Search for: All records

SUMMARY The recent developments in array-based surface-wave tomography have made it possible to directly measure apparent phase velocities through wave front tracking. While directionally dependent measurements have been used to infer intrinsic $$2\psi $$ azimuthal anisotropy (with a 180° periodicity), a few studies have also demonstrated strong but spurious $$1\psi $$ azimuthal anisotropy (360° periodicity) near major structure boundaries particularly for long period surface waves. In such observations, Rayleigh waves propagating in the direction perpendicular to the boundary from the slow to the fast side persistently show a higher apparent velocity compared to waves propagating in the opposite direction. In this study, we conduct numerical and theoretical investigations to explore the effect of scattering on the apparent Rayleigh-wave phase velocity measurement. Using 2-D spectral-element numerical wavefield simulations, we first reproduce the observation that waves propagating in opposite directions show different apparent phase velocities when passing through a major velocity contrast. Based on mode coupling theory and the locked mode approximation, we then investigate the effect of the scattered fundamental-mode Rayleigh wave and body waves interfering with the incident Rayleigh wave separately. We show that scattered fundamental-mode Rayleigh waves, while dominating the scattered wavefield, mostly cause short wavelength apparent phase velocity variations that could only be studied if the station spacing is less than about one tenth of the surface wave wavelength. Scattered body waves, on the other hand, cause longer wavelength velocity variations that correspond to the existing real data observations. Because of the sensitivity of the $$1\psi $$ apparent anisotropy to velocity contrasts, incorporating such measurements in surface wave tomography could improve the resolution and sharpen the structural boundaries of the inverted model. 

Abstract Earthquakes in continental regions overwhelmingly occur in the crust where low pressure and temperature promote brittle failure in response to tectonic stress. In rare cases, primarily in the thickened lithosphere near the Himalayas and Tibet, continental earthquakes occur in the uppermost mantle, perhaps implying an abnormally deep brittle‐ductile transition zone created by relatively low temperatures (≲600°C) and the increased strength of olivine‐rich mantle rocks. Here we present evidence for nine mantle earthquakes—only four of which were previously recognized—along the edge of the Wyoming Craton in the western U.S. Eight of the nine earthquakes occurred >15 km beneath the Moho where temperatures are likely above 700°C. We infer a mixture of brittle and ductile (thermal runaway) source processes facilitated by elevated strain rates from regional or edge‐driven mantle convection, which is thought to be a primary force behind crustal seismicity in the Intermountain West. 

Abstract We construct a 3D shear velocity model of the Salt Lake Valley using Rayleigh waves excited by the 31 March 2020 Mw 6.5 central Idaho earthquake recorded on a 168-station temporary nodal geophone network and the 49-station permanent regional network. The temporary array—deployed in response to the March 18 Mw 5.7 Magna earthquake—serendipitously recorded clear surface waves between 10 and 20 s period from the Idaho event at ∼500 km epicentral distance, from which we measure both Rayleigh wave phase velocity and ellipticity (H/V ratio). In addition, we employ multicomponent earthquake coda cross correlation to extend the measurements down to 5 s period. Because Rayleigh wave ellipticity features outstanding shallow sensitivity, we invert for a 3D upper crust VS model of the Salt Lake Valley. Our model shows basin structure in general agreement with and complements the current Community Velocity Model, which is mostly constrained by borehole and gravity measurements. Our model thus provides critical information for future earthquake hazard assessment studies, which require detailed shallow velocity structure. 

Abstract Local seismic events recorded by the large-N Incorporated Research Institutions for Seismology Community Wavefield Experiment in Oklahoma are used to estimate Moho reflections near the array. For events within 50 km of the center of the array, normal moveout corrections and receiver stacking are applied to identify the PmP and SmS Moho reflections on the vertical and transverse components. Corrections for the reported focal depths are applied to a uniform event depth. To stack signals from multiple events, further static corrections of the envelopes of the Moho reflected arrivals from the individual event stacks are applied. The multiple-event stacks are then used to estimate the pre-critical PmP and SmS arrivals, and an average Poisson’s ratio of 1.77±0.02 was found for the crust near the array. Using a modified Oklahoma Geological Survey (OGS) velocity model with this Poisson’s ratio, the time-to-depth converted PmP and SmS arrivals resulted in a Moho depth of 41±0.6  km. The modeling of wide-angle Moho reflections for selected events at epicenter-to-station distances of 90–135 km provides additional constraints, and assuming the modified OGS model, a Moho depth of 40±1  km was inferred. The difference between the pre-critical and wide-angle Moho estimates could result from some lateral variability between the array and the wide-angle events. However, both estimates are slightly shallower than the original OGS model Moho depth of 42 km, and this could also result from a somewhat faster lower crust. This study shows that local seismic events, including induced events, can be utilized to estimate properties and structure of the crust, which, in turn, can be used to better understand the tectonics of a given region. The recording of local seismicity on large-N arrays provides increased lateral phase coherence for the better identification of precritical and wide-angle reflected arrivals.