Evidences of instantaneous dynamic triggering during the seismic sequence of year 2000 in South Iceland

We analyze the coseismic stress perturbation during the June 17th, 2000 South Iceland seismic sequence; the mainshock (MS 6.6) was followed by three large events within few tens of seconds (8, 26, and 30 s, respectively) located within 80 km. The aim of this paper is to investigate short-term fault interaction and instantaneous triggering. This happens when a fault perturbed by a stress change fails before the end of the transient stress perturbation. We compute the shear, normal, and Coulomb stress changes as functions of time in a stratified elastic half-space by using discrete wavenumber and reflectivity methods. We calculate dynamic stresses caused by the mainshock at the hypocenters of these three subsequent events. Our numerical results show that the onset of the last two events is slightly delayed with respect to the arrival time of the second positive peak of Coulomb stress variation, while the first event occurred after the first positive stress peak. We have also analysed the response of a spring-slider system representing a fault governed by a rate- and state-dependent friction law, perturbed by shear and normal stress variations caused by the mainshock. The fault response to the computed stress perturbations is always clock advanced. We have found suitable constitutive parameters of the modelled fault that allow the instantaneous dynamic triggering of these three earthquakes. If the initial sliding velocity is comparable with the tectonic loading velocity, we obtained failure times close to the observed origin times for low values of the initial effective normal stress

Crustal structure beneath western and eastern Iceland from surface waves and receiver functions

We determine the crustal structures beneath 14 broad-band seismic stations, deployed in western, eastern, central and southern Iceland, using surface wave dispersion curves and receiver functions. We implement a method to invert receiver functions using constraints obtained from genetic algorithm inversion of surface waves. Our final models satisfy both data sets. The thickness of the upper crust, as defined by the velocity horizon Vs= 3.7 km s−1, is fairly uniform at ∼6.5–9 km beneath the Tertiary intraplate areas of western and eastern Iceland, and unusually thick at 11 km beneath station HOT22 in the far south of Iceland. The depth to the base of the lower crust, as defined by the velocity horizon Vs= 4.1 km s−1 is ∼20–26 km in western Iceland and ∼27–33 km in eastern Iceland. These results agree with those of explosion profiles that detect a thinner crust beneath western Iceland than beneath eastern Iceland. An earlier report of a substantial low-velocity zone beneath the Middle Volcanic Zone in the lower crust is confirmed by a similar observation beneath an additional station there. As was found in previous receiver function studies, the most reliable feature of the results is the clear division into an upper sequence that is a few kilometres thick where velocity gradients are high, and a lower, thicker sequence where velocity gradients are low. The transition to typical mantle velocities is variable, and may range from being very gradational to being relatively sharp and clear. A clear Moho, by any definition, is rarely seen, and there is thus uncertainty in estimates of the thickness of the crust in many areas. Although a great deal of seismic data are now available constraining the structures of the crust and upper mantle beneath Iceland, their geological nature is not well understood

Analysis of regional events recorded at NORESS

Events recorded by NORESS are analyzed to determine the velocities and times of coherent crustal phases to be used in accurate locations and determination of crustal structure. The events straddle two azimuthal directions, and range in distance from 50 to 300 km, thus sampling two cross-sections of the crust and upper mantle: one in the Caledonides to the northwest of NORESS and the other to the south along the eastern rim of the Oslo Graben. f-k analysis is used to search for coherent phases in the data. All vertical channels are then stacked with the appropriate time delays calculated from the phase velocities and azimuths obtained for the coherent arrivals. Finally, a composite seismogram is made for each event by piecing together time sections from the stacks, where each time piece represents a coherent arrival. -from Author

The early events after the June 17 2000 mainshock in South Iceland: constraints for instantaneous dynamic triggering with rate- and state-dependent friction

We analyze the coseismic stress redistribution during the seismic sequence of June 17 2000 in South Iceland in which a mainshock (MS 6.6) was followed by three quite large events within few tens of seconds (8, 26 and 30 s respectively) at a distance up to about 90 km. We use this observational case to investigate the possibility of fault interaction by purely transient coseismic stress changes and in particular nearly instantaneous triggering. We compute the stress changes as functions of time in a stratified elastic half space by means of the discrete wavenumber and reflectivity method (Cotton and Coutant, 1997). We evaluate the dynamic stress caused by the mainshock at the three hypocenters of the subsequent events. Our results show that the onset of the last two events is slightly delayed with respect to the arrival time of the second positive peak of Coulomb Failure Function variation, while the first event stroked after the first positive peak. We also analysed the response of a rate- and state-dependent springslider model of fault perturbed by the shear stress and the normal stress variations that we computed as generated by the June 17 2000 mainshock at the three hypocenters. Assuming an initial sliding velocity comparable with tectonic velocity of the region, for the last two events, we obtained failure times close to the observed origin times, provided that the value of the initial effective normal stress is low enough, whereas the 8 s event requires closer to failure initial conditions to be reproduced. The 8 s event might already be close to failure at the time of the mainshock, due to its vicinity to the main event and the subsequent June 21 (MS 6.6) mainshock. Therefore the first aftershock does not provide us a clear evidence of dynamic triggering.SubmittedViennaope

Evidence of instantaneous dynamic triggering during the seismic sequence of year 2000 in south Iceland

We analyze the coseismic stress perturbation during the 17 June 2000 south Iceland seismic sequence; the main shock (Ms 6.6) was followed by three large events within a few tens of seconds (8, 26, and 30 s) located within 80 km. The aim of this paper is to investigate short-term fault interaction and instantaneous triggering. This happens when a fault perturbed by a stress change fails before the end of the transient stress perturbation. We compute the shear, normal, and Coulomb stress changes as functions of time in a stratified elastic half-space by using discrete wave number and reflectivity methods. We calculate dynamic stresses caused by the main shock at the hypocenters of these three subsequent events. Our numerical results show that the onset of the last two events is slightly delayed with respect to the arrival time of the second positive peak of Coulomb stress variation, while the first event occurred after the first positive stress peak. We have also analyzed the response of a spring slider system representing a fault governed by a rate- and state-dependent friction law, perturbed by shear and normal stress variations caused by the main shock. The fault response to the computed stress perturbations is always clock advanced. We have found suitable constitutive parameters of the modeled fault that allow the instantaneous dynamic triggering of these three earthquakes. If the initial sliding velocity is comparable with the tectonic loading velocity, we obtained failure times close to the observed origin times for low values of the initial effective normal stress

Evidences of instantaneous dynamic triggering during the seismic sequence of year 2000 in South Iceland

We analyze the coseismic stress perturbation during the June 17th, 2000 South Iceland seismic sequence; the mainshock (MS 6.6) was followed by three large events within few tens of seconds (8, 26, and 30 s, respectively) located within 80 km. The aim of this paper is to investigate short-term fault interaction and instantaneous triggering. This happens when a fault perturbed by a stress change fails before the end of the transient stress perturbation. We compute the shear, normal, and Coulomb stress changes as functions of time in a stratified elastic half-space by using discrete wavenumber and reflectivity methods. We calculate dynamic stresses caused by the mainshock at the hypocenters of these three subsequent events. Our numerical results show that the onset of the last two events is slightly delayed with respect to the arrival time of the second positive peak of Coulomb stress variation, while the first event occurred after the first positive stress peak. We have also analysed the response of a spring-slider system representing a fault governed by a rate- and state-dependent friction law, perturbed by shear and normal stress variations caused by the mainshock. The fault response to the computed stress perturbations is always clock advanced. We have found suitable constitutive parameters of the modelled fault that allow the instantaneous dynamic triggering of these three earthquakes. If the initial sliding velocity is comparable with the tectonic loading velocity, we obtained failure times close to the observed origin times for low values of the initial effective normal stress.Submittedope

The early events after the June 17 2000 mainshock in South Iceland: constraints for instantaneous dynamic triggering with rate- and state-dependent friction

We analyze the coseismic stress redistribution during the seismic sequence of June 17 2000 in South Iceland in which a mainshock (MS 6.6) was followed by three quite large events within few tens of seconds (8, 26 and 30 s respectively) at a distance up to about 90 km. We use this observational case to investigate the possibility of fault interaction by purely transient coseismic stress changes and in particular nearly instantaneous triggering. We compute the stress changes as functions of time in a stratified elastic half space by means of the discrete wavenumber and reflectivity method (Cotton and Coutant, 1997). We evaluate the dynamic stress caused by the mainshock at the three hypocenters of the subsequent events. Our results show that the onset of the last two events is slightly delayed with respect to the arrival time of the second positive peak of Coulomb Failure Function variation, while the first event stroked after the first positive peak. We also analysed the response of a rate- and state-dependent springslider model of fault perturbed by the shear stress and the normal stress variations that we computed as generated by the June 17 2000 mainshock at the three hypocenters. Assuming an initial sliding velocity comparable with tectonic velocity of the region, for the last two events, we obtained failure times close to the observed origin times, provided that the value of the initial effective normal stress is low enough, whereas the 8 s event requires closer to failure initial conditions to be reproduced. The 8 s event might already be close to failure at the time of the mainshock, due to its vicinity to the main event and the subsequent June 21 (MS 6.6) mainshock. Therefore the first aftershock does not provide us a clear evidence of dynamic triggering

Analysis of teleseismic body waves radiated from the Loma Prieta Earthquake

Broad‐band data from IRIS and ORFEUS data centers, the ARCESS array and SCP station are analyzed to infer fault plane geometry and the character of rupture during the October 17, 1989, Loma Prieta earthquake. Interference of P and sP seen in the P wave forms is consistent with the 18 km source depth inferred from local observations. A minimum source depth of 14 km is inferred from interpretation of the S wave arrival time, relative to instrument trigger, using horizontal strong motion accelerations observed at Corralitos, California. P, sP, S and sS polarities and relative amplitudes are used in a comprehensive grid search to infer that oblique right‐lateral faulting occurred on a steeply dipping (56°–60°) section of the San Andreas fault with an equal amount of thrust component consistent with aftershock locations. A suite of point moment tensor inversions for source depths spanning the observed depth of aftershock hypocenters yields similar mechanisms. The best moment tensor in terms of wave form fit and minimum non‐double couple component occurs for a source depth of 8 km, substantially shallower than the locally inferred hypocenter. Seismic moment for this model is 2.3 × 1026 dyn‐cm. The slow growth of the P displacement pulse with time and impulsive sP suggests a working model for fault rapture where rupture initiates at 18 km and propagates upwards and outwards along the fault. The P wave forms show the effects of variations in rupture along the plane through observation of a cascade of successively larger subevents. Copyright 1990 by the American Geophysical Union

Evidence of instantaneous dynamic triggering during the seismic sequence of year 2000 in south Iceland

none4Modo di citazione del lavoro richiesto dal Journal of Geophysical Research: Antonioli, A., M. E. Belardinelli, A. Bizzarri, and K. S. Vogfjord (2006), Evidence of instantaneous dynamic triggering during the seismic sequence of year 2000 in south Iceland, J. Geophys. Res., 111, B03302, doi:10.1029/2005JB003935.noneA. Antonioli; M.E. Belardinelli; A. Bizzarri; K.S. VogfjordA. Antonioli; M.E. Belardinelli; A. Bizzarri; K.S. Vogfjor

Seismic evidence for a tilted mantle plume and large-scale, north-south flow beneath Iceland

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