A local-magnitude scale for Mt. Vesuvius from synthetic Wood-Anderson seismograms

The Local-Magnitude scale actually in use at Vesuvius Observatory is basedon the measure of seismogram coda duration, and calibrated with data fromIrpinia aftershocks. A recent study on local seismic attenuation at Mt.Vesuvius reveals coda shapes highly different from those from Irpiniaaftershocks, and a very low quality factor, if compared to the average Qof the region, indicating the necessity of the revision of the Magnitudescale, in order to better compare the seismic energy associated to the localseismicity of Mt. Vesuvius to that of other active volcanoes. Being theseismic attenuation parameters known in the area, we could correct theseismic amplitudes for the path effect to obtain precise estimates of theamplitude level of the displacement spectrum. Hence we estimated theMoment-Magnitude, M _W, for a set of well recorded micro-earthquakes.To use the Richter formulaM _L =log₁₀ A _max –log A₀(R)we estimated the log Amplitude-Distance correction curve, - log A₀(R),numerically synthesizing an S-wave-packet and letting it propagate in aearth medium with the same attenuation properties of those measured at Mt.Vesuvius. Then we synthesized the Wood-Anderson equivalent seismogram forthe same data set and used the distance correction in order to calculate theWood-Anderson Magnitude.This Magnitude scale was normalized in order to fit the Richter formulavalid for Southern California at a distance of 10 km, and resultsto be M _WA =log A + 1.34log(R) –1.10. The comparison of the Wood-Anderson scale with the Duration-Magnitude scalein routine use at Vesuvius Observatory indicates that care must be takenwhen the estimate of the Duration-Magnitude is carried out for smallearthquakes recorded at a site characterized by a high level of seismicnoise.