Array data processing techniques applied to long-period shear waves at Fennoscandian seismograph stations

Array data processing is applied to long-period records of S waves at a network of five Fennoscandian seismograph stations (Uppsala, Umeå, Nurmijärvi, Kongsberg, Copenhagen) with a maximum separation of 1300 km. Records of five earthquakes and one underground explosion are included in the study. The S motion is resolved into SH and SV, and after appropriate time shifts the individual traces are summed, both directly and after weighting. In general, high signal correlation exists among the different stations involved resulting in more accurate time readings, especially for records which have amplitudes that are too small to be read normally. S-wave station residuals correlate with the general crustal type under each station. In addition, the Fennoscandian shield may have a higher SH/SV velocity ratio than the adjacent tectonic area to the northwest.SV-to-P conversion at the base of the crust can seriously interfere with picking the onset of Sin normal record reading. The study demonstrates that, for epicentral distances beyond about 30°, existing networks of seismograph stations can be successfully used for array processing of long-period arrivals, especially the S arrivals

New vertical geodesy

Vertical geodesy is undergoing a revolution because of two factors. First, new precise three-dimensional position measurement techniques used over very long distances and based on extraterrestrial reference systems provide a new class and precision of geometric data previously unavailable for geophysical investigations. Second, physical models in tectonic theory for large earthquakes predict crustal distortions that violate the conventional assumptions used to interpret gravity and leveling data. Leveling and geometric elevation measurements are not directly comparable because the interpretation of leveling data is density-model dependent. Estimates of pre-1971 San Fernando earthquake elevation changes based on leveling of about 10 cm may be as much as 3 cm, or 40%, too large. Pre-1964 Niigata earthquake leveling surveys, previously used as confirmation of the dilatancy model, do not require dilatancy as an explanation and easily allow an alternative model with a subsurface density increase. Gravity is also not a dependable estimator of elevation change. But a combination of gravity with either leveling, if the dimensions of the distorted body are known or small, or geometric elevation measurements is essential for the determination of crustal density and strain changes. The 1965–1967 Matsushiro earthquake swarm leveling and gravity data show a significant dilatant strain of 0.6–1.8×10^(−4) if the proper model dimensions are used. This dilatant strain would be adequate to cause the observed drop in V_p/V_s, even if the crust were initially saturated prior to distortion. The combination of gravity, leveling, and the new geometric elevation measurements provides a useful parameter, gravitational potential, for the inversion of subsurface density distributions. Use of this parameter, defined as the free-air elevation anomaly, is illustrated for a nearly compensated mountain root structure and shows that this technique holds significant promise for the study of large, deep structures in the crust and upper mantle

Asymmetric P′P′: An alternative to P′dP′ reflections in the uppermost mantle (0 to 110 km)

Precursors to P′P′ (PKPPKP), first interpreted as sub-surface reflections by Gutenberg in 1960 and studied in several later papers by other authors, precede the P′P′ phase by up to 200 sec. This phase, designated P′dP′ where d is the depth of reflection, has unique potential for giving new details of upper-mantle structure. However, as with any newly discovered seismic phase, the uniqueness of its interpretation must be well established. Asymmetric P′P′ phases reflecting from surface or near-surface dipping interfaces pose a challenge to this uniqueness because of their maximum-time nature. Simplified estimates of the amplitudes of asymmetric P′P′ rays are made, including consideration of the relative amplitudes of core phases and the finiteness of the reflecting surfaces of dipping interfaces. These estimates lead to the conclusion that the reading of asymmetric P′P′ at a single station is likely only in the 0- to 30-sec range before the main symmetric P′P′ phase. However, if array beam-forming is used, this range is reduced to 0 to 10 sec. The data indicate that both P′dP′ and asymmetric P′P′ are present at up to 30 sec lead time and array beam-forming is needed to differentiate between the two. A further effect of the maximum-time nature of P′P′ is that, in practice, the geographic location of the reflection point can be determined to within only a few degrees

Reflection of P'P' Seismic Waves from Discontinuities in the Mantle

A systematic study of the travel times and apparent velocities of precursors of the seismic core phase PKPPKP indicate that these phases are reflections from the mantle. The strongest reflection is from a depth of 630 km. In order of confidence, other reflectors were found at depths of 280, 520, 940, 410 (very weak), and 1250 km (tentative). The weakness of the 410-km reflection was surprising in view of the large velocity increase at this depth indicated by refraction and Love-wave studies. This transition region must be broader than the others or must involve a smaller density jump. Reflections were observed that were possibly from the top and bottom of the low-velocity zone at depths of 50 and 130 km, respectively. The above reflections are interpreted in terms of the following solid-solid phase changes, in order of increasing depth: pyroxene-garnet solid solution, olivine → β spinel, β spinel → spinel and pyroxene → spinel + stishovite, spinel → post-spinel, and garnet → ilmenite or oxides. A spin-spin transition in Fe^(2+) may be responsible for one of the deeper discontinuities found by others

A local earthquake coda magnitude and its relation to duration, moment M_o, and local Richter magnitude M_L

A relationship is found between the seismic moment, M_o, of shallow local earthquakes, coda amplitudes, and the total duration of the signal, t, in seconds, measured from the earthquake origin time. Following Aki, we assume that the end of the coda is composed of backscattering surface waves due to lateral heterogeneity in the shallow crust. Using the linear relationship between the logarithm of M_o and the local Richter magnitude M_L, we obtain a relationship between M_L and t, of the form: M_L = a_0 + a_1 log t + a_2t^(1/3) + f(t), where a_0, a_1, a_2 are constants depending on an attenuation parameter (effective Q) and geometric spreading; and f(t) is a function of the instrument response and a (weak) function of the scattering process. This relationship is different from the empirical one generally used M_L = a_0 + a_1 log τ + a_2(log τ)^2 + a_3Δ, where τ is the duration measured from the first P arrival time and Δ is epicentral distance in kilometers. In the theoretical relationship, the dependence on epicentral distance is implicit in t. The theoretical relationship is used to calculate a coda magnitude M_C that is compared to M_L for southern California earthquakes which occurred during the period from 1972 to 1975. This comparison is made independently at six stations of the CIT network. At all stations, a good linear fit (M_L = C_0 + C_1M_C) is obtained. The standard errors range from 0.2 to 0.3 and the correlation coefficients from 0.80 to 0.90. Once station gain is accounted for, station correction terms are less than 0.17 magnitude unit when comparing M_L and M_c. M_c calculation is not limited to a duration measurement but can utilize the entire earthquake coda in order to increase by many times the statistical confidence in an estimate of an earthquake's magnitude

New vertical geodesy

Vertical geodesy is undergoing a revolution because of two factors. First, new precise three-dimensional position measurement techniques used over very long distances and based on extraterrestrial reference systems provide a new class and precision of geometric data previously unavailable for geophysical investigations. Second, physical models in tectonic theory for large earthquakes predict crustal distortions that violate the conventional assumptions used to interpret gravity and leveling data. Leveling and geometric elevation measurements are not directly comparable because the interpretation of leveling data is density-model dependent. Estimates of pre-1971 San Fernando earthquake elevation changes based on leveling of about 10 cm may be as much as 3 cm, or 40%, too large. Pre-1964 Niigata earthquake leveling surveys, previously used as confirmation of the dilatancy model, do not require dilatancy as an explanation and easily allow an alternative model with a subsurface density increase. Gravity is also not a dependable estimator of elevation change. But a combination of gravity with either leveling, if the dimensions of the distorted body are known or small, or geometric elevation measurements is essential for the determination of crustal density and strain changes. The 1965–1967 Matsushiro earthquake swarm leveling and gravity data show a significant dilatant strain of 0.6–1.8×10^(−4) if the proper model dimensions are used. This dilatant strain would be adequate to cause the observed drop in V_p/V_s, even if the crust were initially saturated prior to distortion. The combination of gravity, leveling, and the new geometric elevation measurements provides a useful parameter, gravitational potential, for the inversion of subsurface density distributions. Use of this parameter, defined as the free-air elevation anomaly, is illustrated for a nearly compensated mountain root structure and shows that this technique holds significant promise for the study of large, deep structures in the crust and upper mantle

Seismological Studies of the San Fernando Earthquake and Their Tectonic Implications

Improved hypocentral locations have been obtained for the San Fernando earthquake and its larger aftershocks through the use of data from portable stations installed in and around the aftershock area subsequent to the main shock. The main shock, at 14 00 41.8 GMT on 9 February 1971, is now assigned a magnitude (M_L) of 6.4 and a location at 34° 24.7' N, 118° 24.0' W, h = 8.4 km. Fifty-five aftershocks of magnitude 4.0 and greater had occurred through 31 December 1971. The lunate-shaped epicentral distribution of aftershocks is consistent with the idea of southward thrusting along a disc-shaped fault surface, and aftershock depths as well as aftershock focal mechanisms suggest that the thrust surface dips about 35° toward N 20° E. However, a distinct linear alignment of left-lateral strike-slip aftershocks parallel to the motion direction near the west boundary of activity suggests that the fault surface has a steep flexure along this line, down-stepped to the west, and both the planar distribution of aftershocks and the local geology support this concept

San Fernando Earthquake Series, 1971: Focal Mechanisms and Tectonics

The largest events in the San Fernando earthquake series, initiated by the main shock at 14h 00m 41.8s UT on February 9, 1971, were chosen for analysis from the first three months of activity, 87 events in all. C. R. Allen and his co-workers assigned the main shock parameters: 34°24.7′N, 118°24.0′W, focal depth h = 8.4 km, and local magnitude M_L = 6.4. The initial rupture location coincides with the lower, northernmost edge of the main north-dipping thrust fault and the aftershock distribution. The best focal mechanism fit to the main shock P wave first motions constrains the fault plane parameters to: strike, N67°(±6°)W; dip, 52°(±3°)NE; rake, 72° (67°−95°) left lateral. Focal mechanisms of the aftershocks clearly outline a down step of the western edge of the main thrust fault surface along a northeast-trending flexure. Faulting on this down step is left lateral strike slip and dominates the strain release of the aftershock series, which indicates that the down step limited the main event rupture on the west. The main thrust fault surface dips at about 35° to the northeast at shallow depths and probably steepens to 50° below a depth of 8 km. This steep dip at depth is a characteristic of other thrust faults in the Transverse ranges and indicates the presence at depth of laterally varying vertical forces that are probably due to buckling or overriding that causes some upward redirection of a dominant north-south horizontal compression. Two sets of events exhibit normal dip slip motion with shallow hypocenters and correlate with areas of ground subsidence deduced from gravity data. One set in the northeastern aftershock area is related to shallow extensional stresses caused by the steepening of the main fault plane. The other set is probably caused by a deviation of displacements along the down step of the main fault surface that resulted in localized ground subsidence near the western end of the main fault break. Several lines of evidence indicate that a horizontal compressional stress in a north or north-northwest direction was added to the stresses in the aftershock area 12 days after the main shock. After this change, events were contained in bursts along the down step, and sequencing within the bursts provides evidence for an earthquake-triggering phenomenon that propagates with speeds of 5–15 km/day. Seismicity before the San Fernando series and the mapped structure of the area suggest that the down step of the main fault surface is not a localized discontinuity but is part of a zone of weakness extending from Point Dume, near Malibu, to Palmdale on the San Andreas fault. This zone is interpreted as a decoupling boundary between crustal blocks that permits them to deform separately in the prevalent crustal shortening mode of the Transverse ranges region

Elsinore fault seismicity: The September 13, 1973, Agua Caliente Springs, California, earthquake series

A relatively small M_L = 4.8 earthquake and its aftershock series on the southern portion of the Elsinore Fault Zone in eastern San Diego County, California, provided a rare opportunity to study an area that has been subjected to variable tectonic interpretations in the past. Within 12 to 26 hours after the main shock, a network of four portable seismograph stations was established around the main event near Agua Caliente Springs to supplement the stations of the Southern California Seismographic Network. Four days after the main shock, seven additional portable seismograph stations were installed. In addition to the main event, 45 subsequent events were studied, ranging in magnitude from about 1.0 to 3.7. Of these, 36 could be termed aftershocks by their close proximity to the main event, whose proper location was determined by analysis of the aftershock series. Of the two branches of the Elsinore Fault in this region, the south branch is associated with the earthquake series. Focal mechanisms are consistent with right-lateral strike-slip along the south branch, with northeast dip at latitude 32°51′N. These conclusions are supported by hypocentral locations. Thrust activity on the two fault branches may be developing a horst between them, accounting for elevation and tilt changes observed near Agua Caliente