A Decade of Short-Period Earthquake Rupture Histories From Multi-Array Back-Projection

Teleseismic back-projection imaging has emerged as a powerful tool for understanding the rupture propagation of large earthquakes. However, its application often suffers from artifacts related to the receiver array geometry. We developed a teleseismic back-projection technique that can accommodate data from multiple arrays. Combined processing of P and pP waveforms may further improve the resolution. The method is suitable for defining arrays ad-hoc to achieve a good azimuthal distribution for most earthquakes. We present a catalog of short-period rupture histories (0.5–2.0 Hz) for all earthquakes from 2010 to 2022 with MW ≥ 7.5 and depth less than 200 km (56 events). The method provides automatic estimates of rupture length, directivity, speed, and aspect ratio, a proxy for rupture complexity. We obtained short-period rupture length scaling relations that are in good agreement with previously published relations based on estimates of total slip. Rupture speeds were consistently in the sub-Rayleigh regime for thrust and normal earthquakes, whereas a tenth of strike-slip events propagated at supershear speeds. Many rupture histories exhibited complex behaviors, for example, rupture on conjugate faults, bilateral propagation, and dynamic triggering by a P wave. For megathrust earthquakes, ruptures encircling asperities were frequently observed, with downdip, updip, and balanced patterns. Although there is a preference for short-period emissions to emanate from central and downdip parts of the megathrust, emissions updip of the main asperity are more frequent than suggested by earlier results

The Radial Anisotropy of the Continental Lithosphere From Analysis of Love and Rayleigh Wave Phase Velocities in Fennoscandia

Radial anisotropy (RA) in the upper mantle of the Fennoscandian Shield is analyzed by joint inversion of Love and Rayleigh wave phase velocities measured from recordings of teleseismic events at the ScanArray network. The phase velocities are measured by beamforming using three geographical subsets of the network as well as the full network. We analyze how different procedures for determining the phase velocities influence the final result and uncertainty. Joint inversion of the phase velocities in the period range 22–100 s reveals the presence of similar RA in the three subregions, with an average ξ value of about 1.05 in the subcrustal lithosphere down to at least 200 km depth. This corresponds to SH waves faster than SV by 2%–3%, a value very similar to those found in other continental regions. Considering this anisotropy together with other observables pertaining to seismic anisotropy in the area, we cannot propose a unique model satisfying all data. We can show, however, in which conditions different types of olivine crystallographic preferred orientations (CPOs) commonly observed in natural samples are compatible with the observations. CPO types associated with the preferred orientation of the a-axis, in particular the common A-type CPO, require a-axes dipping not more than 25° from the horizontal plane to explain our observations. AG-type CPO, characterized by preferred orientation of the b-axis and occurring in particular in compressional settings, can be considered as an interesting alternative interpretation of continental lithospheric anisotropy, provided the olivine b-axis is dipping by at least 60°

Crustal structure and kinematics of the TAMMAR propagating rift system on the Mid-Atlantic Ridge from seismic refraction and satellite altimetry gravity

The TAMMAR segment of the Mid-Atlantic Ridge forms a classic propagating system centred about two degrees south of the Kane Fracture Zone. The segment is propagating to the south at a rate of 14 mm yr−1, 15 per cent faster than the half-spreading rate. Here, we use seismic refraction data across the propagating rift, sheared zone and failed rift to investigate the crustal structure of the system. Inversion of the seismic data agrees remarkably well with crustal thicknesses determined from gravity modelling. We show that the crust is thickened beneath the highly magmatic propagating rift, reaching a maximum thickness of almost 8 km along the seismic line and an inferred (from gravity) thickness of about 9 km at its centre. In contrast, the crust in the sheared zone is mostly 4.5–6.5 km thick, averaging over 1 km thinner than normal oceanic crust, and reaching a minimum thickness of only 3.5 km in its NW corner. Along the seismic line, it reaches a minimum thickness of under 5 km. The PmP reflection beneath the sheared zone and failed rift is very weak or absent, suggesting serpentinisation beneath the Moho, and thus effective transport of water through the sheared zone crust. We ascribe this increased porosity in the sheared zone to extensive fracturing and faulting during deformation. We show that a bookshelf-faulting kinematic model predicts significantly more crustal thinning than is observed, suggesting that an additional mechanism of deformation is required. We therefore propose that deformation is partitioned between bookshelf faulting and simple shear, with no more than 60 per cent taken up by bookshelf faulting

Crustal Structure of Sri Lanka Derived From Joint Inversion of Surface Wave Dispersion and Receiver Functions Using a Bayesian Approach

We study the crustal structure of Sri Lanka by analyzing data from a temporary seismic network deployed in 2016-2017 to shed light on the amalgamation process from a geophysical perspective. Rayleigh wave phase dispersion curves from ambient noise cross correlation and receiver functions were jointly inverted using a transdimensional Bayesian approach. The Moho depths in Sri Lanka range between 30 and 40 km, with the thickest crust (38-40 km) beneath the central Highland Complex (HC). The thinnest crust (30-35 km) is found along the west coast, which experienced crustal thinning associated with the formation of the Mannar Basin. V-P/V-S ratios lie within a range of 1.60-1.82 and predominantly favor a felsic to intermediate bulk crustal composition with a significant silica content of the rocks. A major intracrustal (18-27 km), slightly westward dipping (similar to 4.3 degrees) interface with high V-S (similar to 4 km/s) underneath is prominent in the central HC, continuing into the western Vijayan Complex (VC). The discontinuity might have been part of the respective units prior to the collision and could be an indicator for the proposed tilting of the Wanni Complex/HC crustal sections. It might also be related to the deep crustal HC/VC thrust contact with the VC as an indenting promontory of high V-S. A low-velocity zone in the central HC could have been caused by fluid influx generated by the thrusting process

Comment on “Potential short‐term earthquake forecasting by farm animal monitoring” by Wikelski, Mueller, Scocco, Catorci, Desinov, Belyaev, Keim, Pohlmeier, Fechteler, and Mai

Based on an analysis of continuous monitoring of farm animal behavior in the region of the 2016 M6.6 Norcia earthquake in Italy, Wikelski et al., 2020; (Seismol Res Lett, 89, 2020, 1238) conclude that animal activity can be anticipated with subsequent seismic activity and that this finding might help to design a "short-term earthquake forecasting method." We show that this result is based on an incomplete analysis and misleading interpretations. Applying state-of-the-art methods of statistics, we demonstrate that the proposed anticipatory patterns cannot be distinguished from random patterns, and consequently, the observed anomalies in animal activity do not have any forecasting power

Joint inversion of seismic data for temperature and lithology in the Eastern Alps

The high density SWATH-D and AlpArray seismic networks provide a unique opportunity in the Eastern Alps to resolve the complex plate configuration and investigate how the crustal structure seen today reflects the dramatic changes in mountain building style and reorganisation of plate boundaries at about 20 Ma. This study complements the partner project where scattered wave tomography is applied to the same area (presented in the poster ‘Applying scattered wave tomography and joint inversion of high-density (SWATH D) geophysical and petrophysical datasets to unravel Eastern Alpine crustal structure’, Tilmann et al). In order to bring together the seismological and geological-mineralogical constraints in a probabilistic self-consistent way, we employ the joint inversion of seismological and petrophysical data sets. Receiver functions and surface wave dispersion curves, calculated in partner projects, are usually jointly inverted for elastic properties. By utilising the strengths of Markov Chain Monte Carlo inversion, we are able to instead parameterise our model by temperature and mineral assemblage. By inverting seismic data directly for the crust’s constituent mineral assemblages, we are led to a deeper understanding of intra-crustal structure, temperature, and petrophysical properties of crustal layers. A further significant advantage is in interpretation where the probabilities of certain lithologies being present allows for a more seamless integration of qualitative geological data and a reduction in interpretation biases compared to when only seismic velocities are presented

Anisotropic Reversible-Jump McMC Shear-Velocity Tomography of the Eastern Alpine Crust

The eastern Alpine crust has been shaped by the continental collision of the European and Adriatic plates beginning at 35 Ma and was affected by a major reorganization after 20 Ma. To better understand how the eastern Alpine surface structures link with deep seated processes, we analyze the depth-dependent seismic anisotropy based on Rayleigh wave propagation. Ambient noise recordings are evaluated to extract Rayleigh wave phase dispersion measurements. These are inverted in a two step approach for the azimuthally anisotropic shear velocity structure. Both steps are performed with a reversible jump Markov chain Monte Carlo (rj-McMC) approach that estimates data errors and propagates the modeled uncertainties from the phase velocity maps into the depth inversion. A two layer structure of azimuthal anisotropy is imaged in the Alpine crust, with an orogen-parallel upper crust and approximately orogen-perpendicular layer in the lower crust and the uppermost mantle. In the upper layer, the anisotropy tends to follow major fault lines and may thus be an apparent, structurally driven anisotropy. The main foliation and fold axis orientations might contribute to the anisotropy. In the lower crust, the N-S orientation of the fast axis is mostly confined to regions north of the Periadriatic Fault and may be related to European subduction. Outside the orogen, no clearly layered structure is identified. The anisotropy pattern in the northern Alpine foreland is found to be similar compared to SKS studies which is an indication of very homogeneous fast axis directions throughout the crust and the upper mantle