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.