Source parameters and scaling relations for small earthquakes in the Kachchh region of Gujarat,India

The scaling relationships for stress drop and corner frequency with respect to magnitude have been worked out using 159 accelerograms from 34 small earthquakes (M _w 3.3–4.9) in the Kachchh region of Gujarat. The 318 spectra of P and S waves have been analyzed for this purpose. The average ratio of P- to S-wave corner frequency is found to be 1.19 suggestive of higher corner frequency for P wave as compared to that for S wave. The seismic moments estimated from P waves, M ₀(P), range from 1.98 × 10¹⁴ N m to 1.60 × 10¹⁶ N m and those from S waves, M ₀(S), range from 1.02 × 10¹⁴ N m to 3.4 × 10¹⁶ N m with an average ratio, M ₀(P)/M ₀(S), of 1.11. The total seismic energy varies from 1.83 × 10¹⁰ J to 2.84 × 10¹³ J. The estimated stress drop values do not depend on earthquake size significantly and lie in the range 30–120 bars for most of the events. A linear regression analysis between the estimated seismic moment (M ₀) and corner frequency (f _c) gives the scaling relation M ₀ f _c ³  = 7.6 × 10¹⁶ N m/s³. The proposed scaling laws are found to be consistent with similar scaling relations obtained in other seismically active regions of the world. Such an investigation should prove useful in seismic hazard and risk-related studies of the region. The relations developed in this study may be useful for the seismic hazard studies in the region.     

Low CodaQcin the Epicentral Region of the 2001 Bhuj Earthquake ofMw7.7

On 26 January, 2001 (03:46:55,UT) a devastating intraplate earthquake of M_w 7.7 occurred in a region about 5 km NW of Bhachau, Gujarat (23.42°N, 70.23°E). The epicentral distribution of aftershocks defines a marked concentration along an E-W trending and southerly dipping (45°) zone covering an area of (60 × 40) km². The presence of high seismicity including two earthquakes of magnitudes exceeding 7.7 in the 200 years is presumed to have caused a higher level of shallow crustal heterogeneity in the Kutch area; a site lying in the seismic zone V (zone of the highest seismicity for potentially M8 earthquakes) on the seismic zoning map of India. Attenuation property of the medium around the epicentral area of the Bhuj earthquake covering a circular area of 61,500 km² with a radius of 140 km is studied by estimating the coda-Q_c from 200 local earthquakes of magnitudes varying from 3.0–4.6. The estimated Q₀ values at locations in the aftershock zone (high seismicity) are found to be low in comparison to areas at a distance from it. This can be attributed to the fact that seismic waves are highly scattered for paths through the seismically active and fractured zone but they are well behaved outside the aftershock zone. Distribution of Q₀ values suggests that the local variation in Q₀ values is probably controlled by local geology. The estimated Q₀ values at different stations suggest a low value of Q=(102 ± 0.80)^*f^{(0.98 ± 0.02)} indicating an attenuative crust beneath the entire region. The frequency-dependent relation indicates a relatively low Q_c at lower frequencies (1–3 Hz) that can be attributed to the loss of energy due to scattering attenuation associated with heterogeneities and/or intrinsic attenuation due to fluid movement in the fault zone and fluid-filled cracks. The large Q_c at higher frequencies may be related to the propagation of backscattered body waves through deeper parts of the lithosphere where less heterogeneity is expected. Based on the attenuation curve estimated for Q₀=102, the ground acceleration at 240 km distance is 13% of 1 g i.e., 0.13 g agreeing well with the ground acceleration recorded by an accelerograph at Ahmedabad (0.11 g). Hence, it is inferred that the Q₀ value obtained from this study seems to be apt for prediction of ground motion for the region.     

Fractal Dimension of the 1999 Chamoli Earthquake from Aftershock Studies in Garhwal Himalaya

The Aftershock sequence of Chamoli earthquake (M _w 6.4) of 29 March 1999 is analyzed to study the fractal structure in space, time and magnitude distribution. The b value is found to be 0.63 less than which is usually observed worldwide and in the Himalayas. This indicates that the numbers of smaller earthquakes are relatively less than the larger ones. The spatial correlation is 1.64, indicating that events are approaching a two-dimensional region meaning that the aftershocks are uniformly distributed along the trend of the aftershock zone. Temporal correlation is 0.86 for aftershocks of M 1, indicating a nearly continuous aftershock activity. However, it is 0.5 for aftershocks of M 1.75, indicating a non continuous aftershock activity. From the assessment of slip on different faults it is inferred that 70% displacement is accommodated on the primary fault and the remainder on secondary faults.     

Crustal structure of the peninsular shield beneath Hyderabad (India) from the spectral characteristics of long-period P-waves

The crustal transfer functions have been obtained from long period P-waves of thirteen teleseismic events recorded at Hyderabad (HYB), India. The crustal structure beneath this seismograph station has been obtained after comparing these functions with the theoretical crustal transfer functions which were computed using the Thomson-Haskell matrix formulation. The method is suitable and economical for determining the fine crustal structure. The crust beneath Hyderabad is found to consist of three layers with total thickness of 36 km. The thicknesses of top, middle and bottom layers are 21 km, 8 km and 7 km, respectively.     

Integrated production and effective loss rates in the ionosphere

The total electron content data obtained at Ahmedabad through the Faraday fading records of the radio beacons abroad the satellites Explorer 22 and 27 are used to determine the overhead integrated production rate (Q ⁰) and integrated loss coefficient (β′) for the epoch 1965–1968. The production rate (Q ₀) is shown to have two peaks during a year around the equinoctal months and for a particular monthQ ₀ increases linearly with the 10·7 cm solar flux. The loss coefficient β′, too, has two equinoctial peaks within a year. The semiannual variations ofQ ₀ and β′ are discussed in relation to similar variation in the [O]/[N₂] ratio.     

Frequency dependence of equatorial ionospheric scintillations

Simultaneous observations of amplitude scintillations at 40 MHz, 140 MHz and 360 MHz radiated from ATS-6 satellite at 34° E longitude were made at Ootacamund near the magnetic equator in India. It has been found that the frequency variation of scintillation index (S ₄) isS ₄ ∞f ^?n , withn being about 1·2 only for weak scintillations, i.e., so long as the scintillation index does not exceed 0·6 at the lower frequency. For strong scintillations (S ₄>0·6) where multiple scattering may be present, the exponentn itself is a function of the intensity of scintillation, the scintillation indices at two frequencies are related by:S ₄(f ₁)=S ₄(f ₂) exp [1·3 log(f ₂/f ₁)(1?S ₄(f ₂)] so long asf ₂/f ₁≤3. Thus knowing scintillation index at a given frequency one can estimate the scintillation index at another frequency. This will be of significant importance for communication problems. Evidence is also shown for the reversal of the frequency law in cases of intense scintillations.     

Intense night-time equatorial radio scintillations by sporadicE layers

Almost saturated scintillations of radio beacons from geostationary satellites received at an equatorial station during night-time have been shown to occur even during complete absence of spreadF on the vertical incidence ionograms at the same location. These scintillation events were observed when the ionograms showed blanketing type of sporadicE layers simultaneously at different heights. It is suggested that strong equatorial radio wave scintillations during night-time are caused by multiple scattering between different levels of large plasma density gradients in theF or sometimes in theE regions of the ionosphere.     

Lunar perturbations in geomagnetic field and in the characteristics ofF-region over huancayo

Summary The lunar daily (L) and lunar monthly (M) variations in horizontal magnetic field (H), maximum electron density (N _max ), height of peak ionisation (h _max ), semi-thickness (y _m ) of theF ₂ layer and total electron content (N _t ) at Huancayo for the period January 1960 to December 1961 are described. The lunar tidal variations inh _max follow sympathetically the variations inH such that an increase of magnetic field causes the raising of height of peak ionisation. Lunar tides inN _max are opposite in phase to that ofh _max with a delay of about 1–2 hours, suggesting that an increase of height causes a decrease in maximum electron density. The lunar tides in semi-thickness are very similar in phase to that inh _max . The lunar tidal effects in any of the parameters are largest inD-months and least inJ-months. The amplitude of lunar tides in maximum electron density seems to increase with increasing height whereas the phase seems to be constant with height. It is concluded that lunar tides in the ionospheric parameters at magnetic equator are greatly controlled by the corresponding geomagnetic variations.Presented at the Third International Symposium on Equatorial Aeronomy, Ahmedabad, 3–10 February 1969.     

Meridional equatorial electrojet current in the American sector

Huancayo is the only equatorial electrojet station where the daytime increase of horizontal geomagnetic field (H) is associated with a simultaneous increase of eastward geomagnetic field (Y). It is shown that during the counter electrojet period when H is negative, Y also becomes negative. Thus, the diurnal variation of Y at equatorial latitudes is suggested to be a constituent part of the equatorial electrojet current system. Solar flares are known to increase the H field at an equatorial station during normal electrojet conditions (nej). At Huancayo, situated north of the magnetic equator, the solar flare effect, during nej, consists of positive impulses in H and Y and negative impulse in Z field. During counter electrojet periods (cej), a solar flare produces a negative impulse in H and Y and a positive impulse in Z at Huancayo. It is concluded that both the zonal and meridional components of the equatorial electrojet in American longitudes, as in Indian longitudes, flows in the same, E region of the ionosphere.