Analysis of Current Movements and Deformations of the Earth’s Crust in Fennoscandia from GNSS Data

Izvestiya, Physics of the Solid Earth - Abstract—An analysis of the displacement rates of GNSS points indicates that the values of current deformations gradually decrease from the center of...     

Source mechanism and stress analysis of 23 October 2011 Van Earthquake (Mw = 7.1) and aftershocks

On 23 October 2011 at 1341 local time, a strong earthquake (Mw?=?7.1) occurred east of Lake Van (KOERI; Kandilli Observatory and Earthquake Research Institute). The focal parameters of the main shock and 29 aftershocks with M?≥?4.0 were obtained from regional broadband seismic data from KOERI network by using Regional Moment Tensor Inversion Code (Dreger 2002). It is confirmed that the main shock had thrust faulting mechanism. The stress tensor analysis was completed using the focal mechanism solutions and the software developed by (Gephart Comp Geosci 16: 953-989, 1990). The maximum principal stress (P compressional) of the main shock is aligned in a N-S (NNW/SSE) direction and the tensional axis (T dilatation) is aligned in an E-W (ENE-WSW) direction. The b value is calculated as 0.96 using the maximum likelihood method (Utsu 1999).     

On the Consistency of Large Earthquake Moment and Strain Rate Inferred from GPS Data in North China

INTRODUCTIONStudyingthe relation between the accumulation of crustal strain and the release rate of seismicmoment is animportant subject of earth science research.It is also one of the important methods ofestimatingthe future seismic risk(Ward,1994;1998a;…     

GPS Observation and Study on Recent Crustal Movement in the Northeastern Area of Pamir,Xinjiang

Calculation of repeated observation data at the densified GPS monitoring network in northeastern area of Pamir together with data from IGS stations in the peribphyery of the area yielded the movement rate of more than 40GPS station sites in the area,and,hence,the recent crustal deformation rate pattern and time series of fiductial GPS stations in the area were obtained.The result indicates that the principal movement direction of the GPS station sites is NNW,basically diagonal to the strike of Tianshan fold belt,i.e.a normal compression occurs in the Tianshan region.The movement pattern near Jiashi and its southwestern zone is some different from that of station sites in their surrounding areas,indicating a certain relation of tectonic deformation in Jiashi area to seismic activity during last years.The movement rate of station sites in the periphery of Taim basin less varies and its direction is basically consistent It indicates less or basically no deformation within Tarim basin.     

Assessment of the Seismic Situation in the Region of Greece’s Eastern Coast of the Aegean Sea before the Earthquake with M = 6.7 (October 30, 2020)

Izvestiya, Physics of the Solid Earth - Abstract—A detailed study has been carried out regarding temporal variations of seismicity in the region of Greece’s eastern coast of the Aegean...     

Stress State Dynamics in Southern California from Geomechanical Monitoring Data before the М = 7.1 Earthquake of July 6, 2019

Izvestiya, Physics of the Solid Earth - Abstract—Since 2009, the stress-strain state (SSS) of the Earth’s crust in Southern California has been monitored using geomechanical modeling...     

Source parameters for the M<Subscript>w</Subscript> = 6.6, 03 February 2002, Çay Earthquake (Turkey) and aftershocks from GPS,Southwestern Turkey

The 03 February 2002 Çay Earthquake (M_w ～6.7) occurred on the fault segment between Eber and Ak?ehir Lakes followed by a large aftershock (M_w ～5.6) near the western end of the fault and two sequential aftershocks. We computed the coseismic surface displacements from static GPS measurements to determine the fault geometry parameters and uniform slip components. The coseismic displacements were obtained through combining the regional pre-earthquake and post-earthquake GPS data. Fault geometry and slips were acquired through the inversion of GPS data modeling the events as elastic dislocations in a half-space and assuming all four events took place on the same fault plane. Results suggest that one-segment fault of ～33 km length and dipping ～43° northward suffices to model the dislocation, assuming uniform slip distribution with 0.51 m dip slip, 0.26 m left-lateral slip extending to a depth down to ～11.5 km which is consistent with seismological evidence. The results also verify the normal faulting in the eastern flank of Isparta Angle which has long been assumed as a thrusting structure. While the available data cannot identify the four individual events on the same day, an attempted distributed slip model differentiates dip slip and left-lateral slips near the hypocenter with maximum values of ～1 and 0.6 m, respectively.     

Stress Release and Source Scaling of the 2010–2011 Canterbury,New Zealand Earthquake Sequence from Spectral Inversion of Ground Motion Data

The Canterbury earthquake sequence beginning with the 2010 M _W 7.2 Darfield earthquake is one of the most notable and well-recorded crustal earthquake sequences in a low-strain-rate region worldwide and as such provides a unique opportunity to better understand earthquake source physics and ground motion generation in such a tectonic setting. Ground motions during this sequence ranged up to extreme values of 2.2 g, recorded during the February 2011 M _W 6.2 event beneath the city of Christchurch. A better understanding of the seismic source signature of this sequence, in particular the stress release and its scaling with earthquake size, is crucial for future ground motion prediction and hazard assessment in Canterbury, but also of high interest for other low-to-moderate seismicity regions where high-quality records of large earthquakes are lacking. Here we present a source parameter study of more than 200 events of the Canterbury sequence, covering the magnitude range M _W 3–7.2. Source spectra were derived using a generalized spectral inversion technique and found to be well characterized by the ω ^?2 source model. We find that stress drops range between 1 and 20 MPa with a median value of 5 MPa, which is a factor of 5 larger than the median stress drop previously estimated with the same method for crustal earthquakes in much more seismically active Japan. Stress drop scaling with earthquake size is nearly self-similar, and we identify lateral variations throughout Canterbury, in particular high stress drops at the fault edges of the two major events, the M _W 7.2 Darfield and M _W 6.2 Christchurch earthquakes.     

Statistical Research on the Seismic Quiescence Before the 1988 Lancang-Gengma Earthquakes with M=7.6 and 7.2 in Yunnan Province,China

In this paper,the temporal and spatial variation process of seismicity in areas from Lancang to Tengchong before the 1988 Lancang-Gengma earthquakes(M=7.6,7.2),January 1980 to October 1988,is studied in detail according to the theory that the whole process of earthquake sequence in the time stage of anomalous seismicity before a strong event may be considered as the non-homogeneous Poisson process.The results demonstrate that(1)from April 1985 to April 1988,there existed an obvious difference of seismicity in spatial distribution in the whole region; to the north of Lancang,there occurred two seismic quiescent belts:one is 210 km long for M≥3.5 events and anotheris 160 km long for M≥3.0 events; therefore,this may be classified into four sub-regions from south to north,that is,the south region,the mid-region,the mid'-region,and the north region.(2)Before the mainshocks,there existed anomalous seismic quiescence for as Song as 42 months in the mid-region(M≥3.5)and 32.5 months in the mid'-region(M≥3.0)     

Crustal velocity and strain rate fields in the Balearic Islands based on continuous GPS time series from the XGAIB network (2010–2013)

In this paper, we present a first estimation, using the GIPSY-OASIS software, of the crustal velocity and strain rate fields in the Balearic Islands (Spain), based on continuous GPS observations from the XGAIB network spanning the period 2010–2013. The XGAIB network consists of nine permanent, widely distributed stations that have operated continuously since 2010. In this paper, we describe the XGAIB network and the CGPS data processing and present our principle results in terms of the position time series and velocities of all of the sites, which were observed for more than three and a half years. In addition, strain tensors were estimated from the velocity field to obtain the first realistic crustal deformation model of the archipelago. The strains exhibit gradual variation across the Balearic Islands, from WNW–ESE extension in the southwest (Ibiza and Formentera) to NW–SE compression in the northeast (Menorca). These results constitute an advance in our knowledge of the tectonics of the western Mediterranean region.     

Field evidence and numerical investigation of the \text{ M}_\mathrm{w}= 7.1 October 23 Van, Tabanlı and the \text{ M}_\mathrm{W}> 5.7 November earthquakes of 2011

On Sunday, October 23rd, 2011, the Van province, in the Eastern Turkey, was stricken by a magnitude $\text{ M}_{\mathrm{w}} \!=\! 7.1$ earthquake. The maximum horizontal peak ground acceleration, i.e. 0.182 g, was measured from the seismic station in Muradiye, at about 40 km from the epicenter. Several $\text{ M}_\mathrm{w} > 5.7$ strong motion aftershocks were recorded in November 2011. The exceptionally rich sequence of ground motions was due to the dense seismotectonic activity of the Eastern Turkey, where many active historical faults exist and newly generated can also be found because of the ongoing continental collision between the Arabian and the Eurasian Plates. The 2011 Van earthquake sequence caused 644 casualties, 1966 injuries with 252 rescues; the total economic losses are estimated at around 1 billion US dollars. The present paper deals with the seismological and structural damage assessment of two major seismic events and aftershock sequences in Van region; special emphasis is on the findings of the site investigations performed in the aftermath of the major seismic event. The performed investigation has shown that there is substantial field evidence demonstrating that the losses generated to the local social communities were caused by typical structural and non-structural deficiencies that have been surveyed in the past in several moderate-to-major earthquakes worldwide, especially in poor countries. Comprehensive numerical simulations were also carried out to assess the characteristics of the strong motion records and their effects on existing representative building type of structures in the earthquake-affected region. It was found that the local building stock is highly vulnerable and requires urgent major structural interventions for seismic strengthening. A cost-efficient retrofitting scheme is however not straightforward. It should be a trade-off between two competing aspects: the use of innovative materials and technologies on one hand, and the low-quality of the workmanships and lack of adequate quality control during construction phase, which are available in the Van province, on the other hand.     

The Tadjena Earthquake (Mw = 5.0) of December 16, 2006 in the Cheliff Region (Northern Algeria): Waveform Modelling,Regional Stresses,and Relation with the Boukadir Fault

The Cheliff region has experienced some significant earthquakes in the last century (1937, 1954, and 1980). The most destructive one is that of El Asnam on October 10, 1980, Ms = 7.3 (Io = IX), which destroyed the Chlef city (formerly El Asnam) and its surrounding villages. On December 16, 2006 a moderate earthquake (Mw = 5.0) hit the Cheliff region. The maximum observed intensity (Io = V: MSK-scale) was observed at Abou El Hassen, Benaria, Bouzghaïa and Tadjena. No damages or human losses were recorded. Nevertheless, minor cracks on walls of the old school at Tadjena were observed. The point source focal mechanism of the event was determined by inverting the waveforms of three regional broadband stations of the ADSN (Algerian Digital Seismic Network). It corresponds to thrust-reverse faulting with a strike-slip component. The stress tensor obtained by the inversion of the 15 focal mechanisms available in the Cheliff region exhibits a well constrained compression axis σ1 horizontal and trending N145°. The NW dipping nodal plane indicating a NE–SW thrust fault with a right-lateral component (strike, dip, rake = 249, 38, 137) is more compatible with the regional stress tensor than the steep dipping NNE-SSW nodal plane showing reverse faulting with a left-lateral component (strike, dip, rake = 15, 65, 60). Accordingly, the Tadjena moderate size earthquake can be related to the Boukadir active fault bordering the lower Cheliff basin to the north, a situation similar to that of the El Asnam fault bordering the middle Cheliff basin to the north.     

Shifting Correlation Between Earthquakes and Electromagnetic Signals: A Case Study of the 2013 Minxian–Zhangxian ML 6.5 (MW 6.1) Earthquake in Gansu,China

The shifting correlation method (SCM) is proposed for statistical analysis of the correlation between earthquake sequences and electromagnetic signal sequences. In this method, the two different sequences were treated in units of 1 day. With the earthquake sequences fixed, the electromagnetic sequences were continuously shifted on the time axis, and the linear correlation coefficients between the two were calculated. In this way, the frequency and temporal distribution characteristics of potential seismic electromagnetic signals in the pre, co, and post-seismic stages were analyzed. In the work discussed in this paper, we first verified the effectiveness of the SCM and found it could accurately identify indistinct related signals by use of sufficient samples of synthetic data. Then, as a case study, the method was used for analysis of electromagnetic monitoring data from the Minxian–Zhangxian M_L 6.5 (M_W 6.1) earthquake. The results showed: (1) there seems to be a strong correlation between earthquakes and electromagnetic signals at different frequency in the pre, co, and post-seismic stages, with correlation coefficients in the range 0.4–0.7. The correlation was positive and negative before and after the earthquakes, respectively. (2) The electromagnetic signals related to the earthquakes might appear 23 days before and last for 10 days after the shocks. (3) To some extent, the occurrence time and frequency band of seismic electromagnetic signals are different at different stations. We inferred that the differences were related to resistivity, active tectonics, and seismogenic structure.     

Comparison of Factorial Kriging Analysis Method and Upward Continuation Filter to Recognize Subsurface Structures — A Case Study: Gravity Data from a Hydrocarbon Field in the Southeast Sedimentary Basins of the East Vietnam Sea

To interpret geophysical anomaly maps, it is necessary to filter out regional and sometimes noise components. Each measured value in a gravity survey consists of different components. Upward continuation (UC) is one of the most widely used filters. The shortcoming of this filter is not to consider the spatial structure of the data, and also the fact that the trial and error approach and expert’s judgment are needed to adjust it. This study aims to compare the factorial kriging analysis (FKA) and UC filters for separation of local and regional anomalies in the gravity data of a hydrocarbon field in the southeast sedimentary basins of the East Vietnam Sea. As shown in this paper, FKA method permits to filter out all of the identified structures, while the UC filter does not possess this capability. Therefore, beside general and classic filtering methods, the FKA method can be used as a strong method in filtering spatial structures and anomaly component.     

Gravity wave activity and dynamical effects in the middle atmosphere (60–90km): observations from an MF/MLT radar network,and results from the Canadian Middle Atmosphere Model (CMAM)

It has become increasingly clear that Gravity Waves (GW) have an essential and often dominant role in the dynamics of the Middle Atmosphere. This leads to them having strong impacts upon the thermal structure and the distribution of atmospheric constituents. However, the radar observations of GW have been limited in their latitudinal extent during the past decade, and although satellite observations are now significantly contributing, global-seasonal climatologies of important characteristics are still inadequate. With regard to models, the inclusion of GW-drag effects has been problematic. Usually no seasonal or latitudinal variation in the subgrid-scale GW-drag parameterization scheme is included, and varieties of parameterization schemes have been used. Although these often make conflicting assumptions, they generally produce similarly acceptable end-products, e.g. zonal-mean zonal wind fields. In this paper, we report upon the beginnings of a substantial program, using observations from a network of MF radars (North America, Pacific and Europe), and data from the Canadian Middle Atmosphere Model (CMAM). This model allows the tidal and planetary wave fields to be assessed, characteristics and climatologies of which are well known from the MF Radars. Here we focus upon the tides. There are useful similarities in the observed and modeled background wind and wave fields, and strong indications that the two non-orographic GW-drag parameterization schemes (Hines; Medvedev–Klaassen) have significant and differing effects upon the dynamics of the modeled atmosphere. It is shown that this comparison process is valuable in the evaluation, and potentially the optimization, of parameterization schemes.     

A long-term earthquake forecast for the Kuril-Kamchatka arc for the period from September 2011 to August 2016. The likely location,time, and evolution of the next great earthquake with M ≥ 7.7 in Kamchatka

We consider the results from the ongoing 2010–2011 work on long-term earthquake prediction for the Kuril-Kamchatka arc based on the pattern of seismic gaps and the seismic cycle. We develop a forecast for the next 5 years, from September 2011 to August 2016, for all segments of the Kuril-Kamchatka arc earthquake-generating zone. For 20 segments we predict the appropriate phases of the seismic cycle, the normalized rate of small earthquakes (A₁₀), the magnitudes of moderate earthquakes to be expected with probability 0.8, 0.5, and 0.15, and the maximum possible magnitudes and probability of occurrence for great (M ≥ 7.7) earthquakes. This study serves as another confirmation that it is entirely necessary to continue the work in seismic retrofitting in the area of Petropavlovsk-Kamchatskii.     

LiDAR and 2D Electrical Resistivity Tomography as a Supplement of Geomorphological Investigations in Urban Areas: a Case Study from the City of Wrocław (SW Poland)

In urbanized areas, particularly in lowland terrains and floors of large river valleys, the natural land configuration is often hard to recognize due to a long history of human activity. Accordingly, archaeological works in cities, which supply knowledge on settlement conditions, are usually accompanied by geological and geomophological research. Lately, data from light detection and ranging (LiDAR) have become a valuable source of information on urban land configuration. Geophysical methods are also becoming increasingly popular in background studies. The paper presents a method of using and linking these sources of spatial information about landforms in such areas. The main aim is to identify to what extent these complementary sources of data and the proposed method can be used in such a specific environment to reconstruct natural, buried terrain morphology. The city of Wroc?aw in Central Europe serves as an example. To this end geomorphometric studies were conducted with the use of digital elevation models (DEMs) based on LiDAR scanning and derivated land-surface parameters—SAGA Wetness Index, Channel Network Base Level and Altitude above Channel Network. The study also involved determining morphological edges and measurements of the meanders of the Odra, as well as expanding information on the spatial distribution of alluvia and the structure of slope breaks. To this end, geophysical measurements were conducted using the Two-Dimensional Electrical Resistivity Tomography method. Additionally, five typical sequences of man-made ground present within the perimeter of the city were distinguished. As a result, a map of the main landforms of Wroc?aw is presented. Finally, we argue that although high resolution DEM and derivate land-surface parameters are very useful in terrain analysis, places with thick man-made ground or strongly levelled areas must be recognized by geoarchaeological excavations or geological bore holes. The geophysical survey is useful to identify buried morphological edges and older relief elements in open areas.     

Site effects in the Aterno River Valley (L’Aquila,Italy): comparison between empirical and 2D numerical modelling starting from April 6th 2009 Mw 6.3 earthquake

In this paper, we focused our attention on a cross-section of the Aterno River Valley where a good quality geological and geophysical dataset allowed to reconstruct accurately the geometry and the Vs profiles along all the plane of the section. Its trace is deliberately aligned close to the strong motion stations that recorded the Mw 6.3 (April 6th 2009) L’Aquila earthquake. We analysed strong and weak motion data available at these latter stations as well as at one of the temporary stations installed during the Microzonation activities and located on outcropping bedrock, in proximity of the cross-section. We used the H/V technique to select a reliable reference site and once we found it, we applied the SSR technique to compute amplification functions in correspondence of two strong motion stations. In turn, for both sites we performed a site response numerical modelling with two different 2D codes and we compared simulated versus experimental transfer functions. We found that the cross-section is well constrained based on the very reasonable agreement between results of numerical modelling and earthquake data analysis. We pointed out also a strong amplification of the deposit at the centre of the valley due to the constructive interference of S and surface waves, not predictable by means of 1D numerical modelling. We also compared the H/V as well as the SSR obtained from strong motion data with the ones computed from weak motion finding evidences of non-linearity in soil behaviour.