Moment tensor inversion and source rupture process of the September 27, 2003 M S=7.9 earthquake occurred in the border area of China, Russia and Mongolia

We conducted moment tensor inversion and studied source rupture process for M _S=7.9 earthquake occurred in the border area of China, Russia and Mongolia on September 27 2003, by using digital teleseismic P-wave seismograms recorded by long-period seismograph stations of the global seismic network. Considering the aftershock distribution and the tectonic settings around the epicentral area, we propose that the M _S=7.9 earthquake occurred on a fault plane with the strike of 127°, the dip of 79° and the rake of 171°. The rupture process inversion result of M _S=7.9 earthquake shows that the total rupture duration is about 37 s, the scalar moment tensor is M ₀=0.97×10²⁰ N·m. Rupture mainly occurred on the shallow area with 110 km long and 30 km wide, the location in which the rupture initiated is not where the main rupture took place, and the area with slip greater than 0.5 m basically lies within 35 km deep middle-crust under the earth surface. The maximum static slip is 3.6 m. There are two distinct areas with slip larger than 2.0 m. We noticed that when the rupture propagated towards northwest and closed to the area around the M _S=7.3 hypocenter, the slip decreased rapidly, which may indicate that the rupture process was stopped by barriers. The consistence of spatial distribution of slip on the fault plane with the distribution of aftershocks also supports that the rupture is a heterogeneous process owing to the presence of barriers.     

The Lemnos 8 January 2013 (M w = 5.7) earthquake: fault slip,aftershock properties and static stress transfer modeling in the north Aegean Sea

We investigate mainshock slip distribution and aftershock activity of the 8 January 2013 M _w?=?5.7 Lemnos earthquake, north Aegean Sea. We analyse the seismic waveforms to better understand the spatio-temporal characteristics of earthquake rupture within the seismogenic layer of the crust. Peak slip values range from 50 to 64 cm and mean slip values range from 10 to 12 cm. The slip patches of the event extend over an area of dimensions 16?×?16 km². We also relocate aftershock catalog locations to image seismic fault dimensions and test earthquake transfer models. The relocated events allowed us to identify the active faults in this area of the north Aegean Sea by locating two, NE–SW linear patterns of aftershocks. The aftershock distribution of the mainshock event clearly reveals a NE–SW striking fault about 40 km offshore Lemnos Island that extends from 2 km up to a depth of 14 km. After the mainshock most of the seismic activity migrated to the east and to the north of the hypocenter due to (a) rupture directivity towards the NE and (b) Coulomb stress transfer. A stress inversion analysis based on 14 focal mechanisms of aftershocks showed that the maximum horizontal stress is compressional at N84°E. The static stress transfer analysis for all post-1943 major events in the North Aegean shows no evidence for triggering of the 2013 event. We suggest that the 2013 event occurred due to tectonic loading of the North Aegean crust.     

Preliminary report of the September 5, 2022 MS 6.8 Luding earthquake,Sichuan, China

The 2022 M_S 6.8 Luding earthquake is the strongest earthquake in Sichuan Province, Western China, since the 2017 M_S 7.0 Jiuzhaigou earthquake. It occurred on the Moxi fault in the southeastern segment of the Xianshuihe fault, a tectonically active and mountainous region with severe secondary earthquake disasters. To better understand the seismogenic mechanism and provide scientific support for future hazard mitigation, we summarize the preliminary results of the Luding earthquake, including seismotectonic background, seismicity and mainshock source characteristics and aftershock properties, and direct and secondary damage associated with the mainshock. The peak ground displacements in the NS and EW directions observed by the nearest GNSS station SCCM are ～35 mm and ～55 mm, respectively, resulting in the maximum coseismic dislocation of 20 mm along the NWW direction, which is consistent with the sinistral slip on the Xianshuihe fault. Back-projection of teleseismic P waves suggest that the mainshock rupture propagated toward south-southeast. The seismic intensity of the mainshock estimated from the back-projection results indicates a Mercalli scale of VIII or above near the ruptured area, consistent with the results from instrumental measurements and field surveys. Numerous aftershocks were reported, with the largest being M_S 4.5. Aftershock locations (up to September 18, 2022) exhibit 3 clusters spanning an area of 100 km long and 30 km wide. The magnitude and rate of aftershocks decreased as expected, and the depths became shallower with time. The mainshock and two aftershocks show left-lateral strike-slip focal mechanisms. For the aftershock sequence, the b-value from the Gutenberg-Richter frequency-magnitude relationship, h-value, and p-value for Omori’s law for aftershock decay are 0.81, 1.4, and 1.21, respectively, indicating that this is a typical mainshock-aftershock sequence. The low b-value implies high background stress in the hypocenter region. Analysis from remote sensing satellite images and UAV data shows that the distribution of earthquake-triggered landslides was consistent with the aftershock area. Numerous small-size landslides with limited volumes were revealed, which damaged or buried the roads and severely hindered the rescue process.     

Spatio-temporal characteristics of aftershocks and seismogenic structure of the 2011 MW9.0 Tohoku earthquake,Japan

The Tohoku megathrust earthquake, which occurred on March 11, 2011 and had an epicenter that was 70 km east of Tohoku, Japan, resulted in an estimated ten's of billions of dollars in damage and a death toll of more than 15 thousand lives, yet few studies have documented key spatio-temporal seismogenic characteristics. Specifically, the temporal decay of aftershock activity, the number of strong aftershocks (with magnitudes greater than or equal to 7.0), the magnitude of the greatest aftershock, and area of possible aftershocks. Forecasted results from this study are based on Gutenberg-Richter's relation, Bath's law, Omori's law, and Well's relation of rupture scale utilizing the magnitude and statistical parameters of earthquakes in USA and China (Landers, Northridge, Hector Mine, San Simeon and Wenchuan earthquakes). The number of strong aftershocks, the parameters of Gutenberg-Richter's relation, and the modified form of Omori's law are confirmed based on the aftershock sequence data from the M_W9.0 Tohoku earthquake. Moreover, for a large earthquake, the seismogenic structure could be a fault, a fault system, or an intersection of several faults. The seismogenic structure of the earthquake suggests that the event occurred on a thrust fault near the Japan trench within the overriding plate that subsequently triggered three or more active faults producing large aftershocks.     

Moment tensor inversion and source rupture process of the September 27, 2003 <Emphasis Type="Italic">M</Emphasis><Subscript>S</Subscript>=7.9 earthquake occurred in the border area of China,Russia and Mongolia

We conducted moment tensor inversion and studied source rupture process for M _S=7.9 earthquake occurred in the border area of China, Russia and Mongolia on September 27 2003, by using digital teleseismic P-wave seismograms recorded by long-period seismograph stations of the global seismic network. Considering the aftershock distribution and the tectonic settings around the epicentral area, we propose that the M _S=7.9 earthquake occurred on a fault plane with the strike of 127°, the dip of 79° and the rake of 171°. The rupture process inversion result of M _S=7.9 earthquake shows that the total rupture duration is about 37 s, the scalar moment tensor is M ₀=0.97×10²⁰ N·m. Rupture mainly occurred on the shallow area with 110 km long and 30 km wide, the location in which the rupture initiated is not where the main rupture took place, and the area with slip greater than 0.5 m basically lies within 35 km deep middle-crust under the earth surface. The maximum static slip is 3.6 m. There are two distinct areas with slip larger than 2.0 m. We noticed that when the rupture propagated towards northwest and closed to the area around the M _S=7.3 hypocenter, the slip decreased rapidly, which may indicate that the rupture process was stopped by barriers. The consistence of spatial distribution of slip on the fault plane with the distribution of aftershocks also supports that the rupture is a heterogeneous process owing to the presence of barriers.     

2017年精河6.6级地震余震序列重新定位和发震构造

采用双差定位方法,利用中国地震台网的数据对2017年8月9日精河6.6级地震的余震序列进行了重新定位。截至2017年8月14日16时,共获得209个余震的重新定位结果。结果显示,余震主要呈近EW向或NWW向分布,余震区长约50km,宽约17km。余震分布在主震的西侧,推断此次地震单侧破裂。余震震源深度为1～25km,其中,震级较大余震深度为8～17km。精河地震序列的余震活动随时间呈起伏状衰减,震后2天内比较活跃,此后出现较快衰减。随时间推移,余震区呈现中西部衰减慢、东部衰减快的特点。此次地震震中距2011年精河5.0级地震震中21km,相比2011年精河地震,其震源更深,震级更大,但震源机制解相近,均为逆冲型。结合区域构造背景分析认为,库松木契克山前断裂为此次地震发震构造的可能性较大。     

Spatio-temporal variation and focal mechanism of the Wenchuan MS8.0 earthquake sequence

Based on abundant aftershock sequence data of the Wenchuan M_S8.0 earthquake on May 12, 2008, we studied the spatio-temporal variation process and segmentation rupture characteristic. Dense aftershocks distribute along Longmenshan central fault zone of NE direction and form a narrow strip with the length of 325 km and the depth between several and 40 km. The depth profile (section of NW direction) vertical to the strike of aftershock zone (NE direction) shows anisomerous wedgy distribution characteristic of aftershock concentrated regions; it is related to the force form of the Longmenshan nappe tectonic belt. The stronger aftershocks could be divided into northern segment and southern segment apparently and the focal depths of strong aftershocks in the 50 km area between northern segment and southern segment are shallower. It seems like 'to be going to rupture' segment. We also study focal mechanisms and segmentation of strong aftershocks. The principal compressive stress azimuth of aftershock area is WNW direction and the faulting types of aftershocks at southern and northern segment have the same proportion. Because aftershocks distribute on different secondary faults, their focal mechanisms present complex local tectonic stress field. The faulting of seven strong earthquakes on the Longmenshan central fault is mainly characterized by thrust with the component of right-lateral strike-slip. Meantime six strong aftershocks on the Longmenshan back-range fault and Qingchuan fault present strike-slip faulting. At last we discuss the complex segmentation rupture mechanism of the Wenchuan earthquake.     

Crustal Heterogeneity in the Source Region of the 2004 Mid Niigata Prefecture Earthquake: Inversion Analysis of Coda Envelopes

The 2004 Mid Niigata Prefecture earthquake (M_JMA 6.8) and its aftershock sequences generated complicated, i.e., several conjugate fault planes in their source region. In order to understand the generating process of these earthquakes, we estimated a 3-D distribution of relative scattering coefficients in the source region. The large slip area during the main shock rupture seems to be bounded by strong heterogeneous zones with larger scattering coefficients. Hypocenters of the main shock and major large aftershocks with M 5-6 classes tend to be located close to stronger scattering areas. We found that one of these strong heterogeneities already existed before the occurrence of the M 5.9 aftershock on November 8. We suppose that heterogeneous structures in the source region of this earthquake sequence affected the initiation and growth of ruptures of the main shock and major large aftershocks.     

High-precision relocation of the aftershock sequence of the January 8, 2022, MS6.9 Menyuan earthquake

The 2022 Menyuan M_S6.9 earthquake, which occurred on January 8, is the most destructive earthquake to occur near the Lenglongling (LLL) fault since the 2016 Menyuan M_S6.4 earthquake. We relocated the mainshock and aftershocks with phase arrival time observations for three days after the mainshock from the Qinghai Seismic Network using the double-difference method. The total length and width of the aftershock sequence are approximately 32 km and 5 km, respectively, and the aftershocks are mainly concentrated at a depth of 7–12 km. The relocated sequence can be divided into 18 km west and 13 km east segments with a boundary approximately 5 km east of the mainshock, where aftershocks are sparse. The east and west fault structures revealed by aftershock locations differ significantly. The west fault strikes EW and inclines to the south at a 71º–90º angle, whereas the east fault strikes 133º and has a smaller dip angle. Elastic strain accumulates at conjunctions of faults with different slip rates where it is prone to large earthquakes. Based on surface traces of faults, the distribution of relocated earthquake sequence and surface ruptures, the mainshock was determined to have occurred at the conjunction of the Tuolaishan (TLS) fault and LLL fault, and the west and east segments of the aftershock sequence were on the TLS fault and LLL fault, respectively. Aftershocks migrate in the early and late stages of the earthquake sequence. In the first 1.5 h after the mainshock, aftershocks expand westward from the mainshock. In the late stage, seismicity on the northeast side of the east fault is higher than that in other regions. The migration rate of the west segment of the aftershock sequence is approximately 4.5 km/decade and the afterslip may exist in the source region.     

Near-realtime source analysis of the 20 March 2012 Ometepec-Pinotepa Nacional,Mexico earthquake

We apply a single-step, finite-fault analysis procedure to derive a coseismic slip model for the large M_W 7.4 Ometepec-Pinotepa Nacional, Mexico earthquake of 20 March 2012, using teleseismic P waveforms recorded by the Global Seismographic Network. The inversion is conducted in near-realtime using source parameters available from the USGS/NEIC and the Global Centroid Moment Tensor (gCMT) project. The fault orientation and slip angle are obtained from the gCMT mechanism assuming that the fault coincides with the shallow-dipping nodal plane. The fault dimensions and maximum rise time are based on the magnitude reported for the event. Teleseismic data from the USGS/NEIC Continuous Waveform Buffer database are used in the inversion with record start times set to the P-wave arrivals used to compute the earthquake hypocenter. The inversion is stabilized by requiring a smooth transition of slip across the fault while minimizing the seismic moment. These constraints are applied using a smoothing weight that is estimated from the inverse problem, allowing the recovery of the least-complicated rupture history in a single step. Inversion of the deconvolved, ground-displacement waveforms reveals a simple, circular rupture similar in extent to the source identified by the USGS/NEIC using body-and surface-wave data, indicating that the teleseismic P waves can provide a first-order source model for the event in near-realtime. Additional inversions conducted using velocity records identify a more-detailed rupture model characterized by an elliptical 2500 km² source region extending updip and downdip from the hypocenter. This elliptical source preserves the orientation and overall dimensions of a dual-source slip model obtained recently by other investigators using local strong motions and global seismic waveforms. The results indicate that velocity waveforms could provide additional details of the earthquake rupture in near-realtime, finite-fault inversions using teleseismic P waves.     

2019年12月26日湖北应城M4.9地震震源参数及余震活动性研究

2019年12月26日湖北应城发生M4.9有感地震,其震感波及武汉大部分地区。为了分析该地震的发震构造及余震活动性,本文利用波形拟合方法测定了不同速度模型下该地震的震源机制解和矩心深度,并用Bootstrapping抽样反演技术评价反演结果;此外,利用模板匹配技术匹配主震和目录余震波形,获取了更为完整的余震目录。结果显示,应城地震以走滑为主,矩心深度7.5km左右,矩震级M_W4.67;应城地震有1个前震和17个余震,余震序列缺少M2~4事件,表明应城地震为孤立型地震,M2以下地震的b值为0.8。     

Seismic Subduction of the Nazca Ridge as Shown by the 1996–97 Peru Earthquakes

—By rupturing more than half of the shallow subduction interface of the Nazca Ridge, the great November 12, 1996 Peruvian earthquake contradicts the hypothesis that oceanic ridges subduct aseismically. The mainshock’s rupture has a length of about 200 km and has an average slip of about 1.4 m. Its moment is 1.5 × 10²⁸ dyne-cm and the corresponding M _w is 8.0. The mainshock registered three major episodes of moment release as shown by a finite fault inversion of teleseismically recorded broadband body waves. About 55% of the mainshock’s total moment release occurred south of the Nazca Ridge, and the remaining moment release occurred at the southern half of the subduction interface of the Nazca Ridge. The rupture south of the Nazca Ridge was elongated parallel to the ridge axis and extended from a shallow depth to about 65 km depth. Because the axis of the Nazca Ridge is at a high angle to the plate convergence direction, the subducting Nazca Ridge has a large southwards component of motion, 5 cm/yr parallel to the coast. The 900–1200 m relief of the southwards sweeping Nazca Ridge is interpreted to act as a "rigid indenter," causing the greatest coupling south of the ridge’s leading edge and leading to the large observed slip. The mainshock and aftershock hypocenters were relocated using a new procedure that simultaneously inverts local and teleseismic data. Most aftershocks were within the outline of the Nazca Ridge. A three-month delayed aftershock cluster occurred at the northern part of the subducting Nazca Ridge. Aftershocks were notably lacking at the zone of greatest moment release, to the south of the Nazca Ridge. However, a lone foreshock at the southern end of this zone, some 140 km downstrike of the mainshock’s epicenter, implies that conditions existed for rupture into that zone. The 1996 earthquake ruptured much of the inferred source zone of the M _w 7.9–8.2 earthquake of 1942, although the latter was a slightly larger earthquake. The rupture zone of the 1996 earthquake is immediately north of the seismic gap left by the great earthquakes (M _w ～8.8–9.1) of 1868 and 1877. The M _w 8.0 Antofagasta earthquake of 1995 occurred at the southern end of this great seismic gap. The M _w 8.2 deep-focus Bolivian earthquake of 1994 occurred directly downdip of the 1868 portion of that gap. The recent occurrence of three significant earthquakes on the periphery of the great seismic gap of the 1868 and 1877 events, among other factors, may signal an increased seismic potential for that zone.     

Source mechanism of strong aftershocks (<Emphasis Type="Italic">M</Emphasis><Subscript>s</Subscript>⩾5.6) of the 2008/05/12 Wenchuan earthquake and the implication for seismotectonics

Dozens of >M5, hundreds of >M4, and much more >M3 aftershocks occurred after the 2008/05/12 Wenchuan earthquake, which were well recorded by permanent and portable seismic stations. After relocated with P arrival, the >M3 aftershocks show two trends of distribution, with most of the aftershocks located along the north-east strike consistent with Longmenshan fault system, yet there is a north-west trend around the epicenter. It seems that substantially more aftershocks occur in regions with crystalline bedrocks. Then we collected waveform data from National Digital Seismograph Network and regional seismograph network of China, and employed “Cut and Paste” method to obtain focal mechanisms and depths of the big aftershocks (M⩾5.6). While most of those aftershocks show thrust mechanism, there are some strike slip earthquakes in the northern-most end of the rupture. Focal mechanisms show that the events located on the southern part of central Beichuan-Yingxiu Fault (BY) are mainly thrust earthquakes, which is consistent with initial mechanism of the main shock rupture. In the north part the aftershocks along the BY are also dominated by thrust slip, which is quite different from the right slip rupture of the main shock. Around Qingchuan-Pingwu Fault, the focal mechanisms are dominated by right-slip rupture with large depths (∼18 km). So we suspected that in the north part the main shock might rupture on two faults: Beichuan Fault and Qingchuan-Pingwu Fault. The complex pattern of aftershock mechanisms argues for presence of a complicated fault system in the Longmenshan area. Supported by Knowledge Innovation Project of Chinese Academy of Sciences (Grant Nos. KZCX3-SW-153, KZCX2-YW-116-1), National Natural Science Foundation of China (Grant No. 40604004), and National Basic Technology R & D Program (Grant No. 2006BAC01B02-01-02).     

Rupture process and aftershock focal mechanisms of the 2022 M6.8 Luding earthquake in Sichuan

According to the China Earthquake Networks Center, a strong earthquake of M6.8 occurred in Luding County, Ganzi Tibetan Autonomous Prefecture, Sichuan Province, China (102.08°E, 29.59°N), on September 5, 2022, with a focal depth of 16 km. Rapid determination of the source parameters of the earthquake sequence is vital for post-earthquake rescue, disaster assessment, and scientific research. Near-field seismic observations play a key role in the fast and reliable determination of earthquake source parameters. The numerous broadband seismic stations and strong-motion stations recently deployed by the National Earthquake Intensity Rapid Report and Early Warning project have provided valuable real-time near-field observation data. Using these near-field observations and conventional mid- and far-field seismic waveform records, we obtained the focal mechanism solutions of the mainshock and M ≥ 3.0 aftershocks through the waveform fitting method. We were further able to rapidly invert the rupture process of the mainshock. Based on the evaluation of the focal mechanism solution of the mainshock and the regional tectonic setting, we speculate that the Xianshuihe fault formed the seismogenic structure of the M6.8 strong earthquake. The aftershocks formed three spatially separated clusters with distinctly different focal mechanisms, reflecting the segmented nature of the Xianshuihe fault. As more high-frequency information has been applied in this study, the absolute location of the fault rupture is better constrained by the near-field strong-motion data. The rupture process of the mainshock correlates well with the spatial distribution of aftershocks, i.e., aftershock activities were relatively weak in the maximum slip area, and strong aftershock activities were distributed in the peripheral regions.     

Coseismic deformation of the 2021 MW7.4 Maduo earthquake from joint inversion of InSAR,GPS, and teleseismic data

The M_W7.4 Maduo earthquake occurred on 22 May 2021 at 02:04 CST with a large-expansion surface rupture. This earthquake was located in the Bayan Har block at the eastern Tibetan Plateau, where eight earthquakes of M_S >7.0 have occurred in the past 25 years. Here, we combined interferometric synthetic aperture radar, GPS, and teleseismic data to study the coseismic slip distribution, fault geometry, and dynamic source rupture process of the Maduo earthquake. We found that the overall coseismic deformation field of the Maduo earthquake is distributed in the NWW-SEE direction along 285°. There was slight bending at the western end and two branches at the eastern end. The maximum slip is located near the eastern bending area on the northern branch of the fault system. The rupture nucleated on the Jiangcuo fault and propagated approximately 160 km along-strike in both the NWW and SEE directions. The characteristic source rupture process of the Maduo earthquake is similar to that of the 2010 M_W6.8 Yushu earthquake, indicating that similar earthquakes with large-expansion surface ruptures and small shallow slip deficits can occur on both the internal fault and boundary fault of the Bayan Har block.     

2022年门源MS6.9和2016年门源MS6.4地震序列比较分析

2022年1月8日青海省海北州门源县发生M_S6.9地震,震中距离2016年1月21日门源M_S6.4地震震中约33km,两次门源地震均发生在冷龙岭断裂附近,但在震源机制、主发震断层破裂过程及地震序列余震活动等方面显著不同。针对两次门源地震序列的比较分析,对研究冷龙岭断裂及其附近区域强震序列和余震衰减特征等具有重要研究意义。通过对比分析2022年门源M_S6.9地震和2016年门源M_S6.4地震余震的时空演化特征,发现二者在震源过程和断层破裂尺度上存在明显差异,前者发震断层破裂充分,震后能量释放充分,余震丰富且震级偏高;而后者发震断层未破裂至地表,余震震级水平偏低。综合分析两次门源地震序列表现出来的差异性,认为其可能与地震发震断层的破裂过程密切相关,且同时受到区域构造环境的影响。     

2021年美国阿拉斯加半岛MW8.2地震震源特征分析

采用远场地震波资料和有限断层反演方法获得2021年7月29日6时15分(UTC)美国阿拉斯加州以南海域MW8.2地震的震源破裂过程模型,探讨此次地震发生的动力学背景。破裂过程反演的结果显示这次地震的滑动量分布比较集中,破裂长度约为160km,地震主体破裂发生在20～40km深度范围内,破裂由深部向浅部发展,表明此次地震释放了俯冲带浅部的应变能,破裂持续时间近120s,破裂面上最大滑移量达5m。此外,主震破裂区域中的余震分布较小,大部分余震发生在主震南部,出现这种现象表明震源区的破裂较为彻底并触发了俯冲带浅部位置的地震,本次地震的有限断层反演结果和余震分布均显示破裂向东发展,但未破裂至震中以西的舒马金空区,表明舒马金空区东部的地震危险性仍然存在。     

Relocation of the MS5.7 Earthquake Sequence in Songyuan, Jilin Province, 2018 and the Analysis of Its Seismogenic Structure

The 2018,Songyuan,Jilin M_S5. 7 earthquake occurred at the intersection of the FuyuZhaodong fault and the Second Songhua River fault. The moment magnitude of this earthquake is M_W5. 3,the centroid depth by the waveform fitting is 12 km,and it is a strike-slip type event. In this paper,with the seismic phase data provided by the China Earthquake Network, the double-difference location method is used to relocate the earthquake sequence,finally the relocation results of 60 earthquakes are obtained. The results show that the aftershock zone is about 4. 3km long and 3. 1km wide,which is distributed in the NE direction. The depth distribution of the seismic sequence is 9km-10 km. 1-2 days after the main shock,the aftershocks were scattered throughout the aftershock zone,and the largest aftershock occurred in the northeastern part of the aftershock zone. After 3-8 days,the aftershocks mainly occurred in the southwestern part of the aftershock zone. The profile distribution of the earthquake sequence shows that the fault plane dips to the southeast with the dip angle of about 75°. Combined with the regional tectonic setting,focal mechanism solution and intensity distribution,we conclude that the concealed fault of the Fuyu-Zhaodong fault is the seismogenic fault of the Songyuan M_S5. 7 earthquake. This paper also relocates the earthquake sequence of the previous magnitude 5. 0 earthquake in 2017. Combined with the results of the focal mechanism solution,we believe that the two earthquakes have the same seismogenic structure,and the earthquake sequence generally develops to the southwest. The historical seismic activity since 2009 shows that after the magnitude 5. 0 earthquake in 2017,the frequency and intensity of earthquakes in the earthquake zone are obviously enhanced,and attention should be paid to the development of seismic activity in the southwest direction of the earthquake zone.     

New Data on Aftershocks of the December 7, 1988, Spitak Earthquake

The paper addresses the collection and analysis of new data on aftershocks that occurred within 20 days of the main shock of the December 7, 1988, Spitak earthquake, Mw = 6.8. The data were used to improve the location of aftershock hypocenters and magnitudes. Available data concerning this 20-day period were the least reliable in terms of completeness, representativeness, and the accuracy of hypocenter location and, in particular, estimation of energy classes and magnitudes. New data were retrieved from the records and bulletins of the seismic stations of the regional and global networks. Hypocenter parameters were determined by means of the minimization of wave travel-time residuals and subsequent double-difference hypocenter relocation. Digital records of the Obninsk and Arti seismic stations (Δ = 15°–18°) and five more distant stations (Δ = 34°–53°) were used to more accurately estimate the surface-wave magnitude of the main shock and strongest aftershock. The aftershock catalog of the Spitak earthquake was substantially revised. First, the previous hypocenter locations (Aref’ev et al., 1991) were improved using the double-difference method; second, new data were retrieved from the bulletins of Caucasian seismic stations. The minimum magnitude of completeness (M _c = 1.9) of the new catalog for the first 20 days after the main shock (when there were no epicentral observations) is the same as that for the period from December 7, 1988, to December 31, 1989. The new catalog contains information on 2090 aftershocks with magnitude M = 1.9 and more for the period from December 7, 1988, to December 31, 1989. The double-difference method allowed the location of the epicenters of clustered earthquakes to be reliably estimated with a longitude error of no more than 4.6 km, a latitude error of 4 km, and a depth error of 5 km. The new spatial distribution of the aftershock hypocenters is better correlated with the tectonic setting than the old data. The new catalog can be used to assess seismic hazard after strong earthquakes in the region.     

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.