic cluster selection

Missing early aftershocks following relatively large or moderate earthquakes can cause significant bias in the analysis of seismic catalogs. In this paper, we systematically address the aftershock missing problem for five earthquake sequences associated with moderate-size events that occurred inland Japan, by using a stochastic replenishing method. The method is based on the notion that if a point process (e.g., earthquake sequence) with time-independent marks (e.g., magnitudes) is completely observed, it can be transformed into a homogeneous Poisson process by a bi-scale empirical transformation. We use the Japan Meteorological Agency (JMA) earthquake catalog to select the aftershock data and replenish the missing early events using the later complete part of each aftershock sequence. The time windows for each sequence span from 6 months before the mainshock to three months after. The semi-automatic spatial selection uses a clustering method for the epicentral selection of earthquakes. The results obtained for the original JMA catalog and replenished datasets are compared to get insight into the biases that the missing early aftershocks may cause on the Omori-Utsu law parameters’ estimation, characterizing the aftershock decay with time from the mainshock. We have also compared the Omori-Utsu law parameter estimates for two datasets following the same mainshock; the first dataset is the replenished sequence, while the second dataset has been obtained by waveform-based analysis to detect early aftershocks that are not recorded in the JMA catalog. Our results demonstrate that the Omori-Utsu law parameters estimated for the replenished datasets are robust with respect to the threshold magnitude used for the analyzed datasets. Even when using aftershock time windows as short as three days, the replenished datasets provide stable Omori-Utsu law parameter estimations. The p-values for all the analyzed sequences are about 1.1 and c-values are significantly smaller compared to those of original datasets. Our findings prove that the replenishment method is a fast, reliable approach to address the missing aftershock problem.