Historical seismograms for unravelling a mysterious earthquake: The 1907 Sumatra Earthquake

History of instrumental seismology is short. Seismograms are available only for a little more than 100 years; high-quality seismograms are available only for the last 50 years and the seismological database is very limited in time. To extend the database, seismograms of old events are of vital importance. Many unusual earthquakes are known to have occurred, but their seismological characteristics are poorly known. The 1907 Sumatra earthquake is one of them (1907 January 4, M= 7.6). Gutenberg and Richter located this event in the outer-rise area of the Sunda arc. This earthquake is known to be anomalous because of its extensive tsunami, which is disproportionate of its magnitude. The tsunami affected the coastal areas over 950 km along the Sumatran coast. We investigated this earthquake using the historical seismograms we could collect from several seismological observatories. We examined the P-wave arrival times listed in the Strassburg Bulletin (1912) and other station bulletins. The scatter of the Observed−Computed traveltime residuals ranges from –30 to 30 s, too large to locate the event accurately. The uncertainty of the epicentre estimated from an S-P grid-search relocation study is at least 1° (~110 km). We interpreted the Omori seismograms from Osaka, Mizusawa and Tokyo, and the Wiechert seismograms from Göttingen and Uppsala by comparing them with the seismograms simulated from modern broad-band seismograms of the 2002, 2008 and two 2010 Sumatra earthquakes which occurred near the 1907 earthquake. From the amplitude of Rayleigh waves recorded on the Omori seismograms we conclude that the magnitude of the 1907 earthquake at about 30 to 40 s is about 7.8 (i.e. 7.5 to 8.0). The SH waveforms recorded on the Göttingen and Uppsala seismograms suggest that the 1907 earthquake is a thrust earthquake at a shallow depth around 30 km. The most likely scenario is that the 1907 earthquake initiated on the subduction interface, and slowly ruptured up-dip into the shallow sediments and caused the extensive tsunami. Although their quantity and quality are limited, historical seismograms provide key quantitative information about old events that cannot be obtained otherwise. This underscores the importance of preserving historical seismograms

Fundamental studies in geodynamics

Research in fundamental studies in geodynamics continued in a number of fields including seismic observations and analysis, synthesis of geochemical data, theoretical investigation of geoid anomalies, extensive numerical experiments in a number of geodynamical contexts, and a new field seismic volcanology. Summaries of work in progress or completed during this report period are given. Abstracts of publications submitted from work in progress during this report period are attached as an appendix

Numerical Study of Photo-Induced Dynamics in Double-Exchange Model

Photo-induced spin and charge dynamics in double-exchange model are numerically studied. The Lanczos method and the density-matrix renormalization-group method are applied to one-dimensional finite-size clusters. By photon irradiation in a charge ordered (CO) insulator associated with antiferromagnetic (AFM) correlation, both the CO and AFM correlations collapse rapidly, and appearances of new peaks inside of an insulating gap are observed in the optical spectra and the one-particle excitation spectra. Time evolutions of the spin correlation and the in-gap state are correlated with each other, and are governed by the transfer integral of conduction electrons. Results are interpreted by the charge kink/anti-kink picture and their effective motions which depend on the localized spin correlation. Pump-photon density dependence of spin and charge dynamics are also studied. Roles of spin degree of freedom are remarkable in a case of weak photon density. Implications of the numerical results for the pump-probe experiments in perovskite manganites are discussed.Comment: 16 pages, 16 figure

Modeling near-field tsunami observations to improve finite-fault slip models for the 11 March 2011 Tohoku earthquake

The massive tsunami generated by the 11 March 2011 Tohoku earthquake (M_w 9.0) was widely recorded by GPS buoys, wave gauges, and ocean bottom pressure sensors around the source. Numerous inversions for finite-fault slip time histories have been performed using seismic and/or geodetic observations, yielding generally consistent patterns of large co-seismic slip offshore near the hypocenter and/or up-dip near the trench, where estimated peak slip is ~60 m. Modeling the tsunami generation and near-field wave processes using two detailed rupture models obtained from either teleseismic P waves or high-rate GPS recordings in Japan allows evaluation of how well the finite-fault models account for the regional tsunami data. By determining sensitivity of the tsunami calculations to rupture model features, we determine model modifications that improve the fit to the diverse tsunami data while retaining the fit to the seismic and geodetic observations

Real-time testing of the on-site warning algorithm in southern California and its performance during the July 29 2008 M_w5.4 Chino Hills earthquake

The real-time performance of the τ_c -P_d on-site early warning algorithm currently is being tested within the California Integrated Seismic Network (CISN). Since January 2007, the algorithm has detected 58 local earthquakes in southern California and Baja with moment magnitudes of 3.0 ≤ M_w ≤ 5.4. Combined with newly derived station corrections the algorithm allowed for rapid determination of moment magnitudes and Modified Mercalli Intensity (MMI) with uncertainties of ±0.5 and ±0.7 units, respectively. The majority of reporting delays ranged from 9 to 16 s. The largest event, the July 29 2008 M_w5.4 Chino Hills earthquake, triggered a total of 60 CISN stations in epicentral distances of up to 250 km. Magnitude predictions at these stations ranged from M_w4.4 to M_w6.5 with a median of M_w5.6. The closest station would have provided up to 6 s warning at Los Angeles City Hall, located 50 km to the west-northwest of Chino Hills

Continuous Charge Modulated Diagonal Phase in Manganites

We present a novel ground state that explain the continuous modulated charge diagonal order recently observed in manganese oxides, at hole densities $x$ larger than one half. In this diagonal phase the charge is modulated with a predominant Fourier component inversely proportional to $1-x$. Magnetically this state consist of antiferromagnetic coupled zig-zag chains. For a wide range of relevant physical parameters as electron-phonon coupling, antiferromagnetic interaction between Mn ions and on-site Coulomb repulsion, the diagonal phase is the ground state of the system. The diagonal phase is favored by the modulation of the hopping amplitude along the zig-zag chains, and it is stabilized with respect to the one dimensional straight chain by the electron phonon coupling. For realistic estimation of the physical parameters, the diagonal modulation of the electron density is only a small fraction of the average charge, a modulation much smaller than the obtained by distributing Mn$^{+3}$ and Mn$^{+4}$ ions. We discuss also the spin and orbital structure properties of this new diagonal phase.Comment: 4 pages, 4 figures include

Source mechanism of the magnitude 7.2 Grand Banks earthquake of November 1929: Double couple or submarine landslide?

We have examined P, S, and surface waves derived from seismograms that we collected for the 1929 Grand Banks, Canada, earthquake. This event is noteworthy for the sediment slide and turbidity current that broke the trans-Atlantic cables and for its destructive tsunami. Both the surface-wave magnitude, M_S, and the body-wave magnitude, m_B, calculated from these seismograms are 7.2. Fault mechanisms previously suggested for this event include a NW-SE-striking strike-slip mechanism and an approximately E-W-striking thrust mechanism. In addition, because of the presence of an extensive area of slump and turbidity current, there exists the possibility that sediment slumping could also be a primary causative factor of this event. We tested these fault models and a horizontal single-force (oriented N5°W) model representing a sediment slide against our data. Among these models, only the single-force model is consistent with the P-, S-, and surface-wave data. Our data, however, do not preclude fault models which were not tested. From the spectral data of Love waves at a 50-sec period, we estimated the magnitude of the single force to be about 1.4 × 10^(20) dynes. From this value, we estimated the total volume of sedimentary slumping to be about 5.5 × 10^(11) m^3, which is approximately 5 times larger than a recent estimate of volume from in situ measurements. The difference in estimates of overall volume is likely due to a combination of the inherent difficulty in estimating accurately the displaced sediments from in situ measurements, and of inadequacy of the seismic model; or perhaps because not only the slump but also a tectonic earthquake could have been the cause of this event and contributed significantly to the waveforms studied

Anisotropy beneath California: shear wave splitting measurements using a dense broadband array

We have determined the shear wave splitting parameters for a dense network of broad-band stations in the western United States using high-quality SKS and SKKS waveforms, with particularly high spatial resolution in the southern California region covered by the TriNet seismic network. The alignment of most fast polarization directions can be explained by plate-tectonic, extensional and compressional events. We find that the overall pattern of fast directions agrees well with the Pn anisotropy model by Hearn that images the uppermost mantle. Furthermore, the measured fast directions are generally orthogonal to the maximum horizontal compressive stress directions as determined from shallow crustal stress indicators (World Stress Map). This suggests that the pattern of anisotropy in the western US is predominantly uniform throughout the crust and upper mantle and that a 100–150 km thick layer (as estimated from the SKS delay time, assuming 4 per cent anisotropy) of anisotropic material has experienced coherent strain conditions and has undergone a similar deformation history. A more detailed investigation reveals small-scale lateral variations in anisotropy that are manifested by minor differences in splitting parameters between closely located stations as well as between SKS and SKKS for the same station-event pairs. We also identify a contrast in splitting parameters between central (the greater Bay area) and southern California. In central California, our measurements show evidence for variation of splitting parameters with backazimuth, while in southern California the pattern of measurements can be fit adequately with a single-layer anisotropy model. This contrast dominates any consistent effect of the San Andreas Fault (SAF). We can fit the variation of splitting parameters as a function of polarization azimuth for some stations in the vicinity of the SAF better with a two-layer anisotropy model than a single layer model, with one thin layer having a fast direction parallel to the SAF. However, many alternative models, which could incorporate dipping axes of anisotropy, lateral variation of anisotropy or a more continuous variation of fast direction with depth, would be able to produce a similar fit