Analysis of Shallow and Deep Earthquake Doublets in the Fiji-Tonga-Kermadec Region

For the Fiji-Tonga-Kermadec area and for the period from January 1977 to July 2003, the Harvard CMT catalogue lists 1022 shallow, 410 intermediate and 633 deep earthquakes of moment magnitude from 4.9 to 8.0. The magnitude threshold, above which the catalogue is complete, is 5.3–5.4, and the number of earthquakes of magnitude above this value is 691 for shallow, 329 for intermediate and 476 for deep events, respectively. The proportion of earthquakes associated with doublets and multiplets against the total number of earthquakes is approximately the same in both data sets and therefore all earthquake pairs were considered regardless of their magnitude. We investigated all the pairs of earthquakes that occurred at a centroid distance of less than 40, 60 or 90 km from each other and within a time interval of 200, 300 or 450 days, depending on their magnitude. We found 208 pairs of shallow, 31 of intermediate and 92 of deep events. To ascertain whether these earthquakes in pairs are not connected by chance, the possibility of their occurrence in an uncorrelated Poissonian catalogue was considered. It was assumed that in such a catalogue the inter-event time is exponentially distributed, the earthquake magnitude follows the Gutenberg-Richter relation, and the distribution of centroid distances between the events in pairs is controlled by its non-parametric kernel estimate. The probability of the appearance of the observed proportion of doublets of shallow earthquakes in the Poissonian catalogue was found to be very low. The low probability of occurrence in a semi-random catalogue, created by randomising centroid locations in the actual data set, also indicates major importance of the distance criterion used for a doublet specification. In general, shallow earthquakes tend to form pairs at shorter distances and within shorter time intervals than deep earthquakes. Both the distance and the time intervals do not depend on the magnitude of involved events. The largest number of pairs of deep earthquakes is observed at a depth of about 600 km, and the proportion of deep events associated with doublets against the number of all events increases with depth. From comparison of the focal mechanism of earthquakes in pairs, measured by the 3-D rotation angle, it follows that deep earthquakes forming pairs have a more diverse focal mechanism than shallow events; the rotation angle for three quarters of shallow pairs and only for about one third of deep pairs is reasonably small. The azimuth between two events forming a doublet is in about 60–65% of cases close to the strike of one of nodal planes of the first or the second event.     

Variation of human perceptiveness of earthquakes during seismic sequences

This paper describes the variation of the human perception of earthquakes under the peculiar condition of seismic sequence occurrence. To this aim, we chose and have analyzed four seismic sequences that reflect the most common models of seismicity occurrence in the Italian territory. Our data always refer to the epicentral area, so that the contribution of the epicentral distance to the earthquake sensitiveness is considered constant. To search for recurrent behavior of people in the perception of earthquakes, we crossed seismological data to sensitivity data coming from the archives of the Italian Civil Protection. In each sequence, we individuate a number of “indicators”, such as the rate between felt and not-felt events and the minimum magnitude for which 100% of the events are felt. Such indicators are proportional to the energy released by the sequence and can be particularly affected by the time protraction of the sequence, and/or by the different familiarity with the seismic phenomenon, and/or by the intensity of the emotional impact of a seismic crisis. The observed trends of sensitiveness show a significant variation of the people perceptivity within the sequence development. From the analysis of the dataset, one can distinguish the variation of perceptivity due to emotional factors from those due to physical factors. An important observation, which is confirmed by a statistical analysis, is that the source depth does not affect the perceptiveness of earthquakes. Finally, we find important differences between on-sequence and off-sequence human perceptiveness that are connected with the different levels of alert.     

震源深度与矩心深度的分布特征及其与震源机制类型之间的关系

在哈佛全球CMT目录中，震源深度与矩心深度的分布呈现出明显的规律性。从统计上说，浅源地震的震源深度大于矩心深度，而中深源地震不具有这样的特征。将地震按照震源机制进行分类之后发现，上述特征主要属于逆冲型地震和正断层型地震的贡献，而走滑型地震没有这样的特征，这一分布规律或可作为地震的“化学力学”模型的一个间接的支持。     

The effect of the descending lithosphere beneath the Tonga island arc on P-wave travel-time residuals at the Warramunga Seismic Array

P-wave travel-time residuals at the Warramunga Seismic Array (WRA) in the Northern Territory, Australia, have been studied from 49 earthquakes with epicenters south of 19°S in the Fiji-Tonga region. Focal depths are between 42 and 679 km as determined from pP-P. Using the Jeffreys-Bullen and the Herrin travel-time tables the epicentral parameters have been redetermined by considering only “normal” seismic stations in the location procedure. These are those stations where P-wave travel times are probably not affected by lateral heterogeneities caused by the lithosphere descending beneath the Tonga trench. Epicenters of deep earthquakes below 300 km have been relocated by using stations at Δ > 25° only. Epicenters from shallower-depth earthquakes have been recalculated without using stations between 35 < Δ < 75° epicentral distance. In both cases focal depths were determined from pP-P times. The resulting pattern of P-residuals at WRA does not show any significant change with depth below 350 km. The residuals become more negative for shallower earthquakes above about 250 km. P-waves to WRA are advanced by approximately 2 s compared with those from deep earthquakes. The results do not essentially differ for the two different travel-time tables used. The observations can be interpreted by P-wave velocities that are higher in the sinking slab down to 350–400 km by 5±2% than in both the Jeffreys-Bullen and Herrin models. Without considering possible elevations of phase boundaries this estimate yields a temperature contrast of 1000±450°C between slab and normal mantle material in this depth range.     

中国大陆地震空间分布模型检验

本文以中国大陆地震目录为基础资料,以泊松模型为零假设模型,并将Neyman-Scott空间丛集过程的各子模型设为检验模型,采用K-function 点过程分析法和最大似然估计法计算各模型参数,并以AIC准侧判定模型的拟合优度,来检验中国大陆地震空间分布模型.检验结果表明：泊松模型的拟合优度最差,说明地震在空间的分布不是完全随机的;广义Thomas模型的拟合优度最好,说明地震的空间分布是丛集的,可用由两个高斯核组成的广义Thomas模型较好地描述.研究结果还表明,同一研究区内,采用不同时段具有不同最小完整起始震级的地震目录计算得到的地震空间分布的丛集尺度几乎不变,这意味着地震空间丛集尺度不受小地震的控制,且可能与研究区的断层规模有关.     

The Random Distribution of the Loading and Unloading Response Ratio Under the Assumptions of Poisson Models

This paper discussed the random distribution of the loading and unloading response ratio(LURR) of different definitions(Y_1～Y_5)using the assumptions that the earthquakes occurfollowing the Poisson process and their magnitudes obey the Gutenberg-Richter law.Theresults show that Y_1～Y_5 are quite stable or concentrated when the expected number of eventsin the calculation time window is relatively large(>40);but when this occurrence ratebecomes very small,Y_2～Y_5 become quite variable or unstable.That is to say,a high value ofthe LURR can be produced not only from seismicity before a large earthquake,but also from arandom sequence of earthquakes that obeys a Poisson process when the expected number ofevents in the window is too small.To check the influence of randomness in the catalogue tothe LURR,the random distribution of the LURR under Poisson models has been calculated bysimulation.90%,95% and 99% confidence ranges of Y_1 and Y_3 are given in this paper,which is helpful to quantify the random influe     

Focal depth,magnitude, and frequency distribution of earthquakes along oceanic trenches

The occurrence of earthquakes in oceanic trenches can pose a tsunami threat to lives and properties in active seismic zones. Therefore, the knowledge of focal depth, magnitude, and time distribution of earthquakes along the trenches is needed to investigate the future occurrence of earthquakes in the zones. The oceanic trenches studied, were located from the seismicity map on: latitude +51° to +53°and longitude-160° to 176°(Aleutian Trench), latitude+40° to +53° and longitude +148° to +165°(Japan Trench), and latitude-75° to-64° and longitude –15° to+30°(Peru–Chile Trench). The following features of seismic events were considered: magnitude distribution, focal depth distribution, and time distribution of earthquake. The results obtained in each trench revealed that the earthquakes increased with time in all the regions. This implies that the lithospheric layer is becoming more unstable. Thus, tectonic stress accumulation is increasing with time. The rate of increase in earthquakes at the Peru–Chile Trench is higher than that of the Japan Trench and the Aleutian Trench. This implies that the convergence of lithospheric plates is higher in the Peru–Chile Trench. Deep earthquakes were observed across all the trenches. The shallow earthquakes were more prominent than intermediate and deep earthquakes in all thetrenches. The seismic events in the trenches are mostly of magnitude range 3.0–4.9. This magnitude range may indicate the genesis of mild to moderate tsunamis in the trench zone in near future once sufficient slip would occur with displacement of water column.     

渤海海域地震震源深度的分布特征

震源深度的研究对于探索地震孕育和发生的深部环境,地震能量集结、释放的活动构造背景,以及地壳内部构造变形及其力学属性等都有非常重要的意义。本文选择渤海海域内观测精度相对较高的地震资料作为样本,统计分析了不同震级档、不同空间范围的震源深度分布特征,并初步探讨了震源深度与地震构造、地壳结构的关系。结果表明,渤海海域内中小震的震源深度在空间上的分布是不均匀的,发生在渤中断陷内的地震,其震源深度一般较深;而发生在山东半岛北部沿海与辽东半岛沿海的地震,其震级较低且震源一般较浅。但总体上,渤海海域内的地震多发生在10-20km的地壳中、上部,属浅源地震。     

Swarms of similar long-period earthquakes in the mantle beneath Mauna Loa Volcano

We present analyses of two swarms of long-period (LP) earthquakes at > 30 km depth that accompanied the geodetically observed 2002–2005 Mauna Loa intrusion. The first LP earthquake swarm in 2002 consisted of 31 events that were precursory and preceded the start of Mauna Loa inflation; the second LP swarm of two thousand events occurred from 2004–2005. The rate of LP earthquakes slowed significantly coincident with the occurrence of the December 26, 2004 M_w 9.3 Sumatra earthquake, suggesting that the seismic waves from this great earthquake may have had a dynamic triggering effect on the behavior of Mauna Loa's deep magma system. Using waveform cross correlation and double difference relocation, we find that a large number of earthquakes in each swarm are weakly similar and can be classified into two families. The relocated hypocenters for each family collapse to compact point source regions almost directly beneath the Mauna Loa intrusion. We suggest that the observed waveform characteristics are compatible with each family being associated with the resonance of a single fluid filled vertical crack of fixed geometry, with differences in waveforms between events being produced by slight variations in the trigger mechanism. If these LP earthquakes are part of the primary magma system that fed the 2002–2005 intrusion, as indicated by the spatial and temporal associations between mantle seismicity and surface deformation, then our results raise the possibility that this magma system may be quite focused at these depths as opposed to being a diffuse network. It is likely that only a few locations of Mauna Loa's deep magma system met the geometric and fluid dynamic conditions for generating LP earthquakes that were large enough to be recorded at the surface, and that much of the deep magma transfer associated with the 2002–2005 intrusion occurred aseismically.     

Calibration of the Regional Crustal Waveguide and the Retrieval of Source Parameters Using Waveform Modeling

v--vRegional crustal waveguide calibration is essential to the retrieval of source parameters and the location of smaller (M < 4.8) seismic events. This path calibration of regional seismic phases is strongly dependent on the accuracy of hypocentral locations of calibration (or master) events. This information can be difficult to obtain, especially for smaller events. Generally, explosion or quarry blast generated travel-time data with known locations and origin times are useful for developing the path calibration parameters, but in many regions such data sets are scanty or do not exist. We present a method which is useful for regional path calibration independent of such data, i.e. with earthquakes, which is applicable for events down to M_w = 4 and which has successfully been applied in India, central Asia, western Mediterranean, North Africa, Tibet and the former Soviet Union. These studies suggest that reliably determining depth is essential to establishing accurate epicentral location and origin time for events. We find that the error in source depth does not necessarily trade-off only with the origin time for events with poor azimuthal coverage, but with the horizontal location as well, thus resulting in poor epicentral locations. For example, hypocenters for some events in central Asia were found to move from their fixed-depth locations by about 20 km. Such errors in location and depth will propagate into path calibration parameters, particularly with respect to travel times. The modeling of teleseismic depth phases (pP, sP) yields accurate depths for earthquakes down to magnitude M_w = 4.7. This M_w threshold can be lowered to four if regional seismograms are used in conjunction with a calibrated velocity structure model to determine depth, with the relative amplitude of the P_nl waves to the surface waves and the interaction of regional sPmP and pPmP phases being good indicators of event depths. We also found that for deep events a seismic phase which follows an S-wave path to the surface and becomes critical, developing a head wave by S to P conversion is also indicative of depth. The detailed characteristic of this phase is controlled by the crustal waveguide. The key to calibrating regionalized crustal velocity structure is to determine depths for a set of master events by applying the above methods and then by modeling characteristic features that are recorded on the regional waveforms. The regionalization scheme can also incorporate mixed-path crustal waveguide models for cases in which seismic waves traverse two or more distinctly different crustal structures. We also demonstrate that once depths are established, we need only two-stations travel-time data to obtain reliable epicentral locations using a new adaptive grid-search technique which yields locations similar to those determined using travel-time data from local seismic networks with better azimuthal coverage.     

华北地区地壳厚度与泊松比研究

华北地区地壳结构和物理性质是研究华北克拉通破坏机制的重要依据.本文通过收集分布在华北克拉通区域的323个宽频带地震台记录到的2007年8月到2009年3月间发生在全球范围内6.5级到8.5级的共93个远震事件的波形资料,较完整地得到了华北及其周边区域台站下方的接收函数、地壳厚度和泊松比分布情况.研究发现:(1)华北克拉通地壳厚度大范围减薄不仅仅发生在东部,而是已经到达南北重力梯度带附近; (2)在鄂尔多斯的周边裂谷盆地,地壳也出现了减薄现象; 周边裂谷区的泊松比大于鄂尔多斯内部,局部区域的泊松比高达0.3左右; (3)从地壳厚度和地形的相关性来看,华北地区的地壳厚度与地表地形存在着明显负相关的关系,这与艾利均衡假说相一致,可能意味着华北地区的地壳正在经历着缓慢的破坏与均衡同时进行的过程; 而华北克拉通中西部和东北部则显示出明显的不均衡现象.     

单台sPL震相测定珊溪水库地震震源深度

稀疏台网下的传统走时定位难以确定中小地震的震源深度,而地震波深度震相蕴含着震源深度信息,为确定地震震源深度提供了新的途径。近震深度震相sPL和直达Pg波到时差与震源深度呈线性关系,可用以约束地震震源深度。本文以珊溪水库2014年震群事件为例,利用单台sPL震相测定了地震震源深度。结果表明:震源深度的测定结果与基于水库台网高密度台站下Pg和Sg走时定位Hyposat方法和全波形拟合CAP方法测定的震源深度高度一致,为4—6 km,与区域活动断层探测结果相符。sPL震相的优势震中距为30—50 km,区域台网范围内sPL与Pg的到时差与震源深度的线性关系相对固定,因此利用单台sPL震相即可快速获取可靠的地震震源深度,适用于稀疏台网下的中小地震震源深度的确定,且误差可控制在1—2 km范围内。      

Post-eruptive seismic activity of Mount Cameroon (Cameroon), West Africa: a statistical analysis

Recent seismological studies of the Cameroon Volcanic Line show that Mt. Cameroon is the most active centre, so a permanent seismic network of six seismographs was set up in its region between 1984 and 1986. The network was reinforced with temporary stations up till 1987, and the local seismicity was studied. Here we emphasise a statistical analysis of seismic events recorded by the permanent seismic stations. Four swarms lasting 9 to 14 months are identified at intervals of 2–3 years. Most earthquakes are felt (intensity and magnitude, respectively, less than VI MM and 5) during the first three swarms and a few during repose periods. The main focal regions are the northwest and southeast flanks, the Bimbia and Bioko regions in the South of the volcano. Hypocentres are distributed from the surface to 60 km depth indicating crustal and subcrustal activities. The subcrustal events are observed only in the southeast flank, they are the most regular earthquakes with a monthly frequency of 9 to 15 events. They are characteristic earthquakes with magnitude 2.8 ± 0.1. Between 1984 and 1992, their yearly mean time interval between successive events range from 50 to 86 hours. For that period their occurrence can be modelled as a stationary renewal process with a 3-day period. But the analysis of variance shows possible significant differences among yearly means. A Weibull's distribution confirms that the time intervals between successive deep events are not independent, and in 1993 a swarm of deep earthquakes is recorded, hence a non-loglinear magnitude/frequency relation. The deep seismicity is thought to be associated with a zone of weakness (perhaps a magmatic conduit) and may have some close relationship with the magmatic activity.     

Expulsion of geopressured hydrothermal system along active faults and its relation to the occurrence of earthquakes in the Shinanogawa seismic belt,Japan

The 1995 Northern Niigata Earthquake (M 6.0) occurred at a shallow depth in the Niigata seismic gap. The anomaly areas in temperature, electrical conductivity and Cl- concentration of groundwater trend northeast as linear distribution in the epicentral area and are approximately coincident with the area of the seismic intensity 6 (JMA scale). The distributions of seismic intensity 6 and groundwater anomalies convincingly imaged the presence of a buried active fault beneath the epicentral area. The occurrence of this earthquake and the anomalies of groundwater were related to the expulsion of geopressured hydrothermal system (GHS). All epicenters of the destructive earthquakes along the Shinanogawa seismic belt are actually located in the buried active fault zones characterized by the areas of temperature and geochemical anomalies of groundwater. These earthquakes might have been triggered by the activity of GHS. The expulsion of GHS along an active fault in combination with the thermal softening of fault     

地壳的Q结构与观测结果的解释

本文分析了地壳Q结构对于实测Q值结果的影响。对已发表的大部分实测数据进行分析,结果表明地震波射线路径与Q值显著相关。因此,在对实测的Q值空间分布状况进行解释的时候,不仅要考虑地震波频率的影响,还应对射线路径—距离效应进行分析和校正。本文还按照现有中国大陆地壳速度模型计算了地震射线在水平层状介质中的传播路径及震中距与射线最低点深度的函数关系,给出了华北及西南部分地区地壳Q结构。     

川滇地区地壳密度变化与强震孕育关系

为研究川滇地区地壳密度的时空演化特征与强震孕育的关系,本文基于2011—2014年川滇地区的重力复测资料,利用阻尼最小二乘反演算法,获得了川滇地区0—50 km深度范围内分辨率为55 km×55 km×10 km （长×宽×高）的三维动态密度变化模型。以所获取的动态密度变化为依据,分析了川滇地区三维密度变化特征与2013年四川芦山M_S7.0、2014年云南鲁甸M_S6.5和四川康定M_S6.3地震的关系,并由此对强震重点构造部位的深部地壳结构特征、孕震背景及区域动力学过程进行了深入分析。结果显示:川滇地区出现多个与主要活动断裂带展布方向基本一致的密度变化高梯度带,在三次地震的震中区及其附近观测到明显的区域性密度变化异常。15—35 km深度范围内的密度变化水平剖面显示:强震容易发生在上地壳密度变化正、负异常过渡的高梯度带和密度变化四象限分布的中心;中地壳深度密度变化低异常是强震孕育的主要介质条件;下地壳深度密度变化低异常或密度变化高梯度带均有可能是孕育地震的主要介质结构。0—50 km深度的垂直剖面上的密度变化结果显示,地震震中区及附近浅部、深部地壳呈现解耦变化。壳内垂向正负密度变化过渡带可能是强震孕育的又一个主要特征构造。      

Relation between the characteristics of strong earthquake activities in Chinese mainland and the Wenchuan earthquake

This paper studies the relations between the great Wenchuan earthquake and the active-quiet periodic characteristics of strong earthquakes, the rhythmic feature of great earthquakes, and the grouped spatial distribution of M_S8.0 earthquakes in Chinese mainland. We also studied the relation between the Wenchuan earthquake and the stepwise migration characteristics of M_S?≥7.0 earthquakes on the North-South seismic belt, the features of the energy releasing acceleration in the active crustal blocks related to the Wenchuan earthquake and the relation between the Wenchuan earthquake and the so called second-arc fault zone. The results can be summarized as follows: ① the occurrence of the Wenchuan earthquake was consistent with the activequiet periodic characteristics of strong earthquakes; ② its occurrence is consistent with the features of grouped occurrence of M_S8.0 earthquakes and follows the 25 years rhythm (each circulation experiences the same time) of great earthquakes; ③ the Wenchuan M_S8.0 earthquake follows the well known stepwise migration feature of strong earthquakes on the North-South seismic belt; ④ the location where the Wenchuan M_S8.0 earthquake took place has an obvious consistency with the temporal and spatial characteristic of grouped activity of M_S≥?7.0 strong earthquakes on the second-arc fault zone; ⑤ the second-arc fault zone is not only the lower boundary for earthquakes with more than 30 km focal depth, but also looks like a lower boundary for deep substance movement; and ⑥ there are obvious seismic accelerations nearby the Qaidam and Qiangtang active crustal blocks (the northern and southern neighbors of the Bayan Har active block, respectively), which agrees with the GPS observation data.     

Error analysis in hypocentral locations at Phlegraean Fields

The location reliability of the earthquakes occurred at Phlegraean Fields has been analyzed, and the theoretical errors, inferred from the diagonal elements of the covariance matrix, have been estimated. Using only first P-phase arrivals to the local network (22 stations) and assuming a reading error of 0.05 sec., the average error on the spatial coordinates is estimated to be of the order of 0.2 km.Shallow events (depth<1 km) are very poorly constrained in depth at the borders of the network. The use of both P and S arrival times, recorded by a smaller three component network (10 stations), improves the depth determination.Further analysis has been performed on a set of about 350 selected earthquakes, using two different velocity models.Differences in depth considerably greater than the theoretical errors, and showing highly different patterns have been found.Tests with artificial events, randomly distributed in space, indicate that the observed depth distribution is essentially due to the used velocity model.     

双差定位法在地震丛集精确定位中的应用

应用双差定位方法(hypodd)对北美Loma Prieta 地区的分属于3个地震丛集的47个地震进行了精确定位.采用交叉谱法精确求取信号的走时差;同时采用人机联做方式在时域调整、修正按自动方式无法准确提取时差的信号,确保每个事件对的走时差精度.重定位后,在几百米的范围内,原来相互重叠的震源位置聚集为三个明显分离的丛集;水平方向的相对位置平均误差为8.5米,震源深度方向的平均误差为23.4 m.     

Space-time distribution of small earthquakes at Phlegraean Fields,south-central Italy

A preliminary statistical analysis of the space-time distribution of small seismic events in the volcanic area of Phlegraean Fields, south-central Italy, was done on the basis of a catalogue of earthquakes recorded by the local seismic stations in the period January 1, December 31, 1983.The non-random character of the sequence has been tested by matching the observed time-dstribution of seismic events with the theoretical Poisson process.A clustered occurrence of seismic events seems to be the main cause of the departure from a Poisson process as the inter-arrival times distribution clearly shows.Furthermore, the non-random behaviour of the events space-time distribution mainly due to quiescient and clustered recursive seismic phases could be studied by using the method proposed byVon Seggern et al. (1981). The analysis and the space-time diagrams confirm the swarm-type character of the entire seismic sequence.