Crustal phases in earthquake location

For crustal earthquakes of moderate or large size, the first reported phases at distant stations are usually the first predicted by the crustal model used. For smaller events, however, or for stations at larger distances, the first phase detected is often a later crustal phase of larger amplitude. This may be eitherPg which travels entirely in the upper crustal layer with a velocity of about 5.6 km/s, orP ^* with a path mainly in the lower crustal layer at a velocity of about 6.7 km/s. Many earthquake location programs do not take account of these phases, and treat their arrivals as if they were the earlier phasePn. At the International Seismological Centre we re-identify up to 200 crustal phases each month. This often results in significant improvement in position, the direct determination of depth or even the obtaining of a formal solution where none was possible before. We find that these re-identifications are needed in most continental areas of the world, and that the original crustal model of Jeffreys and Bullen still remains a useful standard.On leave from the Seismological Laboratory, Institute for Earth Physics, P. O. Box MG-2, 76900 Bucharest-Magurele, Romania     

地震自动速报综合触发系统产出结果评估

收集2015年1月—2020年8月地震自动速报综合触发系统的全部产出结果,选取国内天然地震事件结果共计1863条,与正式速报目录结果进行对比研究。研究结果显示,自动速报系统所产出的地震参数较正式速报目录发震时刻平均偏差约2s,震中位置平均偏差约8km,震源深度平均偏差约9km,震级绝对平均偏差约0.25,偏差均值为自动速报结果较正式速报结果偏大约0.1。到达产出震级标准的漏报地震事件176个,其主要原因为区域台站稀疏、台站分布不均匀、大震或前震尾波干扰等,未发生误报事件。发震时刻、震中位置和震源深度偏差较大事件的分布与漏报事件类似,多发生于台站密度较低、台站分布不均匀和速度模型与实际差异较大的地区。震级偏差主要与地震事件震级大小和震中所在位置有关,对于3.0≤M<5.0的地震事件,产出震级最为稳定,而对于M≥6.0的地震,震级结果可靠性较低;此外,震级偏差的大小与区域分布并无明显关系,但偏差方向具有区域特征。通过对自动速报系统运行情况的统计分析,提出了关于自动速报系统改进与完善的建议,有助于提高自动速报系统的应用效果。     

Updating default depths in the ISC bulletin

The International Seismological Centre (ISC) publishes the definitive global bulletin of earthquake locations. In the ISC bulletin, we aim to obtain a free depth, but often this is not possible. Subsequently, the first option is to obtain a depth derived from depth phases. If depth phases are not available, we then use the reported depth from a reputable local agency. Finally, as a last resort, we set a default depth.In the past, common depths of 10, 33, or multiples of 50 km have been assigned. Assigning a more meaningful default depth, specific to a seismic region will increase the consistency of earthquake locations within the ISC bulletin and allow the ISC to publish better positions and magnitude estimates. It will also improve the association of reported secondary arrivals to corresponding seismic events.We aim to produce a global set of default depths, based on a typical depth for each area, from well-constrained events in the ISC bulletin or where depth could be constrained using a consistent set of depth phase arrivals provided by a number of different reporters.In certain areas, we must resort to using other assumptions. For these cases, we use a global crustal model (Crust2.0) to set default depths to half the thickness of the crust.     

Macroseismic evaluation of the impact of the Olyutorskii earthquake and its larger aftershocks

This paper presents the results from a macroseismic survey of the impact and consequences of the M _W = 7.6 April 20(21), 2006 Olyutorskii earthquake in the area of the Koryak Autonomous Okrug and the adjacent areas in Kamchatka and Magadan regions. The earthquake was felt over an area of about 400000 sq. km with intensities of II to IX–X on the MSK-64 scale. Information was gathered from 37 population centers situated in this area and was used to present a summary of felt effects, to construct an isoseismals map, and to determine the macroseismic magnitude.     

The 3 December 1828 moderate earthquake at the border between Belgium and Germany

On 3 December 1828 at half past six in the evening, the border region between Belgium and Germany was stricken by a moderate earthquake. Up to now, the available information on this event has been essentially provided by a few contemporaneous scientific studies. To better evaluate its impact, location and magnitude, we have searched for new original historical reports. We collected 57 additional witness testimonies, which complete those previously collected about the earthquake effects. Among the testimonies, we also retrieved a questionnaire sent by the Prussian government to local authorities with the purpose of quickly obtaining information on the earthquake effects in the western part of the kingdom of Prussia. This inquiry is the oldest of its kind that has been discovered to date in this part of Europe, suggesting a rare concern by a national authority about the seismic hazard, and prefiguring the seismic inquiries that scientific institutions use today. The analysis of these new data made it possible to evaluate the intensity in 50 cities out of the 75 where the earthquake was observed. From these intensity data, we determine that the epicentre was in the Hautes-Fagnes region [lat. 50.38°N/long. 6.19°E?±?30 km] where moderate damage, corresponding to EMS-98 intensity VI–VII, was observed. At large distances, the earthquake was felt as far as Düsseldorf to the north, Brussels to the west, Metz to the south and Wiesbaden to the east. These distances correspond to a perceptibility radius of about 150 km. The magnitude of this earthquake is evaluated to be M_L?=?4.7 (?0.2/+0.5) and M_W?=?4.2 (+0.4/?0.2).     

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.     

Earthquakes in continental Antarctica

No earthquake had been definitely located in the interior of the Antarctic continent before that in Dronning Maud Land, which occurred on 1982 November 4, and was found by the “search” procedure of the International Seismological Centre. A further earthquake of similar magnitude (Mb 4.4) has now been located about 200 km inland from the coast of Wilkes Land, near 69°S, 123°E. The second event occurred on 1983 September 20, and was also found by the ISC search procedure, from readings at four Antarctic seismograph stations, and six farther afield. Reflected phases suggest that the focus of this earthquake is in the upper few kilometres of rock beneath the ice cap. Two later earthquakes occurred on 1984 May 19 about 400 km west of the event of 1983 September 20. They had magnitudes (Mb) of 5.0 and 4.6, and were large enough to be located by the US National Earthquake Information Service.     

Ometepec-Pinotepa Nacional,Mexico Earthquake of 20 March 2012 (Mw 7.5): A preliminary report

An analysis of local and regional data produced by the shallow, thrust Ometepec-Pinotepa Nacional earthquake (M_w 7.5) of 20 March 2012 shows that it nucleated at 16.254°N 98.531°W, about 5 km offshore at a depth of about 20 km. During the first 4 seconds the slip was relatively small. It was followed by rupture of two patches with large slip, one updip of the hypocenter to the SE and the other downdip to the north. Total rupture area, estimated from inversion of near-source strong-motion recordings, is ~25 km × 60 km. The earthquake was followed by an exceptionally large number of aftershocks. The aftershock area overlaps with that of the 1982 doublet (M_w 7.0, 6.9). However, the seismic moment of the 2012 earthquake is ~3 times the sum of the moments of the doublet, indicating that the gross rupture characteristics of the two earthquake episodes differ. The small-slip area near the hypocenter and large-slip areas of the two patches are characterized by relatively small aftershock activity. A striking, intense, linear NE alignment of the aftershocks is clearly seen. The radiated energy to seismic moment ratios, (E_s/M₀), of five earthquakes in the region reveal that they are an order of magnitude smaller for near-trench earthquakes than those that occur further downdip (e.g., 2012 and the 1995 Copala earthquakes). The near-trench earthquakes are known to produce low A_max. The available information suggests that the plate interface in the region can be divided in three domains. (1) From the trench to a distance of about 35 km downdip. In this domain M~6 to 7 earthquakes with low values of (E_s/M₀) occur. These events generate large number of aftershocks. It is not known whether the remaining area on this part of the interface slips aseismically (stable sliding) or is partially locked. (2) From 35 to 100 km from the trench. This domain is seismically coupled where stick-slip sliding occurs, generating large earthquakes. Part of the area is probably conditionally stable. (3) From 100 to 200 km from the trench. In this domain slow slip events (SSE) and nonvolcanic tremors (NVT) have been reported.The earthquake caused severe damage in and near the towns of Ometepec and Pinotepa Nacional. The PGA exceeded 1 g at a soft site in the epicentral region. Observed PGAs on hard sites as a function of distance are in reasonable agreement with the expected ones from ground motion prediction equations derived using data from Mexican interplate earthquakes. The earthquake was strongly felt in Mexico City. PGA at CU, a hard site in the city, was 12 gal. Strong-motion recordings in the city since 1985 demonstrate that PGAs during the 2012 earthquake were not exceptional, and that similar motion occurs about once in three years.     

Podhale,Poland, earthquake of November 30, 2004

Earthquake of November 30, 2004, in Podhale region, southern Poland, was of unexpectedly big size in this area of weak seismicity. As Poland is considered a country of low seismicity, the earthquake has caused concern about seismic hazard in Poland, especially since it took place shortly after the even more unexpected Kaliningrad Region, Russia, earthquakes of September 21, 2004, that inflicted minor damage in northern Poland. The paper presents the findings on the Podhale earthquake which reached macroseismic intensity up to 7 and magnitude 4.7 (m _b ; ISC). The event was felt up to a distance of about 100 km and inflicted slight damage to buildings in its narrow epicentral area, thus evidencing its relatively shallow depth. The quake has been located near the village of Skrzypne, about 15 km west-southwest of the district capital Nowy Targ. The source mechanism has been found to be of dip slip normal fault type, although a problem remains of association of this mechanism with known tectonic dislocations in the region. The earthquake has been followed by a long series of aftershocks. Their distribution in time is also studied and the biggest aftershocks have been located.     

Doppler effect of the rupture process of the great MW7.9 Wenchuan earthquake

In this study we performed a classical spectrum analysis of seismic waveforms recorded at far field stations of the great M_W7.9 Wenchuan earthquake to observe the shifts of the corner frequency with azimuth due to the Doppler effect. Our results show that this damaging great earthquake had a dominating rupture propagation direction of 64.0°. The equivalent radius of the fault rupture surface was estimated to be 33 km, yielding the rupture area of about 3 500 km². Thus the length of the rupture fault surface is about 230 km if the depth (or width) extent is 15 km. The computer program developed in this study can quickly provide the information about the source of a future large (damaging) earthquake, which could be very useful for predicting aftershocks and planning the rescue operations.

     

Spatial distribution analysis of landslides triggered by the 2013-04-20 Lushan earthquake,China

The 2013-04-20 Lushan earthquake(seismic magnitude Ms 7.0 according to the State Seismological Bureau)induced a large number of landslides.In this study,spatial characteristics of landslides are developed by interpreting digital aerial photography data.Seven towns near the epicenter,with an area of about 11.11 km2,were severely affected by the earthquake,and 703 landslides were identified from April 24,2013 aerial photography data over an area of 1.185 km2.About 55.56% of the landslide area was less than 1000 m2,whereas about 3.23 % was more than 10,000 m2.Rock falls and shallow landslides were the most commonly observed types in the study area,and were primarily located in the center of Lushan County.Most landslide areas were widely distributed near river channels and along roads.Five main factors were chosen to study the distribution characteristics of landslides:elevation,slope gradients,fault,geologic unit and river system.The spatial distribution of coseismal landslides is studied statistically using both landslide point density(LPD),defined as the number of landslides(LS Number)per square kilometer,and landslide area density(LAD),interpreted as the percentage of landslides area affected by earthquake.The results show that both LPD and LAD have strong positive correlations with five main factors.Most landslides occurred in the gradient range of 40°-50° and an elevation range of 1.0-1.5 km above sea level.Statistical results also indicate that landslides were mainly formed in soft rocks such as mudstone and sandstone,and concentrated in IX intensity areas.     

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。     

Subduction zone seismicity and the thermo-mechanical evolution of downgoing lithosphere

In this paper we discuss characteristic features of subduction zone seismicity at depths between about 100 km and 700 km, with emphasis on the role of temperature and rheology in controlling the deformation of, and the seismic energy release in downgoing lithosphere. This is done in two steps. After a brief review of earlier developments, we first show that the depth distribution of hypocentres at depths between 100 km and 700 km in subducted lithosphere can be explained by a model in which seismic activity is confined to those parts of the slab which have temperatures below a depth-dependent critical valueT _cr.Second, the variation of seismic energy release (frequency of events, magnitude) with depth is addressed by inferring a rheological evolution from the slab's thermal evolution and by combining this with models for the system of forces acting on the subducting lithosphere. It is found that considerable stress concentration occurs in a reheating slab in the depth range of 400 to 650–700 km: the slab weakens, but the stress level strongly increases. On the basis of this stress concentration a model is formulated for earthquake generation within subducting slabs. The model predicts a maximum depth of seismic activity in the depth range of 635 to 760 km and, for deep earthquake zones, a relative maximum in seismic energy release near the maximum depth of earthquakes. From our modelling it follows that, whereas such a maximum is indeed likely to develop in deep earthquake zones, zones with a maximum depth around 300 km (such as the Aleutians) are expected to exhibit a smooth decay in seismic energy release with depth. This is in excellent agreement with observational data. In conclusion, the incoroporation of both depth-dependent forces and depth-dependent rheology provides new insight into the generation of intermediate and deep earthquakes and into the variation of seismic activity with depth.Our results imply that no barrier to slab penetration at a depth of 650–700 km is required to explain the maximum depth of seismic activity and the pattern of seismic energy release in deep earthquake zones.     

The 1957 great Aleutian earthquake

The 9 March 1957 Aleutian earthquake has been estimated as the third largest earthquake this century and has the longest aftershock zone of any earthquake ever recorded—1200 km. However, due to a lack of high-quality seismic data, the actual source parameters for this earthquake have been poorly determined. We have examined all the available waveform data to determine the seismic moment, rupture area, and slip distribution. These data include body, surface and tsunami waves. Using body waves, we have estimated the duration of significant moment release as 4 min. From surface wave analysis, we have determined that significant moment release occurred only in the western half of the aftershock zone and that the best estimate for the seismic moment is 50–100×10²⁰ Nm. Using the tsunami waveforms, we estimated the source area of the 1957 tsunami by backward propagation. The tsunami source area is smaller than the aftershock zone and is about 850 km long. This does not include the Unalaska Island area in the eastern end of the aftershock zone, making this area a possible seismic gap and a possible site of a future large or great earthquake. We also inverted the tsunami waveforms for the slip distribution. Slip on the 1957 rupture zone was highest in the western half near the epicenter. Little slip occurred in the eastern half. The moment is estimated as 88×10²⁰ Nm, orM _w =8.6, making it the seventh largest earthquake during the period 1900 to 1993. We also compare the 1957 earthquake to the 1986 Andreanof Islands earthquake, which occurred within a segment of the 1957 rupture area. The 1986 earthquake represents a rerupturing of the major 1957 asperity.     

STUDY ON FOCAL DEPTH OF THE MS5.4 CANGWU EARTHQUAKE IN GUANGXI

On July 31th, 2016, a magnitude 5.4 earthquake struck Cangwu Country, Guangxi Zhuang Autonomous Region, it was the largest earthquake recorded by Guangxi Seismological Network since it set up. The number of people affected by the earthquake had reached 20 000, and the direct economic losses caused by the earthquake were nearly 100 million Yuan. After the earthquake, USGS provided a global earthquake catalog showing that the focal depth of Cangwu earthquake was about 24.5km. However, the result given by the Global Centroid Moment Tensor showed the focal depth of this earthquake was 15.6km. However, the result obtained by Xu Xiaofeng et al. using CAP method was 5.1km. It was clear that the focal depths of Cangwu earthquake given by different institutions were quite different from each other. However, accurate focal depth of the earthquake has important significance for exploring the tectonic mechanism near the epicenter, so it is necessary to further determine the more accurate depth of the Cangwu earthquake. In order to further accurately determine the focal depth of Cangwu earthquake, we used the global search method for travel-time residual to calculate the focal depth of this earthquake and its error range, based on the regional velocity model, which is a one-dimensional velocity model of the Xianggui tectonic belt produced by the comprehensive geophysical profile. Then, we inverted the focal mechanism of this earthquake with the CAP method. Based on this, the focal depth of Cangwu M_S5.4 earthquake was further determined by the method of the Rayleigh surface wave amplitude spectrum and the sPL phase, respectively. Computed results reveal that the focal depth of this earthquake and its error range from the travel-time residual global search method is about(13±3)km, the focal depth inverted by CAP method is about 10km, the focal depth from sPL phase is about 10km, and the focal depth from Rayleigh surface wave amplitude spectrum is about 9~10km. Finally, we confirmed that the focal depth of Cangwu M_S5.4 earthquake is about 10km, which indicates that this earthquake still occurred in the upper crust. In the case of low network density, the sPL phase and Rayleigh wave amplitude spectrum recorded by only 1 or 2 broadband stations could be used to obtain more accurate focal depth. The focal depth's accuracy of Cangwu M_S5.4 earthquake in the USGS global earthquake catalog has yet to be improved. In the future, we should consider the error of the source parameters when using the USGS global earthquake catalog for other related research.     

The lessons from the Simushir earthquakes of November 15, 2006 (M w 8.3) and January 13, 2007 (M w 8.1)

According to S.A. Fedotov’s long-term earthquake forecast, the Middle Kuril Is. has long (since 1965) been a likely location for the next M ≥ 7.7 earthquake, i.e., a seismic gap. The present study integrates seismological, geological, and geophysical data to assess the earthquake potential of the gap prior to November 15, 2006. Seismological data were used to carry out a comparative analysis of 3D seismic energy density for three zones of the Kuril region. The density for the Middle Kuril Is. turned out to be twice as small as that for the North Kuril Is. and nearly six times as small as that for the South Kurils. Various parameters of the seismic process for the Kuril region have been estimated in quantitative terms. It is shown that the rate of completely reported (M ≥ 6) earthquakes occurring down to 70 km depth in the Middle Kuril Is. is approximately three times as small as that for the entire Kuril arc. Increased heat flow was recorded there (up to 100 mW/m²). The top of the high conductivity layer is shallower (at a depth of 100 km). The trends of major faults and other seismotectonic features have been taken into account. Based on these data (prior to November 15, 2006), the previous conclusion about the low seismic activity of the Middle Kuril Is. was corroborated. Two great earthquakes occurred in the region on November 15, 2006 (M _w = 8.3) and January 13, 2007 (M _w = 8.1) with subsequent tsunami waves. The erroneous inference as to low seismic activity was related to the fact that the seismic cycle in the Middle Kuril Is. may be as long as 150–200 years. We come to the conclusion that an analysis of the level of seismic activity for the region should start with the construction of standardized recurrence curves and determining the magnitude of the maximum possible earthquake.     

Rupture process of the M L=4.1 earthquake in Huailai Basin on July 20, 1995

On July 20, 1995, an earthquake of M _L=4.1 occurred in Huailai basin, northwest of Beijing, with epicenter coordinates 40.326°N, 115.448°E and focal depth 5.5 km. Following the main shock, seismicity sharply increased in the basin. This earthquake sequence was recorded by Sino-European Cooperative Huailai Digital Seismograph Network (HDSN) and the hypocentres were precisely located. About 2 hours after the occurrence of the main shock, a smaller event of M _L=2.0 took place at 40.323°N, 115.447°E with a focal depth of 5.0 km, which is very close to the main shock. Using the M _L=2.0 earthquake as an empirical Green’s function, a regularization method was applied to retrieve the far-field source-time function (STF) of the main shock. Considering the records of HDSN are the type of velocity, to depress high frequency noise, we removed instrument response from the records of the two events, then integrated them to get displacement seismogram before applying the regularization method. From the 5 field stations, P phases in vertical direction which mostly are about 0.5 s in length were used. The STFs obtained from each seismic phases are in good agreement, showing that the M _L=4.1 earthquake consisted of two events. STFs from each station demonstrate an obvious “seismic Doppler effect”. Assuming the nodal plane striking 37° and dipping 40°, determined by using P wave first motion data and aftershock distribution, is the fault plane, through a trial and error method, the following results were drawn: Both of the events lasted about 0.1 s, the rupture length of the first one is 0.5 km, longer than the second one which is 0.3 km, and the rupture velocity of the first event is 5.0 km/s, larger than that of the second one which is about 3.0 km/s; the second event took place 0.06 s later than the first one; on the fault plane, the first event ruptured in the direction γ=140° measured clockwise from the strike of the fault, while the second event ruptured at γ=80°, the initial point of the second one locates at γ=−100° and 0.52 km from the beginning point of the first one. Using far-field ground displacement spectrum measurement method, the following source parameters about the M _L=4.1 earthquake were also reached: the scalar earthquake moment is 3.3×10¹³ N·m, stress drop 4.6 MPa, rupture radius 0.16 km. Contribution No. 99FE2022, Institute of Geophysics, China Seismological Bureau. This study is supported by the Chinese Joint Seismological Science Foundation (95-07-411).     

运用InSAR技术解算四川长宁MS6.0地震三维形变场及时间序列形变分析

运用升、降轨Sentinel-1A 卫星的差分干涉影像,获取2019-06-17四川宜宾长宁 MS6．0地震的三维同震形变场.在此基础上,以升降轨同震形变数据为约束条件,基于 Okada弹性半空间位错模型反演得到发震断层符合走滑和逆冲特征,断层破裂尺度约为15km×20km,断层滑动角为 44．37°,断层倾角为56．42°,震源深度约为10．2km,矩震级为 M W5．8.最后,采用SBAS-InSAR 技术获取该地区2019-04-05至2019-08-03各时间段的累计形变,结果认为该区域在震前近场形变波动较小,震后一段时间累积形变增长,分析原因可能是余震分布使得地表变化处于不稳定状态.通过与已有研究文献的比较和对该区域断层构造的分析,推测此次长宁地震发震断层由反演出的断层滑动引起,滑动面上缘接近地表,主震引起的次级断层活动触发短期内强余震频发.     

The Barrow-in-Furness Earthquake of 15 February 1865: Liquefaction from a Very Small Magnitude Event

—High intensity and liquefaction phenomena are usually associated only with relatively large magnitude earthquakes. An earthquake in 1865 in the northwest of England suggests that a sufficiently shallow small event can also produce liquefaction. The effects are well-documented in historical sources and include sand fountaining. Modern investigation is confined to documentary evidence owing to the tidal environment of the area where liquefaction occurred. Analysis shows that the felt area of the earthquake was probably only about 200 km²; however, heavy damage occurred in the village of Rampside and the maximum intensity is assessed at 8. Liquefaction is not uncommon at this intensity, but such a high intensity is not usually produced by such small erathquakes. The magnitude was probably in the range 2.5–3.5 M _L .     

The Zagan earthquake of February 1, 2011, in the low-seismoactive zone of western Transbaikalia: Observations and analysis

We described the February 1, 2011 (M_w = 4.7) Zagan earthquake occurred in the area of the Zagan range. This event is one of the most significant in western Transbaikalia. Macroseismic effects of this seismic event were felt over a wide territory: the intensity of II was observed at the distance of more than 300 km. Earthquake focal parameters (hypocentral depth, seismic moment, moment magnitude and focal mechanism) calculated from the data on surface wave amplitude spectra correspond to the structural position of the origin connected with a zone of plastic flow (slip) bordering the northwest slope of the Zagan range (similar complex of the metamorphic core). The results obtained prove the existence of the continental extension processes in this area.