Low-frequency scaling applied to stochastic finite-fault modeling

Stochastic finite-fault modeling is an important tool for simulating moderate to large earthquakes. It has proven to be useful in applications that require a reliable estimation of ground motions, mostly in the spectral frequency range of 1 to 10 Hz, which is the range of most interest to engineers. However, since there can be little resemblance between the low-frequency spectra of large and small earthquakes, this portion can be difficult to simulate using stochastic finite-fault techniques. This paper introduces two different methods to scale low-frequency spectra for stochastic finite-fault modeling. One method multiplies the subfault source spectrum by an empirical function. This function has three parameters to scale the low-frequency spectra: the level of scaling and the start and end frequencies of the taper. This empirical function adjusts the earthquake spectra only between the desired frequencies, conserving seismic moment in the simulated spectra. The other method is an empirical low-frequency coefficient that is added to the subfault corner frequency. This new parameter changes the ratio between high and low frequencies. For each simulation, the entire earthquake spectra is adjusted, which may result in the seismic moment not being conserved for a simulated earthquake. These low-frequency scaling methods were used to reproduce recorded earthquake spectra from several earthquakes recorded in the Pacific Earthquake Engineering Research Center (PEER) Next Generation Attenuation Models (NGA) database. There were two methods of determining the stochastic parameters of best fit for each earthquake: a general residual analysis and an earthquake-specific residual analysis. Both methods resulted in comparable values for stress drop and the low-frequency scaling parameters; however, the earthquake-specific residual analysis obtained a more accurate distribution of the averaged residuals.     

Thomsen's parameters from p‐wave measurements in a spherical sample‡

The aim of this paper is to understand the seismic anisotropy of the overburden shale in an oilfield in the North West Shelf of Western Australia. To this end, we first find the orientation of the symmetry axis of a spherical shale sample from measurements of ultrasonic P‐wave velocities in 132 directions at the reservoir pressure. After transforming the data to the symmetry axis coordinates, we find Thomsen's anisotropy parameters δ and ? using these measurements and measurements of the shear‐wave velocity along the symmetry axis from a well log. To find these anisotropy parameters, we use a very fast simulated re‐annealing algorithm with an objective function that contains only the measured ray velocities, their numerical derivatives and the unknown elasticity parameters. The results show strong elliptical anisotropy in the overburden shale. This approach produces smaller uncertainty of Thomsen parameter δ than more direct approaches.     

Depth determination of small shallow earthquakes in eastern Canada from maximum power Rg/Sg spectral ratio

For small earthquakes, focal depths can be estimated jointly when epicenters are located using the arrival times of Pg and Sg waves recorded at seismic stations close to the event. However, if regional network coverage is sparse, this approach does not give accurate results. An alternative solution is the use of the regional depth-phase modeling (RDPM) method when such depth phases are available. Small, shallow earthquakes can generate Rg waves, the amplitudes of which approximately attenuate exponentially with focal depth; whereas, the amplitudes of Sg waves are, on average, less dependent on focal depth. Based on these features, a method using the maximum power spectral ratio (MPSR) between the Rg and Sg segments was developed to determine focal depth. Tests show the focal depth solutions obtained by the MPSR and RDPM methods for five events in an earthquake swarm and one event acquired by inspection are in good agreement. The error in the MPSR-determined focal depth caused by the error in the epicentral distance is in the order of 0.1 km. The error in the focal depth when using a default focal mechanism is in the order of 0.5 km. The quality factor, Q does not generate a significant error. Using the average of focal depths can provide a more reliable solution. Using an azimuth of approximately 45° from the strike direction to generate the synthetic ratio curve can reduce the error. As with any other earthquake locating technique, a reasonable regional crustal model is required when the MPSR method is used. Case studies show that the MPSR method can be used to successfully determine focal depths for events as small as m _N 1.6.     

Studies on the June 23, 2010 north Ottawa M W 5.2 earthquake and vicinity seismicity

The basic parameters for the earthquake with a moment magnitude (M _W) of 5.2 on the 23rd of June 2010 have been investigated. The earthquake occurred on a hidden fault in the northwest direction about 60?km north-northeast of Ottawa in the Western Quebec Seismic Zone (WQSZ) and had a focal depth of about 21?km. The focal mechanism was a thrust type with strike in the northwest direction and dipping in the northeast direction. The relative relocations of seven larger aftershocks show that the source rupture area was about 6?km². The b value of the aftershock sequence was 0.8?C1.0, and the decay rate of the aftershocks was faster than normal cases. The dominant seismogenic depths are about 12 to 22?km in most parts of the WQSZ, while the seismogenic depth along the Ottawa?CBonnechere Graben can be as deep as 28?km. Based on the seismic activity in the WQSZ and vicinity since 1961, it seems that the periods of moderate earthquakes are about 6?C10?years.     

Photometric Observation And Period Study Of Go Cygni

Photometric observations of GO Cyg were performed during July–October 2002, in B and V filters (Johnson system). Using the Wilson's computer codes, the light curve analysis were carried out to find the photometric elements of the system. The O-C diagram which is based on the observed times of minima as well as those found in the literature, suggests a negative rate of period variation (i.e. ) for the system.     

Photometric Observations and Apsidal Motion Study of V1143 Cyg

Photometric observations of the eccentric eclipsing binary V1143 Cyg were performed during Aug.–Sep. 2000 and July 2002, in Johnson B and V bands. The analysis of both light curves was made separately using the 1998 version of Wilson’s LC code. In order to find a new observed rate of apsidal motion, we followed the procedure described by Guinan and Maloney (1985). A new observed rate of apsidal motion of 3^∘.72/100 yr was computed, which is close to the one reported earlier by Khaliullin (1983), Gimenez and Margrave (1985), and Burns et al. (1996).     

Shear wave velocity models retrieved using Rg wave dispersion data in shallow crust in some regions of southern Ontario, Canada

Many crucial tasks in seismology, such as locating seismic events and estimating focal mechanisms, need crustal velocity models. The velocity models of shallow structures are particularly important in the simulation of ground motions. In southern Ontario, Canada, many small shallow earthquakes occur, generating high-frequency Rayleigh (Rg) waves that are sensitive to shallow structures. In this research, the dispersion of Rg waves was used to obtain shear-wave velocities in the top few kilometers of the crust in the Georgian Bay, Sudbury, and Thunder Bay areas of southern Ontario. Several shallow velocity models were obtained based on the dispersion of recorded Rg waves. The Rg waves generated by an m _N 3.0 natural earthquake on the northern shore of Georgian Bay were used to obtain velocity models for the area of an earthquake swarm in 2007. The Rg waves generated by a mining induced event in the Sudbury area in 2005 were used to retrieve velocity models between Georgian Bay and the Ottawa River. The Rg waves generated by the largest event in a natural earthquake swarm near Thunder Bay in 2008 were used to obtain a velocity model in that swarm area. The basic feature of all the investigated models is that there is a top low-velocity layer with a thickness of about 0.5 km. The seismic velocities changed mainly within the top 2 km, where small earthquakes often occur.     

Geochemistry and petrology of garnet‐bearing S‐type Shir‐Kuh Granite,southwest Yazd,Central Iran

The Jurassic Shir‐Kuh granitoid batholith in Central Iran intrudes Lower Jurassic sandstones and shales. The batholith consists of three main facies: (i) a granodioritic facies to the north; (ii) a monzogranitic facies spread throughout the batholith; and (iii) a leucogranitic facies along the northwestern margin. The granodiorites are composed mainly of plagioclase, quartz, K‐feldspar, biotite, and some muscovite, garnet, cordierite, ilmenite, zircon, apatite, and monazite. This facies contains variable amounts of restite minerals which are mainly defined by calcic plagioclase cores and small aggregates of biotite. The monzogranites, with mineral assemblages similar to those in the granodiorites, range from relatively mafic (cordierite‐bearing) to felsic (muscovite‐rich) rocks. The leucogranites, exposed as small stock and dykes, consist mainly of quartz, K‐feldspar, and sodic plagioclase. The batholith is peraluminous, calc‐alkaline, and typical of S‐type, as indicated by Na₂O content (2.74%), molecular Al₂O₃/(CaO + Na₂O + K₂O) (A/CNK) ratio (1.17), K₂O/Na₂O ratio (1.39), and isotopic data ([⁸⁷Sr/⁸⁶Sr]_i = 0.715). The rocks are characterized by enrichment in large ion lithophile elements such as Rb, Th and K and depletion in high field strength elements such as Nb and Ti. Chondrite‐normalized rare earth element (REE) patterns are characterized by light rare earth element (LREE) enrichment, with values of (La/Yb)_N between 4.5 and 19.53, unfractionated heavy rare earth element (HREE) with values of (Gd/Yb)_N between 0.98 and 2.88, and a distinct negative Eu. The parental magma of the Shir‐Kuh Granite was derived from a plagioclase‐rich metasedimentary source (local anatexis of metagreywacke) in the crust, with heat input from mantle melt components. The separation of restite crystals from the primary melt followed by the fractional crystallization appears to have been an effective differentiation process in the batholith.     

Origin of 1.8 Ga zircons in Post Eocene mafic dikes in the Roshtkhar area,NE Iran

The Roshtkhar area is located in the Khaf-Kashmar-Bardaskan volcano-plutonic belt to the northeastern Iran along the regional E–W trending Dorouneh Fault, northeastern of the Lut Block. There are several outcrops of subvolcanic rocks occurring mainly as dikes in the area, which intruded into Cenozoic intrusive rocks. We present U–Pb dating of zircons from a diabase dike and syenite rock using LA-ICP-MS that yielded an age of 1778 ± 10 Ma for the dike, indicating this Cenozoic dike has zircon xenocrysts inherited from deeper sources; and 38.0 ± 0.5 Ma, indicating an Late Eocene crystallization age for the syenite. Geochemically, the dikes typical of high-K calc-alkaline to shoshonitic magmas. Petrographic observations and major and trace element variations suggest that diabase melts underwent variable fractionation of clinopyroxene, olivine, and Fe-Ti oxides and minor crustal contamination during the differentiation process. Primitive mantle-normalized multi-element diagrams display enrichment in LILE, such as Rb, Ba, Th, U, and Sr compared to HFSE, as well as negative anomalies of Nb, Ta, P, and Ti, suggesting derivation from subduction-modified mantle. Chondrite-normalized REE plots show moderately LREE enriched patterns (<3.83 La_N/Yb_N <8.27), and no significant Eu anomalies. Geochemical modelling using Sm/Yb versus La/Yb and La/Sm ratios suggests a low-degree of batch melting (~1–3%) of a phlogopite-spinel peridotite source to generate the mafic dikes. The geochemical signatures suggest that the Roshtkhar mafic dikes cannot be related directly to subduction and likely resulted from melting of upper mantle in an extensional setting where the heat flow was provided from deeper levels. These dikes presumably derived the zircon xenocrysts from the assimilation of upper crust of Gondwanian basement. Processes responsible for partial melting of metasomatized lithospheric mantle and post-collision magmatism in NE Iran was triggered by heating due to asthenospheric upwelling in an extensional setting.