Journal of Seismology最新文献

It is known that the site classifications are closely related to the damages caused by earthquakes in areas with increased seismic hazard. Additionally, another important parameter utilized to identify the damage is the Peak Ground Acceleration (PGA) value. While measurements and the GMPE are utilized to identify PGA values, site classification is usually conducted by using the Vs30 value. This study aims to identify the site classifications for Bursa province by using a different approach, namely, the H/V spectral ratio method based on the dominant periods. In this regard, 205 records belonging to 82 earthquakes recorded by 41 strong ground motion stations located in Bursa province were utilized. A mean H/V spectral ratio curve was developed for each station based on the Fourier and response spectra of these earthquake records. Generally, double or multiple peaks resulting from the site structure were observed in the H/V curves. Furthermore, for the station locations, the evaluations were conducted in accordance with the site classifications per the dominant period as it is suggested in the literature. The stations were identified as all of the site classifications suggested by (Zhao et al. Bull Seismol Soc Am 96:914–925, 2006), as SC-1, 2, 3 and 5 suggested by (Fukushima et al. J Earthquake Eng 11:712–724, 2007) and as CL I, II, III, IV and VII suggested by (Di Alessandro et al. Bull Seismol Soc Am 102:680–695, 2012). Additionally, various Spectral Acceleration estimations were made with different GMPE equations for scenario earthquakes, and the results were compared with the design spectra suggested by the Turkish Building Earthquake Code (TBEC 2018). As a result of the study, the H/V spectral curves were generated according to both Fourier and response spectra; using a great number of earthquake data, the hazard was assessed by the soil dominant period-based for the first time in Bursa province.

The double-couple model of the earthquake source has been proven remarkably successful in explaining the radiation pattern in the low-frequency wavefield. However, the radiation pattern is distorted in the high-frequency wavefield. The frequency dependence of the radiation pattern is often interpreted as the path effects. The impact of earthquake sources on radiation patterns is uncertain. In our study, based on the fact that P waves vibrate along the radial direction and S waves vibrate along the transverse direction, the path effects modified model of radiation pattern is proposed based on the optimal ratio coefficient by measuring radial-to-transverse spectral ratios at multiple frequency ranges. Then, we found that the correlation coefficient decreases with the increase of frequency but remains stable with the increase of distance. This means the complexity of the earthquake source can distort the wavefield at higher frequencies and drive variability in the ground motion.

On October 28, 2022, a moment magnitude (Mw) 3.8 earthquake occurred in Goesan, South Korea, typically characterized as a stable continental region. Herein, we analyze 42 earthquakes, including the Mw 3.8 earthquake, the largest foreshock (Mw 3.3), which preceded the mainshock by 17 s, and the largest aftershock (Mw 2.9). The primary aim of this study is to identify interactions among the seismic events. To this end, we utilized the permanent seismic networks with the closest station at 8.3 km from the epicenter, and the temporary network deployed eight hours after the mainshock’s occurrence. Relocation results delineate that the mainshock occurred at the southeastern tip of the hypocenter distribution of three foreshocks, trending west-northwest–east-southeast. The aftershocks form an overall spatially diffused seismic pattern that propagates toward both ends of the inferred lineament in the downdip direction. The rupture directivity of the mainshock, along with waveform similarity across the mainshock and foreshocks, confirms the inferred geometry, corresponding well with the focal mechanisms of the mainshock and the largest foreshock. We demonstrate that the change in Coulomb failure stress (ΔCFS) by the largest foreshock was positive where the mainshock occurred and that the mainshock generated ΔCFS capable of triggering the propagation of the aftershocks.

A homogeneous earthquake catalogue is necessary to conduct a thorough seismological investigation and improve seismic hazard assessment. Therefore, the present study intends to determine the influence of magnitude homogenization based on different regression methods on the seismicity parameters. The earthquake catalog of the Bihar, India region has been used for the study. An events data catalogue consisting of 4001 events has been compiled over the period 1911–2023. The data is primarily sourced from international and local databases have been assembled to provide a comprehensive overview of seismic activity within the study area. Empirical relationships have been derived between moment magnitude and commonly used local and global magnitude scales by performing non-linear regressions using chi-square regression method (CSQ) and ordinary least-square regression method (OLS). Measurement error for both dependent and independent variables of various data sets was calculated for the CSQ process. In order to address the non-linear nature of the correlations, we used curvilinear models, namely, the exponential model (EXP), which was recently introduced by the authors of the global catalogue supported by the global earthquake model (GEM) foundation. The use of CSQ method reduces the bias created by OLS method for defining the nonlinearity of the relationship. Seismicity parameters, including the magnitude of completeness (M_c) and a and b values of the Gutenberg-Richter recurrence model, have been calculated for homogenised undeclustered and declustered catalogue spanning five specific time periods. Declustering has been performed to isolate the foreshocks and aftershocks from the mainshocks. The observed changes in the M_c and b values are found to be dependent on the introduction of more recent data over time. The study area has been divided into eight seismogenic zones based on the geographic variations in earthquake occurrence and the prevailing tectonic conditions. The estimation of M_c, b, and a values has been conducted for each zone, and the analysis has been performed to examine the variations in these parameters. Derived equations serve as valuable tools for assessing and analysing seismic hazards in the north India and the central Himalayas region.

Seismic swarms in a volcanic field can be indicators of the movements of volcanic activity and stagnant magma in the Earth’s crust. In the Tancítaro-Parícutin volcanic region, to the west of the Michoacán-Guanajuato volcanic field in Mexico, at least six seismic swarms have occurred in the last 25 years. However, greater precision is still required due to the distance between and non-permanence of the seismic stations. We used data from a broadband station of the Earth Sciences Research Institute (INICIT-UMSNH) and records from Mexican National Seismological Service (SSN), Center for Geosciences (UNAM) and Mexican National Center for Prevention of Disasters (CENAPRED) to relocate and obtain focal mechanisms for four selected seismic events. We applied the fractal methodology to analyze the inter-event times of the seismic swarm sequences. Two well-defined swarm sequences were identified, and, subsequently, the fractal behavior of the logarithm of inter-event times was analyzed by means of the Hurst and Holder exponent. Our goal was the identification of the different dynamical stages acting during the seismic swarm generation processes, that seem to be related to the stress transfer in different seismogenic faults. By means of the b-values and the temporal evolution of the Hurst exponent, at least five different stages can be distinguished during the Tancítaro-Parícutin seismic swarms. These stages appear to be determined by dynamic changes in the seismic sequence, also indicated by the focal mechanisms whose fits with faults that were apparently activated during the seismic swarm. The Tancítaro-Parícutin seismic swarm processes indeed show multi-fractal behavior, which may be related to different stages in the diffusion process.

The tomography results reveal not only distinct velocity structures in different tectonic zones but can also provide valuable insights into the geological features of the area. This study presents the results of 2D Rayleigh wave tomographic maps obtained in NE Iran. For this purpose, we used the recorded waveforms of more than 500 earthquakes with M > 4 that occurred between January 2000 and October 2020 at 165 stations. The calculated tomographic maps cover a period range of 3 to 36 s, providing the 3D V_S model to analyze crustal structure at depths ranging from 2 to 30 km. At shorter periods, the tomographic maps are primarily influenced by sediment thickness, with the presence of thick sediment layers (~ 10 km) responsible for the observed low V_S anomalies (< 3.1 km/s) in the study area. At longer periods, the tomographic maps highlight the structural characteristics of the middle-lower crustal layers and, somewhere, the depth variations of the Moho discontinuity. The V_S model also confirms the correlation between tectonic fractures and known faults in the study area as boundaries of seismotectonic provinces. Moreover, a distinct area was observed beneath the Binalud foreland, which we interpreted as a suture zone, as suggested by previous studies. The reliability of the resolved anomalies was supported through a series of tests, including checkerboard and earthquake location uncertainties. These tests demonstrated the robustness of the results and provided confidence in the accuracy of the findings.

Until now, numerous efforts have been made to find earthquake precursors. One of the factors that can predict the occurrence of future earthquakes is a decrease in the b-value parameter. In this study, for the metropolis of Tehran, with a population of over 8 million, located on or near many active faults, it is estimated that if the maximum seismic potential of these faults happened again, the greatest disaster in human history would occur. In this case, the analyses indicate a minimum of several hundred thousand casualties and sometimes more than a million. In the current study, various faults around Tehran were investigated, and given that the faults on Tehran have not had serious seismic activity for over a thousand years, this article focused exclusively on adjacent faults, particularly the Eshtehard faults. Therefore, in the current study, the seismicity and tectonics of western Tehran were investigated by analyzing seismic parameters using earthquake data collected from 2003 to 2023. In general, the investigation of the temporal changes in the study area showed that the b-value decreased before the December 20, 2017, earthquake and an increasing trend afterward. Observing anomalies in the b-value before and after the main movement in the area shows that changes in this parameter can be considered a precursor for estimating the time and location of earthquakes. Therefore, a useful step can be taken toward knowing the local seismic hazards by using earthquake data recorded by seismic networks and continuously monitoring the changes in the b-value.

An optimisation-based calibration technique, using the area metric, is applied to determine the input parameters of a stochastic earthquake-waveform simulation method. The calibration algorithm updates a model prior, specifically an estimate of a region’s seismological (source, path and site) parameters, typically developed using waveform data, or existing models, from a wide range of sources. In the absence of calibration, this can result in overestimates of a target region’s ground motion variability, and in some cases, introduce biases. The proposed method simultaneously attains optimum estimates of median, range and distribution (uncertainty) of these seismological parameters, and resultant ground motions, for a specific target region, through calibration of physically constrained parametric models to local ground motion data. We apply the method to Italy, a region of moderate seismicity, using response spectra recorded in the European Strong Motion (ESM) dataset. As a prior, we utilise independent seismological models developed using strong motion data across a wider European context. The calibration obtains values of each seismological parameter considered (such as, but not limited to, quality factor, geometrical spreading and stress drop), to develop a suite of optimal parameters for locally adjusted stochastic ground motion simulation. We consider both the epistemic and aleatory variability associated with the calibration process. We were able to reduce the area metric (misfit) value by up to 88% for the simulations using updated parameters, compared to the initial prior. This framework for the calibration and updating of seismological models can help achieve robust and transparent regionally adjusted estimates of ground motion, and to consider epistemic uncertainty through correlated parameters.

We investigate whether varying wavefield contributions are the likely cause to variation in microtremor horizontal-to-vertical spectral ratio (MHVSR) amplification shape between six sites in the relatively homogeneous geologic setting of Windsor, Ontario. We quantify the MHVSR shape in terms of peak broadness and its fitness using mathematical functions to identify potential wave type contributions. We develop a technique that uses particle motion plots of cross-correlated microtremor recordings to establish the dominant wave types contributing to the microtremor wavefield within three important frequency bandwidths (below, spanning, and above the fundamental peak frequency). We investigate the variability in the inverted shear-wave velocity (V_S) depth profile by performing 21 MHVSR inversions with varying Rayleigh, Love, and body wave contributions. The impact to seismic site characterization is that the depth and V_S of the resonator (half-space) layer are overestimated consistently by an average of 28% compared to the often-default-assumed Rayleigh ellipticity forward amplification model. Our study demonstrates the importance of correctly identifying wave type contributions of the microtremor wavefield for the proper estimation of V_S depth profiles, especially to obtain correct thickness of the sediment layer and resonator V_S and thereby the average V_S of the upper 30 m (V_S30).