Can unbiased source be retrieved from anisotropic waveforms by using an isotropic model of the medium?

Anisotropy is frequently present in geological structures, but usually neglected when source parameters are determined through waveform inversion. Due to the coupling of propagation and source effects in the seismic waveforms, such neglect of anisotropy will lead to an error in the retrieved source. The distortion of the mechanism of a double-couple point source located in an anisotropic medium is investigated when inverting waveforms using isotropic Green's functions. The anisotropic medium is considered to be transversely isotropic with six levels of anisotropy ranging from a fairly weak to rather strong anisotropy, up to about 24% in P waves and 11% in S waves. Inversions are based on either only direct P waves or both direct P and S waves. Two different algorithms are employed: the direct parametrization (DIRPAR, a nonlinear algorithm) and the indirect parametrization (INPAR, a hybrid scheme including linear and nonlinear steps) of the source. The orientation of the double-couple mechanism appears to be robustly retrieved. The inclination of the resulting nodal planes is very small, within 10° and 20° from the original solution, even for the highest degree of anisotropy. However, the neglect of anisotropy results in the presence of spurious isotropic and compensated linear-vector dipole (CLVD) components in the moment tensor (MT). This questions the reliability of non-double-couple components reported for numerous earthquakes.     

Combination of double couple and non-double couple events during the Van,Turkey, 2011 earthquake sequence

A combination of double couple (DC) and non-double couple (non-DC) earthquakes hit Eastern Turkey, in the vicinity of Lake Van, in October–November 2011. Teleseismic waveform inversion was used to find the best fitting double couple and deviatoric moment tensors on four large and medium sized events of this sequence. The aftershocks of the Mw = 7.1, 2011/10/23:10:41 earthquake built a NE–SW aftershock zone where the Mw = 5.7, 2011/10/25 aftershock was located. The Mw = 6.0, 2011/10/23:20:45 event was located around the terminal section of the Mw = 7.1 aftershock zone which might be triggered by this event (aftershocks of this event propagated from W to E to build a W–E aftershock zone where the Mw = 5.7, 2011/11/09 event was located). For these events the calculated best fitting grid search parameters are not very different from GCMT results, but DC components, after deviatoric moment tensor inversion, represent much more difference with GCMT and grid search. The important feature of deviatoric moment tensor inversion is the existence of a notable compensated linear vector dipole (CLVD) component on the Mw = 5.7, 2011/10/25:14:55 and Mw = 5.7, 2011/11/09:19:23 aftershocks. According to the regional seismotectonics, these CLVD components could be related to crustal rheology and volcanic activities. Based on the results, the existence of a cylindrical aftershock distribution could be taken as an indication of induced seismic activity on complex-ring structures resulted from magma or water–magma injection. However, the existence of Karst like structures suggests that the CLVD components may be under the influence of high-pressure water or gas injection rather than magma.     

Non-double-couple mechanisms of microearthquakes induced during the 2000 injection experiment at the KTB site, Germany: A result of tensile faulting or anisotropy of a rock?

Moment tensors of microearthquakes induced during the 2000 injection experiment at the KTB deep drilling borehole at a depth level of 5.4 km are studied. A family of 37 most reliable moment tensors contains significant non-double-couple (non-DC) components. The DC is on average 60% and the non-DC is 40%. Fault plane solutions computed from the DC part show preferred strike-slip mechanisms with small normal or reverse components. A predominant azimuth of P and T axes is in the range of N320°–340°E and of N230°–250°E, respectively. The non-DC components contain both the isotropic (ISO) and compensated linear vector dipole (CLVD) components. The mean value of ISO is 1.5%, the mean value of CLVD is − 5.7%. The predominantly negative CLVD components are inconsistent with the concept of the non-DC mechanisms as a result of tensile faulting due to fluid injection into the rock. The main origin of the non-DC components is probably anisotropy in the focal area. The other origins are errors produced by mismodelling of the medium when calculating the Green functions, and numerical errors produced by noise and limitations of input data. Adopting four alternative models of anisotropy obtained by other seismic measurements at the KTB, we have employed the non-DC components for estimating an optimum orientation of anisotropy in the focal area. The optimum orientation of the symmetry plane of anisotropy is nearly vertical with a strike of N335°–340°E. This strike coincides well with the strike of 330° typical for many major lithological units and faults and with the orientation of the transversely isotropic model inferred by other authors. After removing the anisotropy effects from the moment tensors by calculating the source tensors, the distribution of ISO is significantly narrowed. This indicates predominantly shear, but not tensile faulting.     

Effect of azimuthal coverage of an earthquake on moment tensor solutions estimated by waveform inversion

The purposes of this seismological investigation are to understand and describe the effect of decrease in the azimuthal coverage of an earthquake on moment tensor solution estimated by waveform inversion. It will be very useful and worthwhile as mostly seismological networks are sparse and in case when only one or two station data are available. In this work, we have used two moderate earthquakes, 21 September 2009 (near Uttarakashi) and 3 May 2010 (near Ghansali). The waveform inversion has been carried using ISOLA software. The moment tensor is first estimated by using all station data and then by removing the stations so that the azimuthal coverage changes. The results show that strike of both nodal planes is varying with the change in azimuthal coverage. However, the slip and dip of both nodal planes remain quite stable against the variation in azimuthal coverage for these two earthquakes analyzed. The effect of decrease in the azimuthal coverage showed increase in double-couple percentage (DC %) and decrease in compensated linear vector decomposition (CLVD %). The other focal parameters such as T-axis azimuth, P-axis azimuth, T-axis plunge, and P-axis plunge have been found stable against the variation in azimuth coverage. The study also demonstrates that the moment tensor solutions obtained from waveform inversion using single station are almost similar to those estimated using maximum azimuthal coverage data and by polarity inversion.     

The 1980, 1997 and 1998 Azores earthquakes and some seismo-tectonic implications

We have studied the focal mechanisms of the 1980, 1997 and 1998 earthquakes in the Azores region from body-wave inversion of digital GDSN (Global Digital Seismograph Network) and broadband data. For the 1980 and 1998 shocks, we have obtained strike–slip faulting, with the rupture process made up of two sub-events in both shocks, with total scalar seismic moments of 1.9 × 10¹⁹ Nm (M_w = 6.8) and 1.4 × 10¹⁸ Nm (M_w = 6.0), respectively. For the 1997 shock, we have obtained a normal faulting mechanism, with the rupture process made up of three sub-events, with a total scalar seismic moment of 7.7 × 10¹⁷ Nm (M_w = 5.9). A common characteristic of these three earthquakes was the shallow focal depth, less than 10 km, in agreement with the oceanic-type crust. From the directivity function of Rayleigh (LR) waves, we have identified the NW–SE plane as the rupture plane for the 1980 and 1998 earthquakes with the rupture propagating to the SE. Slow rupture velocity, about of 1.5 km/s, has been estimated from directivity function for the 1980 and 1998 earthquakes. From spectral analysis and body-wave inversion, fault dimensions, stress drop and average slip have been estimated. Focal mechanisms of the three earthquakes we have studied, together with focal mechanisms obtained by other authors, have been used in order to obtain a seismotectonic model for the Azores region. We have found different types of behaviour present along the region. It can be divided into two zones: Zone I, from 30°W to 27°W; Zone II, from 27°W to 23°W, with a change in the seismicity and stress direction from Zone I. In Zone I, the total seismic moment tensor obtained corresponded to left-lateral strike–slip faulting with horizontal pressure and tension axes in the E–W and N–S directions, respectively. In Zone II, the total seismic moment tensor corresponded to normal faulting, with a horizontal tension axis trending NE–SW, normal to the Terceira Ridge. The stress pattern for the whole region corresponds to horizontal extension with an average seismic slip rate of 4.4 mm/yr.     

The earthquake of March 4, 1977, its recording peculiarities and source parameters

A detailed analysis of recording peculiarities at seismic stations of the Uniform System of Seismic Observations (USSO) is presented a complicated nature of the source being shown. Consideration is given to parameters of the earthquake source, including the seismic moment and the length of the rupture.Comparison of magnitudes M_LH and M_PV indicates an anomalous attenuation in surface waves, itis is 3–4 times weaker than it had been noticed in case of other intermediate-depth Carpathian earthquakes.On the basis of comparison of the logarithm of the ratio of P-wave spectra at different epicentral distances (30° –70° ), the fac tor characterizing the absorption of P wave is found to remain practically unchanged.Average value of the seismic moment is estimated to be 2.6 × 10²⁷ dyne × cm, the most reasonable length of the rupture 58 km, and its focus 100 –130 km. The source parameters of the earthquake in question are compared with those of the earthquake of November 10, 1940.     

Regional moment tensor uncertainty due to mismodeling of the crust

The retrieval of earthquake moment tensor (MT) requires the response of the medium, in which seismic waves travel from the hypocenter to the stations, to be known. In inverting long-period (LP) seismic data (teleseismic and LP regional records), a gross earth model is sufficient; with decreasing periods, a more detailed model is needed. This is the case when waveforms of weak earthquakes at regional distances are to be inverted. Regional moment tensors (RMTs) of mostly Mediterranean earthquakes are determined on a routine basis by the Swiss Seismological Survey (SED) by using averaged models of the earth's crust. By inverting broad-band records of the M_w=4.8 earthquake near Udine, N Italy, on Feb. 14, 2002, we tested the sensitivity of the MT solution with respect to possible errors in the earth model used and in the location of the hypocenter depth. We perturbed the P and S velocities and the thickness in the 1-D earth model in the range from 3% to 30% of the parameter values and constructed estimates of confidence regions of the MT and error bars of the source time function (STF) and scalar moment in three frequency bands. Similarly, these error characteristics were determined assuming a mislocation in the hypocenter depth. We found that, in the band of periods from 25 to 50 s, the mechanism is resolved well (at the confidence level 95% at least) up to an earth model uncertainty of 30%, in the passband 10–25 s up to about 10%, but it is undetermined completely at periods of 5–10 s. An error in hypocenter depth of as much as double the value reported by the location procedure does not destroy the resolution of the mechanism at periods above 10 s. In the RMT catalog of the SED, earthquakes of M_w greater than about 3.5 are processed at periods above 30 s; thus, the solutions for these events are robust with respect to a possible uncertainty in the earth model used. Mechanisms of weaker earthquakes, retrieved from short periods, should be interpreted with caution.     

Correction to: Impact of climate change on landslides frequency: the Esino river basin case study (Central Italy)

We refine the 1-D velocity model of the Central India Tectonic Zone (CITZ) using well-selected arrival times of P- and S-phases of 354 local earthquakes of magnitude (M_w) between 2.0 and 5.8, recorded by national seismic network from May 1997 to March 2016. Further, we have determined the source mechanisms of 26 selected local events using moment tensor inversion to characterize the dynamics beneath the CITZ. The best-fit simulation between observed and synthetic waveforms obtained the nodal and auxiliary planes of the each faults associated with the earthquake moment magnitude (M_w) for each event. Depth of the fault plane along the CITZ varies from 5 to 38 km. From this study, we found that the western part along the CITZ shows minimum focal depth and reaches maximum 38 kms at Jabalpur in the eastern part. This complex nature of earthquake dynamics occurrence along the CITZ. We propose that the curviplanar the CITZ dominated with sinistral curvature is subjected to compression along the longer ~E–W segments and transtension along shorter segments with ~NE–SW orientations. The occurrences of normal faulting, intrusion of mafic plutons and CLVD mechanisms for earthquakes are interpreted to be linked to the transtension zones and reverse mechanisms associated with the compressions along ~E–W segments.     

Seismic hazard map of Coimbatore using subsurface fault rupture

This study presents the future seismic hazard map of Coimbatore city, India, by considering rupture phenomenon. Seismotectonic map for Coimbatore has been generated using past earthquakes and seismic sources within 300 km radius around the city. The region experienced a largest earthquake of moment magnitude 6.3 in 1900. Available earthquakes are divided into two categories: one includes events having moment magnitude of 5.0 and above, i.e., damaging earthquakes in the region and the other includes the remaining, i.e., minor earthquakes. Subsurface rupture character of the region has been established by considering the damaging earthquakes and total length of seismic source. Magnitudes of each source are estimated by assuming the subsurface rupture length in terms of percentage of total length of sources and matched with reported earthquake. Estimated magnitudes match well with the reported earthquakes for a RLD of 5.2% of the total length of source. Zone of influence circles is also marked in the seismotectonic map by considering subsurface rupture length of fault associated with these earthquakes. As earthquakes relive strain energy that builds up on faults, it is assumed that all the earthquakes close to damaging earthquake have released the entire strain energy and it would take some time for the rebuilding of strain energy to cause a similar earthquake in the same location/fault. Area free from influence circles has potential for future earthquake, if there is seismogenic source and minor earthquake in the last 20 years. Based on this rupture phenomenon, eight probable locations have been identified and these locations might have the potential for the future earthquakes. Characteristic earthquake moment magnitude (M _w ) of 6.4 is estimated for the seismic study area considering seismic sources close to probable zones and 15% increased regional rupture character. The city is divided into several grid points at spacing of 0.01° and the peak ground acceleration (PGA) due to each probable earthquake is calculated at every grid point in city by using the regional attenuation model. The maximum of all these eight PGAs is taken for each grid point and the final PGA map is arrived. This map is compared to the PGA map developed based on the conventional deterministic seismic hazard analysis (DSHA) approach. The probable future rupture earthquakes gave less PGA than that of DSHA approach. The occurrence of any earthquake may be expected in near future in these eight zones, as these eight places have been experiencing minor earthquakes and are located in well-defined seismogenic sources.     

Source parameters of the ML 4.1 earthquake of November 08, 2006, southeast Beni-Suef, northern Egypt

In the early morning hours on Wednesday November 08, 2006 at 04:32:10(GMT) a small earthquake of M_L 4.1 has occurred at southeast Beni-Suef, approximately 160 km SEE of Cairo, northern Egypt. The quake has been felt as far as Cairo and its surroundings while no casualties were reported. The instrumental epicentre is located at 28.57°N and 31.55°E. Seismic moment is 1.76 E14 Nm, corresponding to a moment magnitude M_w 3.5. Following a Brune model, the source radius is 0.3 km with an average dislocation of 1.8 cm and a 2.4 MPa stress drop. The source mechanism from a first motion fault plane solution shows a left-lateral strike-slip mechanism with a minor dip-slip component along fault NNW striking at 161°, dipping 52° to the west and rake −5°. Trend and plunging of the maximum and minimum principle axes P/T are 125°, 28°, 21°, and 23°, respectively. A comparison with the mechanism of the October, 1999 event shows similarities in faulting type and orientation of nodal planes.Eight small earthquakes (3.0  M_L < 5.0) were also recorded by the Egyptian National Seismological Network (ENSN) from the same region. We estimate the source parameters and fault mechanism solutions (FMS) for these earthquakes using displacement spectra and P-wave polarities, respectively. The obtained source parameters including seismic moments of 4.9 × 10¹²–5.04 × 10¹⁵ Nm, stress drops of 0.2–4.9 MPa and relative displacement of 0.1–9.1 cm. The azimuths of T-axes determined from FMS are oriented in NNE–SSW direction. This direction is consistent with the present-day stress field in Egypt and the last phase of stress field changes in the Late Pleistocene, as well as with recent GPS measurements.     

The Gibraltar Arc seismogenic zone (part 2): Constraints on a shallow east dipping fault plane source for the 1755 Lisbon earthquake provided by tsunami modeling and seismic intensity

The Great Lisbon earthquake has the largest documented felt area of any shallow earthquake and an estimated magnitude of 8.5–9.0. The associated tsunami ravaged the coast of SW Portugal and the Gulf of Cadiz, with run-up heights reported to have reached 5–15 m. While several source regions offshore SW Portugal have been proposed (e.g.— Gorringe Bank, Marquis de Pombal fault), no single source appears to be able to account for the great seismic moment as well as all the historical tsunami amplitude and travel time observations. A shallow east dipping fault plane beneath the Gulf of Cadiz associated with active subduction beneath Gibraltar, represents a candidate source for the Lisbon earthquake of 1755.Here we consider the fault parameters implied by this hypothesis, with respect to total slip, seismic moment, and recurrence interval to test the viability of this source. The geometry of the seismogenic zone is obtained from deep crustal studies and can be represented by an east dipping fault plane with mean dimensions of 180 km (N–S) × 210 km (E–W). For 10 m of co-seismic slip an Mw 8.64 event results and for 20 m of slip an Mw 8.8 earthquake is generated. Thus, for convergence rates of about 1 cm/yr, an event of this magnitude could occur every 1000–2000 years. Available kinematic and sedimentological data are in general agreement with such a recurrence interval. Tsunami wave form modeling indicates a subduction source in the Gulf of Cadiz can partly satisfy the historical observations with respect to wave amplitudes and arrival times, though discrepancies remain for some stations. A macroseismic analysis is performed using site effect functions calculated from isoseismals observed during instrumentally recorded strong earthquakes in the region (M7.9 1969 and M6.8 1964). The resulting synthetic isoseismals for the 1755 event suggest a subduction source, possibly in combination with an additional source at the NW corner of the Gulf of Cadiz can satisfactorily explain the historically observed seismic intensities. Further studies are needed to sample the turbidites in the adjacent abyssal plains to better document the source region and more precisely calibrate the chronology of great earthquakes in this region.     

The earthquakes and related tsunamis of October 6, 1944 and March 7, 1867; NE Aegean Sea

During two distinct earthquakes occurred on March 7, 1867 and October 6, 1944, tsunami waves were also observed at some localities around the Gulf of Edremit, NE Aegean Sea. The first event (M _w = 6.8) mostly affected the city of Mitilini of Lesvos Island while the Gulf of Edremit-Ayvacık earthquake (M _S = 6.8) largely affected the northern and eastern coastal areas of the Gulf of Edremit. In 1944 earthquake, numerous surface cracks and water gushes were reported. The coastal neighborhoods of the town of Ayvalık in the east were flooded by tsunami waves. At the WSW extend of the main fault observed on land, which is parallel to the present-day slip vectors, some normal-oblique faults were observed close and subparallel to the northern coast. On the basis of historical documents, reports, interviews, geological setting, field observations and marine seismic reflection data, the 1944 earthquake was not triggered by one of the main fault segments but by a secondary fault or fault group which was described in this study. Depending on the distribution of tensional and compressional forces in the region, which rotates clockwise under the control of the middle strand of the North Anatolian fault, secondary fault groups become important. The moment tensor parameters of such small-size events have been determined and have obtained consistent results with the faults proposed in this study.     

Earthquake source time-function from coherent and incoherent rupture

Theoretical study has been made investigating the seismic source spectrum generated from a coherent and incoherent rupture. An earthquake is modeled by a finite propagating rupture on a fault plane where fault heterogeneities, fault patches, are randomly distributed. The dislocation velocity of such a fracture is assumed to be approximated by a stochastic process of random impacts of particles obeying Brownian motion. The parameters of the present stochastic source are seismic moment, fault dimension, fault patch intensity, and patch fracture time. The model predicts two corner frequencies; one originates from the fault finiteness and the other from the fracturing of fault patches. The seismic source spectrum from the model consequently shows distinct frequency dependence of ω⁰ − ω⁻² − ω^−γ − ω⁻² with increasing angular frequency ω, where γ is about 1.0. The seismic moment is controlled by an average dislocation on the fault and by the fault dimension. The short-period spectrum, which is much more abundant than that of the ordinary deterministic models, is controlled by the product of the fault patch intensity and the square root of their total number. The ω⁻² high frequency asymptote of the theoretical spectrum is in conformity with the white acceleration spectrum usually found in the literature, and it guarantees the finite total energy of the rupture process.     

Stress fields and fault reactivation angles of the 2000 western Tottori aftershocks and the 2001 northern Hyogo swarm in southwest Japan

We estimated the stress fields of the aftershocks of the 2000 western Tottori earthquake (M_w 6.6) and the northern Hyogo swarm (max M_w 5.2) by a stress tensor inversion of moment tensor solutions reported from the National Research Institute for Earth Science and Disaster Prevention (Japan). The maximum principal stress direction of the western Tottori sequence was estimated as N107°E with a strike–slip regime. In the northern Hyogo swarm, the orientations of the principal stress directions could not be well constrained by the observed data, but after examining the detailed characteristics of the solution, we obtained a most probable solution of N113°E for the σ₁ direction. These solutions are consistent with the maximum horizontal directions roughly estimated from the strike directions of large earthquakes occurring geographically between these two seismic activities. We measured the angle between each fault–slip direction and maximum principal stress direction to investigate the frictional properties of earthquakes. The distribution of the angles was forward modeled to estimate the coefficient of friction and the stress ratio, assuming uniformly distributed fault orientations. For the western Tottori sequence, a homogeneous stress field with a coefficient of friction less than 0.4 was estimated. A high stress level was also suggested because very little change occurred in the stress field during the mainshock. For the northern Hyogo sequence, the coefficient of friction was estimated to be between 0.5 and 1.0.     

First seismic record for intra-arc strike-slip tectonics along the Liquiñe-Ofqui fault zone at the obliquely convergent plate margin of the southern Andes

A temporal seismic network recorded local seismicity along a 130 km long segment of the transpressional dextral strike-slip Liquiñe-Ofqui fault zone (LOFZ) in southern Chile. Seventy five shallow crustal events with magnitudes up to M_w 3.8 and depths shallower than 25 km were observed in an 11-month period mainly occurring in different clusters. Those clusters are spatially related to the LOFZ, to the volcanoes Chaitén, Michinmahuida and Corcovado, and to active faulting on secondary faults. Further activity along the LOFZ is indicated by individual events located in direct vicinity of the surface expression of the LOFZ. Focal mechanisms were calculated using deviatoric moment tensor inversion of body wave amplitude spectra which mostly yield strike-slip mechanisms indicating a NE–SW direction of the P-axis for the LOFZ at this latitude. The seismic activity reveals the present-day activity of the fault zone. The recent M_w 6.2 event near Puerto Aysén, Southern Chile at 45.4°S on April 21, 2007 shows that the LOFZ is also capable of producing large magnitude earthquakes and therefore imposing significant seismic hazard to this region.     

Static and dynamic fault parameters of the Saitama earthquake of July 1, 1968

The source mechanism of the Saitama earthquake (36.07°N,139.40°E, M_s = 5.4) of July 1, 1968, is studied on the basis of P-wave first motion, aftershock, long-period surface-wave data and low-magnification long-period seismograms recorded in the nearfield. A precise location of the aftershocks is made using P and S—P time data obtained by a micro-earthquake observatory network. The synthetic near-field seismograms based on the Haskell model are directly compared with the observed near-field seismograms for wave form and amplitude to determine the dynamic fault parameters. The results obtained are as follows: source geometry, reverse dip slip with considerable right-lateral strike-slip component; dip direction, N6°E; dip angle 30°; fault dimension, 10 × 6 km²; rupture velocity, 3.4 km/sec in the direction S30°E; average dislocation, 92 cm; average dislocation velocity, 92 cm/sec; seismic moment, 1.9 · 10²⁵ dyn-cm; stress drop, 100 bar. The effective stress is about the same as the stress drop. For major earthquakes in the Japanese Islands, the dislocation velocity, .D, is found to be proportional to the stress drop, σ. This relation can be expressed by .D - (β/μ)σ, where β is the shear velocity and μ is the rigidity. This result has an importance in engineering seismology because the stress drop scales the seismic motion in the vicinity of an earthquake fault.     

Source parameters of March 10 and September 13, 2007, United Arab Emirates earthquakes

On March 10 and September 13, 2007 two earthquakes with moment magnitudes 3.66 and 3.94, respectively, occurred in the eastern part of the United Arab Emirates (UAE). The two events were widely felt in the northern Emirates and Oman and were accompanied by a few aftershocks. Ground motions from these events were well recorded by the broadband stations of Dubai (UAE) and Oman seismological networks and provide an excellent opportunity to study the tectonic process and present day stress field acting in this area. In this study, we report the focal mechanisms of the two main shocks by two methods: first motion polarities and regional waveform moment tensor inversion. Our results indicate nearly pure normal faulting mechanisms with a slight strike slip component. We associated the fault plane trending NNE–SSW with a suggested fault along the extension of the faults bounded Bani Hamid area. The seismicity distribution between two earthquake sequences reveals a noticeable gap that may be a site of a future event. The source parameters (seismic moment, moment magnitude, fault radius, stress drop and displacement across the fault) were also estimated from displacement spectra. The moment magnitudes were very consistent with waveform inversion. The recent deployment of seismic networks in Dubai and Oman reveals tectonic activity in the northern Oman Mountains that was previously unknown. Continued observation and analysis will allow for characterization of seismicity and assessment of seismic hazard in the region.     

Reservoir Triggered Seismicity (RTS) and well water level response in the Koyna–Warna region, India

Water level fluctuations in twenty-one observation wells have been monitored for the last 10 years around the seismically active Koyna–Warna region, western India where earthquakes continue to occur even after four decades of the initiation of the seismic activity in the region. Fourteen of the observation wells act as volume strain meters as their water levels show earth tidal signals. Our analysis suggests three types of response of the well water levels to seismo-tectonic effects, i) one to local earthquakes, ii) to regional and teleseismic events, and iii) to local fluctuations in rock strain on regional scale. We observed five cases of co-seismic step-like well water level changes, of the order of few centimeters in amplitude, related to earthquakes in the magnitude range 4.3 ≤ M ≤ 5.2. All these earthquakes occurred within the network of wells drilled for the study and within 25 km distance of the recording wells. In three cases, drop in well levels preceded co-seismic step-like increases, which may be of premonitory nature. The second type of response is observed to be due to the passing of seismic waves from regional and teleseismic earthquakes like the M 7.7 Bhuj event on January 26, 2001 and the M 9.3 December 26, 2004 Sumatra earthquake. The third type is a well level anomaly of centimeter amplitude coherently occurring in several wells. The anomalies are similar in shape and last for several hours to days.From our studies we conclude that the wells in the network appear to respond to regional strain variations and transient changes due to distant earthquakes. The two factors which are important to co-seismic steps due to local earthquakes are the magnitude and epicentral distance. From the limited number of events we found that all local earthquakes exceeding M ≥ 4.3 have produced co-seismic changes. No such changes were observed for earthquakes below this magnitude threshold.     

Focal mechanism solutions and dynamic parameters of earthquakes in the eastern Himalayas and northern Burma

Focal-mechanism solutions of four earthquakes in the eastern Himalayas and northern Burma are determined using the first motion of compressional waves. Two possible solutions thus obtained for each event reveal steeply dipping fault with predominantly strike-slip motion. The stress directions inferred from the focal mechanism solutions are interpreted in the light of predictions of the plate tectonics theory, viz., the underthrusting of the Indian plate in the Burma region in an easterly direction.Dynamic parameters (seismic moment, apparent stress and average dislocations) are obtained using the corrected spectra of Love waves. The earthquakes are found to possess low seismic moment and apparent stress values. A comparison of these estimates with values for intraplate earthquakes is given. It is suggested that these earthquake might be a consequence of a nonhomogeneous rupture process.