Seismic <Emphasis Type="Italic">b</Emphasis>-Value and the Assessment of Ambient Stress in Northeast India

Seismicity data of northeast India, recorded between 1986 and 1999 by a local network, are analysed for estimation of b-values. Based on the obtained values, viz. low (b ≤ 0.5), moderate (0.5 < b ≤ 0.7) and high (b > 0.7), the study area is classified into different seismic-domains. An assessment of stress level is also carried out in identifying seismic-domains. Seismic activities, though mostly confined in some sectors, are presumably triggered by mutual interaction of the Shillong Plateau, Mikir Hills, Indo-Burman Ranges and the easternmost part of the Himalayas, and the contributions from deep-seated fractures cannot be ignored. The results resemble the seismic character of a foreland setting adjacent to a convergent margin. The b-values estimated for 240 square grids of dimension 0.6° × 0.6° over five seismic domains indicate wide variation. An analysis of cumulative seismic moment release (M _O) in different layers also indicates an anomaly in reference to the total seismic-energy budget of the five zones. The lower b-value and higher M _O recorded at relatively lower depth (~30 km) towards the southwest of the study area might be associated with upward bulging of a strong lithosphere. The bulging is perhaps regionally compensated by the downward flexing of the descending Indian lithosphere beneath the Upper Assam area; features unequivocally observed in any foreland setup. Towards the north and east of the study area, random variations of in both b-value and M _O along the converging zone suggest a varied tectonic environment with active interaction between the tectonic elements in these areas.     

Dispersion Measurements of <Emphasis Type="Italic">P</Emphasis> Waves and their Implications for Mantle <Emphasis Type="Italic">Q</Emphasis><Subscript><Emphasis Type="Italic">p</Emphasis></Subscript>

We analyze the anelasticity of the earth using group delays of P-body waves of deep (>200 km) events in the period range 4–32 s for epicentral distances of 5–85 degrees. We show that Time Frequency Analysis (TFA), which is usually applied to very dispersive surface waves, can be applied to the much less dispersive P-body waves to measure frequency-dependent group delays with respect to arrival times predicted from the CMT centroid location and PREM reference model. We find that the measured dispersion is due to: (1) anelasticity (described by the P-wave quality factor Q _p ), (2) ambient noise, which results in randomly distributed noise in the dispersion measurements, (3) interference with other phases (triplications, crustal reverberations, conversions at deep mantle boundaries), for which the total dispersion depends on the amplitude and time separation between the different phases, and (4) the source time function, which is dispersive when the wavelet is asymmetrical or contains subevents. These mechanisms yield dispersion ranging in the order of one to 10 seconds with anelasticity responsible for the more modest dispersion. We select 150 seismograms which all have small coda amplitudes extending to ten percent of the main arrival, minimizing the effect of interference. The main P waves have short durations, minimizing effects of the source. We construct a two-layer model of Q _p with an interface at 660 km depth and take Q _p constant with period. Our data set is too small to solve for a possible frequency dependence of Q _p . The upper mantle Q ₁ is 476 [299–1176] and the lower mantle Q ₂ is 794 [633–1064] (the bracketed numbers indicate the 68 percent confidence range of Q _p ^–1). These values are in-between the AK135 model (Kennett et al., 1995) and the PREM model (Dziewonski and Anderson, 1981) for the lower mantle and confirm results of Warren and Shearer (2000) that the upper mantle is less attenuating than PREM and AK135.     

The instability of the <Emphasis Type="Italic">M</Emphasis><Subscript>W</Subscript> and <Emphasis Type="Italic">M</Emphasis><Subscript>L</Subscript> comparison for earthquakes in Greece for the period 1969 to 2007

We use 576 earthquakes of magnitude, M _w, 3.3 to 6.8 that occurred within the region 33° N–42.5° N, 19° E–30° E in the time period 1969 to 2007 to investigate the stability of the relation between moment magnitude, M _w, and local magnitude, M _L, for earthquakes in Greece and the surrounding regions. We compare M _w to M _L as reported in the monthly bulletins of the National Observatory of Athens (NOA) and to M _L as reported in the bulletins of the Seismological Station of the Aristotle University of Thessaloniki. All earthquakes have been analyzed through regional or teleseismic waveform inversion, to obtain M _w, and have measured maximum trace amplitudes on the Wood–Anderson seismograph in Athens, which has been in operation since 1964. We show that the Athens Wood–Anderson seismograph performance has changed through time, affecting the computed by NOA M _L by at least 0.1 magnitude units. Specifically, since the beginning of 1996, its east–west component has been recording systematically much larger amplitudes compared to the north–south component. From the comparison between M _w and M _L reported by Thessaloniki, we also show that the performance of the sensors has changed several times through time, affecting the calculated M _L’s. We propose scaling relations to convert the M _L values reported from the two centers to M _w. The procedures followed here can be applied to other regions as well to examine the stability of magnitude calculations through time.     

Dayside auroras during unusually large positive values of the IMF <Emphasis Type="Italic">B</Emphasis><Subscript><Emphasis Type="Italic">z</Emphasis></Subscript> component

The characteristics of dayside auroras during the large (16–24 nT) positive values of the IMF B _z component, observed on January 14, 1988, during the interaction between the Earth’s magnetosphere and the body of the interplanetary magnetic cloud, have been studied based on the optical observations on Heiss Island. A wide band of diffuse red luminosity with an intensity of 1–2 kilorayleigh (kR) was observed during 6 h in the interval 1030–1630 MLT at latitudes higher than 75° CGL. Rayed auroral arcs, the brightness of which in the 557.7 nm emission sharply increased to 3–7 kR in the postnoon sector immediately after the polarity reversal of the IMF B _y component from positive to negative, were continuously registered within the band. Bright auroral arcs were observed at the equatorward edge of red luminosity. It has been found out that the red auroral intensity increases and the band equatorward boundary shifts to lower latitudes with increasing solar wind dynamic pressure. However, a direct proportional dependence of the variations in the auroral features on the dynamic pressure variations has not been found. It has been concluded that the source of bright discrete auroras is located in the region of the low-latitude boundary layer (LLBL) on closed geomagnetic field lines. The estimated LLBL thickness is ∼3 R _e . It has been concluded that the intensity of the dayside red band depends on the solar wind plasma density, whereas the position of the position equatorward boundary depends on the dynamic pressure value and its variations.     

Origination of <Emphasis Type="Italic">G</Emphasis> conditions in the ionospheric <Emphasis Type="Italic">F</Emphasis> region depending on solar and geomagnetic activity

The dependence of the origination of G conditions in the ionospheric F region on solar and geomagnetic activity has been determined based on numerical simulation of the ionosphere over points 50° N, 105° E and 70° N, 105° E for summer conditions at noon. It has been found that the threshold value of the Kp geomagnetic activity index (Kp _S ), beginning from which a G condition can originate, is minimal for a low solar activity level at relatively high latitudes during the recovery phase of a geomagnetic storm. On average, Kp _S increases with increasing solar activity, but G conditions can originate at high solar activity levels and be absent at moderate ones for certain Kp values, which was apparently predicted for the first time. These properties of the origination of G conditions do not contradict the known results of a G-condition statistical analysis performed based on the data from the global network of ionospheric stations.     

Multi-scale Tomography for Crustal <Emphasis Type="Italic">P</Emphasis> and <Emphasis Type="Italic">S</Emphasis> Velocities in Southern California

Seismic tomography is a viable tool in building depth-velocity models in the presence of strong lateral velocity variations. In this study 3-D P- and S-velocity models for the crust of southern California are constrained using more than 1,000,000 P-wave first arrivals and 130,000 S-wave arrivals from local earthquakes. To cope with the uneven distribution of raypaths, a multi-scale tomography is applied with overlapping model cells of different sizes. Within the 300 × 480 × 39 km³ model volume, the smallest cell size is 10 × 10 × 3 km³. During the iterations of velocity updating, earthquake hypocenters are determined using both P and S arrivals, and full 3-D ray tracing is implemented. Except near the edges and in the lower crust, the resultant models are robust according to various tests on the effects of reference models, resolution and signal-to-noise ratio. The tomographic velocities at shallow depths correlate very well with the regional geology of southern California. In the upper crust the P-wave and S-wave models exhibit slow velocities in major sedimentary basins and fast velocities in areas of crystalline rocks. Mid-crustal low velocity zones are present under the Coso Range, San Gabriel Mountains, and a large portion of the Mojave Desert. P- and S-velocity patterns maintain their similarity in the lower crust though the models are less reliable there.     

Precursor times of abnormal <Emphasis Type="Italic">b</Emphasis>-values prior to mainshocks

Seismic observations exhibit the presence of abnormal b-values prior to numerous earthquakes. The time interval from the appearance of abnormal b-values to the occurrence of mainshock is called the precursor time. There are two kinds of precursor times in use: the first one denoted by T is the time interval from the moment when the b-value starts to increase from the normal one to the abnormal one to the occurrence time of the forthcoming mainshock, and the second one denoted by T _p is the time interval from the moment when the abnormal b-value reaches the peak one to the occurrence time of the forthcoming mainshock. Let T* be the waiting time from the moment when the abnormal b-value returned to the normal one to the occurrence time of the forthcoming mainshock. The precursor time, T (usually in days), has been found to be related to the magnitude, M, of the mainshock expected in a linear form as log(T)?=?q?+?rM where q and r are the coefficient and slope, respectively. In this study, the values of T, T _p , and T* of 45 earthquakes with 3?≤?M?≤?9 occurred in various tectonic regions are compiled from or measured from the temporal variations in b-values given in numerous source materials. The relationships of T and T _p , respectively, versus M are inferred from compiled data. The difference between the values of T and T _p decreases with increasing M. In addition, the plots of T*/T versus M, T* versus T, and T* versus T-T* will be made and related equations between two quantities will be inferred from given data.     

Attenuative Dispersion of <Emphasis Type="Italic">P</Emphasis> Waves and Crustal <Emphasis Type="Italic">Q</Emphasis> in Turkey and Germany

We have measured group delays of the spectral components of high-frequency P-waves along two portions of the North Anatolian Fault Zone (NAFZ) in Turkey and in a region of southern Germany. Assuming that the observed dispersion is associated with attenuation in the crust and that it can be described by a continuous relaxation model, we obtained Q and the high-frequency relaxation times for those waves for each of the three regions. Individual P-wave Q values exhibit large scatter, but mean values in the NAFZ increase from about 25 to 60 over the distance range 5–90 km. Mean Q values are somewhat higher in the eastern portion of the NAFZ than in the western portion for measurements made at distances between 10 and 30 km. P-wave Q values in Germany range between about 50 and 300 over the hypocentral distance range 20–130 km. In that region we separated the effects of Q for basement rock (2–10 km depth) from that of the overlying sediment (0–2 km depth) using a least-squares method. Q varies between 100 and 500 in the upper 8–10 km of basement, with mean values for most of the distance range being about 250. Q in the overlying sediments ranges between 6 and 10. Because of large scatter in the Q determinations we investigated possible effects that variations of the source-time function of the earthquakes and truncation of the waveform may have on Q determinations. All of our studies indicate that measurement errors are relatively large and suggest that useful application of the method requires many observations, and that the method will be most useful in regions where the number of oscillations following the initial P pulse is minimized. Even though there is large scatter in our Q determinations, the mean values that we obtained in Turkey are consistent with those found in earlier studies. Our conclusions that Q is significantly higher in the basement rock of Germany than in the basement rock of Turkey and that Q is lower in western Turkey than in eastern Turkey are also consistent with results of Q studies using Lg coda.     

Sampling uncertainties and source <Emphasis Type="Italic">b</Emphasis> likelihood for the Gutenberg-Richter <Emphasis Type="Italic">b</Emphasis> value from the Aki-Utsu method

The Aki-Utsu method of Gutenberg-Richter (G-R) b value estimation is often misapplied so that estimations not using the G-R histogram are often meaningless because they are not based on adequate samples. We propose a method to estimate the likelihood Pr(b?b _m , N, M ₁, M ₂) that an observed b _m estimate, based on a sample of N magnitudes within an [M ₁????≤?ΔM/2,?M ₂?+?ΔM/2) range, where ΔM?=?0.1 is the usual rounding applied to magnitudes, is due to a “true” source b value, b, and use these likelihoods to estimate source b ranges corresponding to various confidence levels. As an example of application of the method, we estimate the b values before and after the occurrence of a 7.4-magnitude earthquake in the Mexican subduction zone, and find a difference of 0.82 between them with 100% confidence that the b values are different.     

Response of dayside auroras to abrupt increases in the solar wind dynamic pressure at positive and negative polarity of the IMF <Emphasis Type="Italic">B</Emphasis><Subscript><Emphasis Type="Italic">z</Emphasis></Subscript> component

The optical observations on Heiss Island (Φ′ = 75.0°) have been used to study the characteristics of auroras in the near-noon MLT sector after abrupt increases in the solar wind dynamic pressure at negative and positive polarity of the IMF B _z component. It has been found out that the 427.8 and 557.7 nm emission intensities considerably increased at B _z < 0 both equatorward of the dayside red luminosity band and within this band. The value of the emission intensities at a red luminosity maximum (I ₆₃₀₀/I ₅₅₇₇ ∼ 0.5) indicates that energetic electron precipitation is of the magnetospheric origin. At B _z > 0, fluxes of harder (E > 1 keV) precipitating electrons were superimposed on the soft spectrum of precipitating particles in the equatorial part of the red luminosity band. This red band part was hypothetically caused by the low-latitude boundary layer (LLBL) on closed lines of the geomagnetic field, the estimated thickness of which is ∼3 R _e . The 557.7 nm emission intensity increased during 3–5 min after SC/SI and was accompanied by the displacement of the red band equatorward boundary toward lower latitudes. The displacement value was ∼150–200 km when the dynamic pressure abruptly increased by a factor of 3–5. After SC/SI, the 630.0 nm emission intensity continued increasing during 16–18 min. It is assumed that the time of an increase in the red line intensity corresponds to the time of saturation of the magnetospheric boundary layers with magnetosheath particles after an abrupt increase in their density.     

Behavior of <Emphasis Type="Italic">foF</Emphasis>2 and <Emphasis Type="Italic">hmF</Emphasis>2 after sunset

The time behavior of the foF2 and hmF2 values at the time moment T(ss + 2 h) 2 h after sunset is considered. It is assumed that at this moment, the horizontal winds in the thermosphere in the strongest way influence hmF2 and, therefore, foF2. It is found that a fairly well pronounced and statistically significant change (trend) is observed for the foF2(ss + 2)/foF2(14) ratio, the sign of the change being different for different stations and even different seasons at the same station. A similar picture is obtained for the value of hmF2(ss + 2). It is shown that a positive correlation between the trends of these two values is observed. This confirms the initial concept of the paper that the foF2 and hmF2 trends are caused by long-term trends in the thermospheric dynamics.     

Deep water ventilation traced by <Emphasis Type="Italic">Synechococcus</Emphasis> cyanobacteria

The paper describes a finding of photoautotroph cyanobacteria Synechococcus in deep Adriatic waters during the spring of 2006. The maximum abundance in early May was positioned at 800 m, being of order of the values referred for the surface waters in the Adriatic Sea. The deep abundance maximum has been associated to the fast ventilation of deep Adriatic waters, usually occurring during wintertime strong cooling events. Two processes were detected: (1) deep convection in the South Adriatic Pit (SAP) and (2) density current going downslope. The first process was responsible for bringing the cyanobacteria down to 600-m depth in the area of convection, and the second one triggered the downslope transport of the cyanobacteria to the SAP very bottom. The depletion rate of Synechoccocus cyanobacteria in an extremely hostile environment has been computed to equal about 1 month.     

Variations of the critical frequency <Emphasis Type="Italic">foF</Emphasis>2 at middle latitudes during strong disturbance in the electric field observed in the <Emphasis Type="Italic">F</Emphasis> region over saint-santin

Morphological analysis of variations of the critical frequency foF2 in the midlatitude ionosphere at various sectors of local time is carried out on the basis of data from ground-based stations of vertical sounding of the ionosphere in the period when during use of the incoherent scatter radar at Saint-Santin an anomalously strong increase in the electric field was observed at heights of the ionospheric F region in the period of enhanced geomagnetic activity (4+ < Kp < 6−). The obtained picture of the space-time distribution of disturbances in foF2 makes it possible to assume that they could be caused by penetration to middle latitudes of the large-scale electric field of the magnetospheric convection directed westward in the nighttime and morning hours and eastward in the noon and evening sectors.     

<Emphasis Type="Italic">Lg</Emphasis> Body-Wave Magnitude Scaling for the Continental Margin around Korea and Japan

Regional body-wave magnitude scalings are essential for quantification of small and moderate-size earthquakes that are observed only up to regional distances. Crustally-guided shear waves, Lg, develop stably at regional distances in continental crusts and are minimally influenced by the source radiation patterns. Lg body-wave magnitude scalings, m_b(Lg),m_b(Lg), are widely used for assessment of sizes of regional crustal events. The m_b(Lg)m_b(Lg) scaling has rarely been tested in continental margins where Lg waves are significantly attenuated due to abrupt lateral variation of crustal structures. We test the applicability of m_b(Lg)m_b(Lg) scaling to the eastern margin of the Eurasian plate around the Korean Peninsula and Japanese islands. Both third-peak and root-mean-square (rms) amplitudes of Lg vary significantly according to the crustal structures along raypaths, causing apparent underestimation of m_b(Lg).m_b(Lg). Implementation of raypath-dependent quality factors (Q) allows accurate estimation of m_b(Lg),m_b(Lg), retaining the transportability of m_b(Lg)m_b(Lg) in the continental margin around Korea and Japan. The calibration constants for an rms-amplitude-based m_b(Lg)m_b(Lg) scaling are not determined to vary by region in the continental margin due to complicated crustal structures. The calibration constants are determined to be distance-dependent. Both the third-peak-amplitude-based and rms-amplitude-based m_b(Lg)m_b(Lg) scalings yield accurate magnitude estimates when raypath-dependent quality factors are implemented.     

Mechanisms of stratification of the <Emphasis Type="Italic">F</Emphasis>2 layer and formation of the <Emphasis Type="Italic">F</Emphasis>3 and <Emphasis Type="Italic">G</Emphasis> layers in the equatorial ionosphere

The paper is dedicated to the studies of formation mechanisms of additional layers in the equatorial ionosphere carried out using numerical simulations with use of the Global Self-Consistent Model of the Thermosphere, Ionosphere, and Protonosphere (GSM TIP) modified in the part of the solution of the electric field equation in the Earth’s ionosphere. Calculations were preformed for quiet geomagnetic conditions using the MSIS-90 model for the calculation of thermospheric parameters. The obtained spatio-temporal pattern of thermospheric circulation and the variations in the dynamo electric field obtained on its basis make it possible to reproduce the stratification effect of the F2 layer and the appearance of the F3 layer in the equatorial ionosphere due to the action of the nonuniform in height zonal electric field at the geomagnetic equator. On the basis of the earlier presented results of calculations using the modified GSM TIP model, the appearance of a maximum in the vertical profile of the electron density at a height of ∼1000 km formed by H+ ions, which we called the G layer, has been predicted. Numerical simulations showed that this layer is formed by the meridional component of the thermospheric wind and is related to the formation of the nighttime midlatitude maximum at heights of the ionospheric F region.     

Field-aligned currents in the winter and summer hemispheres caused by IMF <Emphasis Type="Italic">By</Emphasis>

Structures controlled by the IMF By sign and season of the year have been detected based on the decomposition of field-aligned current maps constructed using magnetic field measurements on polar low-orbiting satellites. It has been indicated that field-aligned currents have identical structures, composed of the main polar circular current and the return current at the polar cap dayside boundary, at any By sign in the summer hemisphere. Two different types of structures are implemented under winter conditions depending on the By sign. For the northern winter, it is the polar circular current and the return current at the polar cap nightside boundary at By < 0; current sheets are strongly stretched along latitudes below 80° MLat, and only small part of the current is in the noon sector of the polar cap. For the summer winter, the corresponding structures are implemented at opposite By signs. The intensities of the field-aligned currents, originating as a result of the interhemispheric asymmetry and flowing along closed geomagnetic field lines near the polar cap boundary, have been estimated. The maximum of the interhemispheric current density is 0.25 μA m⁻² in the summer and 0.1 μA m⁻² in the winter; the total current is 5 × 10⁵ and 5 × 10⁴ A, respectively.     

Distribution of<Emphasis Type="Italic">L</Emphasis><Subscript>g</Subscript> coda<Emphasis Type="Italic">Q</Emphasis> in the Chinese continent and its adjacent regions

785 traces of vertical components from shallow earthquakes recorded by 10 CDSN (Chinese Digital Seismographic Network) stations and 5 GSN (Global Seismographic Network) stations were collected to study the attenuation characteristics ofL _g coda in the Chinese continent and its adjacent regions. The records were processed first using the stack spectral ratio method to obtain the average values ofQ ₀ (Q at 1Hz) and η, the frequency dependence, ofL _g coda in the ellipses corresponding to the paths. The back-projection technique was then employed to obtain the tomographic maps ofQ ₀ and η values, and the distribution of their errors. Results indicate that in the studied areaQ ₀ varies between 200 and 500. The lowest value ofQ ₀ exists in the Yun-nan-Tibetan region, while the highest value ofQ ₀ occurs in the southern edge of Siberian platform. η varies between 0.3 and 0.8. For most part of the studied area η varies inversely withQ ₀.     

The 20-second regional magnitude <Emphasis Type="Italic">M</Emphasis><Subscript><Emphasis Type="Italic">S</Emphasis></Subscript>(20R) for the Russian Far East

A new modified magnitude scale M _S (20R) is elaborated. It permits us to extend the teleseismic magnitude scale M _S (20) to the regional epicenter distances. The data set used in this study contains digital records at 12 seismic stations of 392 earthquakes that occured in the northwest Pacific Ocean in the period of 1993–2008. The new scale is based on amplitudes of surface waves of a narrow range of the periods (16–25 s) close to the period of 20 s, for distances of 80–3000 km. The digital Butterworth filter is used for processing. On the basis of the found regional features concerning distance dependence for seismic wave attenuation, all the stations of the region have been subdivided into two groups, namely, “continental” and “island-arc.” For each group of stations, its own calibration function is proposed. Individual station corrections are used to compensate for the local features.     

Estimating the source parameters for the M<Subscript><Emphasis Type="Italic">W</Emphasis></Subscript> 7.6 April 20, 2006 Olyutorskii earthquake from long period <Emphasis Type="Italic">P</Emphasis>-wave records made by the worldwide network

The source parameters of the M _W = 7.6 Olyutorskii earthquake were estimated using the moments of the slip rate function with degrees 1 and 2. The moments were estimated from broadband P-wave records at 52 stations of the worldwide network. The first step was to find a function S(t) for each station; this function is an apparent source time function, i.e., the P-wave slip as radiated by the source toward a station under consideration. The method of empirical Green’s functions was used to estimate S(t). The next step was to calculate the moments of S(t) of degrees 1 and 2 over time and to set up relevant equations to be solved by least squares for the unknown source moments. The horizontal linear source was used as a nonparametric model for calculating the source moments. Haskell’s parametric model was used for further interpretation of the source moments. The resulting estimates are as follows: the source centroid was 13–25 km southwest of the epicenter, the source was 105–120 km long, the source strike was 222°–228°, the rupture velocity was 2.7–3.0 km/s, and the total radiation duration was 24–27 s. These estimates indicate a bilateral rupture dominated by a southwestward sense of rupture propagation. The source characteristics are consistent with the aftershock area geometry and with the focal mechanism, as well as with surface breakage as observed by geologists in the field.     

Numerical simulation of the <Emphasis Type="Italic">F</Emphasis>2-layer stratification and appearance of the <Emphasis Type="Italic">F</Emphasis>3 and <Emphasis Type="Italic">G</Emphasis> layers in the equatorial ionosphere: The morphology of the phenomena

This work is devoted to a numerical simulation of the equatorial ionosphere, performed using the GSM TIP model completed with a new block for calculating the electric field. It has been indicated that the usage of the wind system calculated according to the MSIS-90 model makes it possible to reproduce the electromagnetic drift velocities at the equator, the effect of the F2-layer stratification, and the appearance of the F3 layer in the equatorial ionosphere. The calculations performed using the modified GSM TIP model made it possible to detect a maximum in the electron density vertical profile at an altitude of ∼1000 km, formed by H⁺ ions, which we called the G layer. If this layer actually exists, it can be observed during sounding the low-latitude ionosphere from satellites during dark time of day.