On 26 September 2022 two seismic events near the Danish island of Bornholm in the Baltic Sea were detected. The first event with a magnitude Mw 2.3 occurred at 00:03 UTC 40 km east-southeast of Bornholm. The determined location and the origin time of the event are consistent with data of the pressure decrease on one of the Nord Stream 2 pipelines. Another sequence of events occurred 17 hours later at 17:03 UTC around 60 km north-east of Bornholm with a maximum magnitude of Mw 2.7. It consists of three closely successive, but separable, single events. Using relative localisation methods and the gas pressure inside the pipeline recorded at the landing site in Germany, we can assign the epicentres of the three events to the locations of the leaks in the pipelines of Nord Stream 1 and 2.

Based on comparable events in the region, which include both tectonic earthquakes and explosions, the explosive character of the investigated Nord Stream events can be verified. Infrasound signals associated with the destruction of the Nord Stream pipelines were recorded at two stations (I26DE in the Bavarian Forest and IKUDE near Kühlungsborn) in Germany. Particularly after the event sequence at 17:03 UTC, distinctive signals were registered whose characteristics indicate an explosive event with subsequent gas leakage at the surface.

Our modelling of the sources shows that the measured seismic signals can sufficiently be explained by the instantaneous gas release. Synthetic seismograms for such a source and a subsurface model adapted for the study area show high consistency with the measured signals. Based on the released energy and the characteristics of the recorded waveforms, we conclude that the impulsive gas release from the burst gas pipes constitutes the dominant part of the signal source. The model places an upper limit of approximately 50 kg TNT equivalent on the yield of the chemical explosive component of the events, but we note that smaller yields may also be consistent with the data.

We also carried out an analysis of the seismic signals of the event on the Balticconnector pipeline between Finland and Estonia on 8 October 2023 and found that again the instantaneous gas release can sufficiently explain the observed data. This supports a possible mechanical cause of the damage.

How to cite: Steinberg, A., Gestermann, N., Ceranna, L., Hartmann, G., Lund, B., Dunham, E., Hupe, P., Voss, P., Larsen, T., Dahl-Jensen, T., Köhler, A., Schweitzer, J., Pilger, C., Plenefisch, T., Stammler, K., Donner, S., Gaebler, P., and Wiedle, C.: Source analysis of the 2022 Nord Stream and 2023 Balticconnector underwater explosions, EGU General Assembly 2024, Vienna, Austria, 14–19 Apr 2024, EGU24-7660, https://doi.org/10.5194/egusphere-egu24-7660, 2024.

Six-degree-of-freedom (6-DoF) measurements, which combine rotational sensors and seismometers, provide a comprehensive dataset that allows seismologists to determine the back azimuth of a potentially moving source from a single-point measurement. Our investigation focused on tracking the movement of a vibroseis truck operating from 20 November 2019, 11:00 UTC, to 21 November 2019, 14:00 UTC. Using 480 sweep signals, each lasting 15 seconds and covering a wide frequency range from 7 to 120 Hz, we measured at 160 different locations. Back azimuths for each sweep were derived from the 6-DoF data, and root mean squares were calculated for each component. This procedure was repeated for five additional rotational sensors of the same type.
During the first day, the north component of all sensors recorded larger amplitude signals than the East and Vertical, indicating the dominance of SV (shear-vertical) wave energy. Subsequently, we observed gradually increasing amplitudes on the east component, which was consistent with the direction of the moving vibroseis truck. Although the dominant wave type recorded was SV, and the method of comparing horizontal rotation rates was used to calculate the back azimuth, we observed a relatively decreasing accuracy of direction estimates as the truck moved away from the sensors due to increased scattering. To fully understand the reason for this, we investigated the specific fingerprint of each wave type in the wave field. Our results suggest that direction estimates should be made using only the portion of the wavefield containing SV-type waves when using this method, and then the moving source should be tracked accordingly. This approach provides insight into the trajectory of the truck and improves our understanding of the seismic signals generated during the experiment.

How to cite: Izgi, G., Eibl, E. P. S., Krüger, F., and Bernauer, F.: Tracking a Vibroseis Truck and Investigating the Wavefield using 6 Rotational Sensors in Fürstenfeldbruck, Germany , EGU General Assembly 2024, Vienna, Austria, 14–19 Apr 2024, EGU24-8482, https://doi.org/10.5194/egusphere-egu24-8482, 2024.

Seismic urgent computing aims at assessing the potential impact of earthquakes through rapid simulation-based ground-shaking forecasts. However, uncertainty quantification remains a significant challenge in this domain.

While current practice accounts for the uncertainty arising from Ground Motion Models (GMMs), it neglects the uncertainty about the source model, which is only known approximately in the first minutes after an earthquake. Addressing this issue involves propagating earthquake source uncertainty from a multi-scenarios ensemble that captures source variability to ground motion predictions. In principle, this could be accomplished with 3D modelling of seismic wave propagation for multiple earthquake sources. However, full ensemble simulation is unfeasible under emergency conditions with strict time constraints.

Here we present ProbShakemap, a Python toolbox which generates multi-scenario ensembles and delivers ensemble-based forecasts for urgent source uncertainty quantification. It implements GMMs to efficiently propagate source uncertainty from the ensemble of scenarios to ground motion predictions at a set of points, while also accounting for model uncertainty (by accommodating multiple GMMs, if available) along with their intrinsic uncertainty. Notably, ProbShakemap does not rely on any recorded data, and only requires the following event-specific information: latitude, longitude, magnitude and time. ProbShakemap incorporates functionalities from two open-source toolboxes routinely implemented in seismic hazard and risk analyses: the USGS ShakeMap software and the OpenQuake-engine.

We quantitatively test ProbShakemap against past earthquakes, illustrating its capability to rapidly quantify earthquake source uncertainty.

How to cite: Stallone, A., Selva, J., Cordrie, L., Faenza, L., and Michelini, A.: ProbShakemap: a Python toolbox for urgent earthquake source uncertainty quantification, EGU General Assembly 2024, Vienna, Austria, 14–19 Apr 2024, EGU24-1985, https://doi.org/10.5194/egusphere-egu24-1985, 2024.

The purpose of the study is to describe a geodynamic process in the study area using its focal mechanism and stress field inversion to characterize precise events along the study area, the rupture zones of the South Hangay Fault System (SHFS). This fault system was activated by four earthquakes which are occurred along the Bayanbulag fault (2012/10/03, Mw=4.7) and Bayankhongor fault (2013/01/05, Mw=4.2, & Mw=4.2; 2013/11/25, Mw=3.9). These earthquakes are the strongest in the fault zone.

From the Mongolian National Data Center's database, it has chosen 2228 occurrences (0.1ML5.4) from the Handay Experiments, which used 72 broadband seismometers to cover Hangay Dome. Using HypoDD with a double-difference technique, its seismic station density provides us with precise hypocenter location along the fault system. Among these events, 47 focal mechanism solutions were determined using the first-motion polarity of the P wave from the experimental seismic networks of Mongolia. Then, we classified the determined focal mechanism parameters. According to classification, three main cluster zones are related to the Bayanbulag (BB), Bayankhongor North (BHN), and Bayankhonor South (BHS) fault zones along the rupture area of the South Hangay Fault System. 

Furthermore, we determined the stress fields, stress regime, and the horizontal maximum (SHmax), and minimum (Shmin) stress orientations for all three zones.  

We concluded that the whole SHFS is a left-lateral strike-slip fault with normal and reverse components, NE-SW shortening, and corresponding NW-SE extension. Its compression orientation in the NE-SW direction is the same as the azimuth direction of the India-Asia collision.

We hope that this stress inversion results can be a useful tool for geodynamic and seismotectonic analysis of this part of Mongolia and it will give a better understanding of different stress regimes.

How to cite: Dashdondog, M., Chimed, O., Meltzer, A., and Dorjsuren, A.: The seismic source parameters of the South Hangay Fault System in Central Mongolia, EGU General Assembly 2024, Vienna, Austria, 14–19 Apr 2024, EGU24-1310, https://doi.org/10.5194/egusphere-egu24-1310, 2024.

In this study, we have evaluated the scattering nature of the crust beneath the Bhutan Himalaya, located in the eastern part of the Himalayan arc. We have analysed high-quality waveforms of 566 events having magnitude (M_L) below 6, recorded by broadband stations of the GANSSER network operated by the Swiss Seismological Service at ETH Zurich from Jan, 2013 to Nov, 2014. We have investigated the peak delay time (t_pd), defined as the time interval between the initial S-wave appearance and the peak amplitude of its envelope, for the frequency ranges of 4–8, 6–12, 8–16 and 12–24 Hz. Initially, we have analysed frequency-dependent nature of t_pd at 9 stations (BHE01, BHE09, BHE13, BHN02, BHN06, BHN11, BHW01, BHW10 and BHW16). The observed values of B_freq, which indicates the frequency dependence of the peak delay time, show mostly low positive values up to 0.3. It shows that t_pd is independent of frequency which may be associated with the relative proportions of large as well as small scale heterogeneities present in the medium_. At BHE09, B_freq exhibits a negative value, which might be attributed to the limited sampling of high-frequency signals that capture small portions of the subsurface along their paths. The crust beneath BHE09 experiences reduced scattering, probably due to the absence of a strongly attenuating body in the subsurface. Furthermore, we aim to extend this study for all the stations and to compare the frequency-dependent nature of T_5%-75% (time interval between 5% and 75% of the total integrated power value) and the t_pd for the study region.

How to cite: Bala, S., Dutta, A., and Singh, C.: Frequency-dependent delay time analysis for Bhutan Himalaya, EGU General Assembly 2024, Vienna, Austria, 14–19 Apr 2024, EGU24-17485, https://doi.org/10.5194/egusphere-egu24-17485, 2024.

Seismic networks monitor seismic activities across the globe, recording distinctive events within specific geographical and temporal frames. Whether old or new, each seismic record preserves valuable information, with its extraction relying mainly on the sophistication of the method. This study presents the implementation of an advanced earthquake detection workflow on a relatively old dataset, the Bhutan Pilot Experiment. This temporary five-station seismic network in Eastern Himalaya comprised a set of Broadband sensors deployed for 14 months from January 2002 to March 2003. However, outdated methodologies have limited the analysis of the recorded data, resulting in the reporting of only 175 local microearthquakes in this area. In this study, we reprocess the data using the recently introduced deep-scan Integrated Pair-Input deep learning and Migration Location workflow [1] to detect and locate local earthquakes. The IPIML employs the well-known Earthquake Transformer (EqT) model as its core function for initial phase picking, followed by a pair-input Siamese EQTransformer (S-EqT) to further mitigate the false negative rate using a pair-wise model. The S-EqT step demonstrated an approximately 40% increase in average detected phases compared to the standard EqT model. The detected phases are associated using the Rapid Earthquake Association and Location (REAL) method through grid searching, providing a preliminary list of detected events. This list encompasses 2458 detected events, several times larger than the previously reported catalog for this dataset. These events primarily cluster in central and eastern Bhutan, particularly along the Golpara lineament, a recognized strike-slip fault. The subsequent phase of this study involves precisely locating these events through the implementation of the Migration Location (MIL) method.

References
[1] H. Mohammadigheymasi et al., "IPIML: A Deep-Scan Earthquake Detection and Location Workflow Integrating Pair-Input Deep Learning Model and Migration Location Method," in IEEE Transactions on Geoscience and Remote Sensing, vol. 61, pp. 1-9, 2023, Art no. 5914109, doi: 10.1109/TGRS.2023.3293914.

How to cite: Khurshid, Z., Mohammadigheymasi, H., Gao, D., Liu, J., and Mousavi, S. M.: Deep Scanning of the Bhutan Eastern Himalaya Seismic Dataset for Local Earthquakes, EGU General Assembly 2024, Vienna, Austria, 14–19 Apr 2024, EGU24-20056, https://doi.org/10.5194/egusphere-egu24-20056, 2024.

The collision of the Indian and Eurasian plates has resulted in high-altitude Tibetan Plateau with active seismicity. In this study, we apply the seismic box tomography to the southern Tibetan Plateau, aiming to obtain a self-consistent and high-resolution (10−20 km) model of the crust and upper mantle beneath the region, including density as well as bulk and shear moduli without a priori constraints, which provides us with crucial constraints on the compositional and thermal structures of a highly deformed lithosphere in southern Tibetan Plateau.

In order to obtain the seismic tomographic model, we perform full-waveform inversion of teleseismic (30°−90°) surface- and body-wave waveforms recorded by the Hi-CLIMB network, a densely distributed (5−10 km station spacing) N-S oriented linear seismic array deployed during 2002 and 2005. In our iterative hierarchical inversion workflow, we calculate the sensitivity kernels based on the adjoint method and the model is updated by the L-BFGS algorithm. Data covariance matrices are introduced to control the data quality and objective weighting functions for different seismic events. We will present our preliminary results of the on-going study with comparison to existing models.

How to cite: Zhu, Q., Fuji, N., and Zhao, L.: Full-waveform tomography for the lithospheric structure of southern Tibetan Plateau, EGU General Assembly 2024, Vienna, Austria, 14–19 Apr 2024, EGU24-4004, https://doi.org/10.5194/egusphere-egu24-4004, 2024.

Seismic waves excited by human activity frequently mask signals due to tectonic processes, and are therefore discarded as nuisance.  Seismic noise-field analysis is, however, a powerful tool for characterizing anthropogenic activities. Here, I apply this analysis to examine seismic precursors to the October 7 Hamas attack on Israel. The precursory activity in Gaza included massive mobilization which took place in the hours leading to the attack, and was  documented on multiple media outlets. Favourable conditions, which arise due to a temporary lack of anthropogenic activity in Israel, allow remote seismic stations to record signals due to Gaza vehicle traffic. I use these seismograms in order to identify anomalous ground-motions, associate them with pre-attack mobilization, and precisely determine their location. By applying array analysis to three seismic stations located tens-of-kilometers from the Gaza strip, I was able to obtain valuable information on the Hamas attack plans. This suggests that embedding seismic noise-field analysis into decision-making protocols could enhance preparedness, thus providing an opportunity to blunt terrorist attacks and reduce the number of casualties.

How to cite: Inbal, A.: Seismic Precursor for the October 7th Terrorist Attack?, EGU General Assembly 2024, Vienna, Austria, 14–19 Apr 2024, EGU24-9598, https://doi.org/10.5194/egusphere-egu24-9598, 2024.

Apart from classical earthquake monitoring, seismological data can also be used to detect explosions in near-real-time on both regional and global scales. We demonstrate how seismic and infrasound data can provide more comprehensive and objective information about conflict-related explosions or suspicious events that might be the result of targeted attacks. We can identify the underwater explosions at the Nord Stream pipeline infrastructure in the Baltic Sea in September 2022. Cross-correlation analysis allowed us to identify sub-events several seconds apart which can be associate with specific locations along the pipelines. Furthermore, we detect a signal at the Finish seismic array in October 2023 which may be associated with the damage along the Balticconnector. The other example is from Ukraine, where we present the ability to automatically identify and locate ground explosions related to the Russia-Ukraine conflict with data from the Malin array (AKASG). Between February and November 2022, we observe more than 1,200 explosions from the Kyiv, Zhytomyr, and Chernihiv provinces. Both seismic and infrasound detections can be used to verify and improve accurate reporting of military attacks and help to provide an unprecedented view of an active conflict zone. We analyze events with a variety of seismo-acoustic signatures and significant differences in explosive yield. These can be associated with various types of military attacks, including artillery shelling, cruise missile attacks, airstrikes, or the destruction of the Kakhovka dam NE of Cherson.

How to cite: Goertz-Allmann, B., Dando, B. D. E., Koehler, A., Brissaud, Q., Schweitzer, J., and Kværna, T.: Near-real time detection of conflict-related explosions or suspicious events using seismological data , EGU General Assembly 2024, Vienna, Austria, 14–19 Apr 2024, EGU24-8735, https://doi.org/10.5194/egusphere-egu24-8735, 2024.

On January 1st 2024, a Mw 7.6 earthquake shook the Noto Peninsula on the Sea of Japan coast of Central Japan causing over 202 casualties and >100 missing (at the time of submission). The quake follows a period of intensifying seismic activity starting in 2020. The Mw 6.3 Oku-Noto earthquake of May 5 2023 was the previous largest event of the sequence. The Jan. 1 2024 Noto Peninsula earthquake significantly impacted the Peninsula. A large number of landslides and rockfalls dissected the road network. Liquefaction damaged infrastructure up to 150 km away from the epicenter. Meter-scale coseismic uplift modified the northern shoreline with displacement of the coastline by up to 200 m seaward discernible on SAR and aerial image data. At the time of abstract submission (Jan. 10 2024) we only have limited preliminary observations. It appears that the Noto Earthquake ruptured the same or adjacent fault to the May 5 2023 Mw 6.5 earthquake and was in the vicinity of the March 25 2007 Mw 6.9 Noto earthquake. Coseismic displacement measured geodetically shows uplift of up to +3–4 m (SAR) in the northwest of the peninsula (Wajima-shi), and +1.06 m (GPS) in the main town of Wajima-shi. The uplift magnitude decreases gradually to the SE. The uplift is near zero (SAR) or -0.3 m (GPS) on Noto Island (Nanao-shi) 30 km to the south of the town of Wajima. Surface deformation goes back to near zero (GPS) a further 20 km to the south.

The coseismic deformation pattern broadly reflects the deformation recorded in the Noto landscape. Long-term moderate rock uplift in the north gives way to a complex history of long-term slow uplift around Noto Island that likely includes sustained episodes of subsidence, highlighted by its sinuous “drowned” coastline. Along the western shore (Shika-machi), marine terraces presumed to be 120 ka (last Interglacial) show a gradient in elevation also decreasing to the south. In the north, the newly emerged platform does not have a higher marine terrace counterpart. This may reflect the relationship between high wave power and moderate rock uplift resulting in the long-term retreat of the coastline and erosion of any terrace. The Noto Peninsula also holds widespread evidence of drainage reorganization that would reflect varying boundary conditions, in particular rock uplift, in deeper time beyond 100’s ka. The similarities between recent landscape morphology and coseismic displacement suggest that the Jan. 1 2024 rupture fits a recent pattern of crustal strain in Noto Peninsula (at least up to 100 ka). Earlier deformation pattern (>100’s ka) likely happened along different faults and/or at different rates as reflected by the transient drainage network.

By conference time, we will present field observations collected after the rescue and emergency work is completed.

How to cite: Malatesta, L. C., Sueoka, S., Kataoka, K. S., Komatsu, T., Tsukamoto, S., Bruhat, L., and Olive, J.-A.: Geology and geomorphology of the Jan 1st 2024 Mw 7.6 Noto Peninsula Earthquake: observations and context., EGU General Assembly 2024, Vienna, Austria, 14–19 Apr 2024, EGU24-15494, https://doi.org/10.5194/egusphere-egu24-15494, 2024.

Seismicity records during the 1990’s reveals that large inland earthquakes tend to concentrate near several active volcanoes in the central part of northeastern (NE) Japan (Hasegawa & Yamamoto, 1994 Tectonophysics). The inland seismicity around active volcanoes could be related to localized zones of high strain contraction detected by the GNSS measurements in 1997–2001 (Miura et al., 2004 JGR). Several studies speculated that the localized strain contraction is caused by inelastic deformation of weak lithosphere beneath the active volcanoes (Hasegawa et al., 2004 J. Seismol. Soc.). Such weak lithosphere (i.e., low-viscosity zone or LVZ) is inferred from high heat-flow observations (Tanaka et al., 2004 EPS), lithospheric strength simulation (Shibazaki et al., 2016 GRL; Muto, 2011 Tectonophysics) and seismic-velocity tomography (Hasegawa et al., 2005 JGR). However, because of complex interplay between elastic and inelastic processes during steady-state (i.e., interseismic) crustal deformation, the physical mechanism related to inelastic deformation is still poorly understood.

When the M_w9.0 2011 Tohoku-oki earthquake occurred, strong surface deformations were observed locally near the active volcanoes (Takada & Fukushima, 2013 Nat. Geosci.) and continued for several years after the mainshock (Muto et al., 2016 GRL). Past studies (e.g., Sun et al., 2014 Nature) advocated that the earthquake-related inelastic processes such as viscoelastic mantle relaxation dominates the crustal deformations in the postseismic period. In the present study, we identified localized strain contractions near the active volcanoes by extracting the short-wavelength strain rate (Meneses-Gutierrez & Sagiya, 2016 EPSL) from the GNSS observations during 2012–2014. We explained these localized strain contraction by building three-dimensional rheological models of small-scale LVZs beneath five active volcanoes of NE Japan. We simulated the volumetric deformation of viscoelastic LVZs using power-law Burgers rheology, which previously succeeded to explain the large-scale postseismic deformation of the 2011 Tohoku-oki earthquake (Agata et al., 2019 Nat. Commun.; Muto et al., 2019 Sci. Adv.; Dhar et al., 2022 GJI). The power-law Burgers rheology represents the bi-phasic nature of rock deformations (rapid transient with subsequent steady state) and power-law dependency of strain rate to evolving stress (proxy of dominating dislocation creep in high-stress mantle condition) (Muto et al., 2019 Sci. Adv. and references therein).

We found that the localized strain contraction near the active volcanoes can be explained by small-scale LVZs which have narrow tops of 10–20 km and wide roots of 60–100 km width. Our results conclude the minimum depths of the tops and roots of LVZs are 15 km and 40 km, respectively. The geometries of the LVZs vary (e.g., upright conic or inclined shape) from volcano to volcano. The effective viscosities of the LVZs are in the order of 10¹⁷ Pa·s immediately after the earthquake and increases to the order of 10¹⁸ Pa·s over the 3 years of postseismic deformation. Our results agree with the results of several past studies (Ohzono et al., 2012 EPS; Hu et al., 2014 EPS; Muto et al., 2016 GRL) who investigated the lithospheric rheology near Mt. Naruko using the postseismic surface displacements of the 2011 Tohoku-oki and 2008 Iwate-Nairiku earthquakes.

How to cite: Dhar, S., Takada, Y., and Muto, J.: Rheology of weak lithosphere beneath active volcanoes of NE Japan: Insights from postseismic deformation of 2011 Tohoku-oki earthquake, EGU General Assembly 2024, Vienna, Austria, 14–19 Apr 2024, EGU24-13903, https://doi.org/10.5194/egusphere-egu24-13903, 2024.

Numerous episodes of volcanic unrest have taken place at Vulcano island (Italy) since its last Vulcanian eruption occurred 133 years ago. Decades-long seismic monitoring has documented some of them. We have collected and examined all available seismic data recorded since 1985, most of which were in analog format and/or dispersed in old repositories. We were able to compile catalogs where three different types of seismic events are considered according to their location and magnitude: events in the Fossa Crater, in the Lipari-Vulcano complex, and earthquakes with M>2.5. The primary goal of this data collection was to identify the main features of seismic activity on and around the island in the 36 years preceding the last volcano unrest, which began in mid-September 2021 with a high occurrence frequency of Very Long Period (VLP) events. Our review of the past seismic activity allows us to contextualize the newly recorded anomalous variations. Furthermore, we sought the connection with the structural framework of the region.

The duration of the episodes of volcanic unrest in 1985 and 1988 was relatively short (lasting just a few months) when compared to the recent one, which ended in December 2023. The source of the seismic events during those past unrests was mainly close to the reference station (now IVCR) with hypocenters mostly beneath the island at shallow crustal depths (up to 5 km below sea level). Their magnitude remained low (<2.5) during both the episodes (i.e., 1985, and 1988).

Overall, the seismicity recorded in and around the island has reached a maximum value of M4.6 both in the 36 years preceding and during the 2021 unrest. Some preliminary insights can be drawn by comparing the seismicity occurred during past and recent unrest episodes: i) the peculiarly long duration of the most recent unrest, and ii) the importance of broadband equipment, which documented the substantial contribution of VLP seismicity during the 2021-2023 episode.

How to cite: Falsaperla, S., Barreca, G., Cocina, O., and Spampinato, S.: Insights into the 36 Years of Seismic Activity at Vulcano Island, Italy, preceding the Volcanic Unrest in 2021, EGU General Assembly 2024, Vienna, Austria, 14–19 Apr 2024, EGU24-15942, https://doi.org/10.5194/egusphere-egu24-15942, 2024.

On June 16, 2023 at 16h38 UTC, a moderate earthquake of magnitude M_W=4.9 stroke western France south of Niort city, near the small village of La Laigne (Charente Maritime). The shaking has been widely felt in the whole NW France and macroseismic intensity (EMS98) of VII was reached at the epicenter. Such an event is relatively rare in continental France and represents the second largest event in the western France in the last century. The epicentral region is located at the northern termination of the Aquitaine basin where 300 m of Mesozoic sediments covers the variscan basement. The focal mechanism obtained from waveform inversion corresponds to a pure dextral strike-slip motion or a pure senestrial strike-slip motion along a EW or NS striking fault plane, respectively.

The fault that ruptured on June 16 is not known. To gain insight on its characteristics, teams of Nantes (Osuna and LPG), of Strasbourg (EOST and ITES) and of the CEA deployed between June 17 and June 22, 2023 for approximately one month, a network of 3-components stations composed of 12 MEMS accelerometers, 104 five hertz geophones and 5 broadband velocimeters in a 40 by 30 km region around the epicenter, with a station inter-distance of approximately 4 km.

We present is this study the first results derived from this unique experiment. In particular, we show that the aftershock sequence (more than 600 events recorded) highlights a planar rupture zone of about 5.4 km², trending NS and strongly dipping to the East (75°), located between 2 and 5 km depth. Site effect analysis allows us to better understand large ground motion distributions over the area and their link with macroseismic intensities. The installed array also allows us to infer a preliminary 3D V_S model of the region. We show the extent to which a dense temporary network is mandatory for studying the fine structure of the fault plane in a region where previous knowledge of active geological structures is limited.

How to cite: Bonnin, M., Alloncle, M., Bes de Berc, M., Beucler, É., Fligiel, D., Grunberg, M., Hourcade, C., Perrin, C., Sèbe, O., Vergne, J., and Zigone, D.: Aftershock sequence and source characteristics of the June 16, 2023 MW=4.9 La Laigne earthquake, western France, EGU General Assembly 2024, Vienna, Austria, 14–19 Apr 2024, EGU24-9479, https://doi.org/10.5194/egusphere-egu24-9479, 2024.

The seismic moment M₀, the associated moment magnitude M_w, and the corner frequency f_c are essential parameters for earthquake studies and seismic risk management. In the context of stable continental regions (SCRs), remote from active plate boundaries, the assessment of these parameters is made difficult by the low energy release associated with each earthquake and the low density of seismological networks.

In the north west of France, the Armorican Massif and its surroundings are part of a SCR, where the densification of the seismological network, completed in 2019, now allows for a reassessment of the regional seismicity. Though characterized by very small strain rates, the region currently displays a high rate of low-to-moderate earthquakes (up to a few M_w lower or equal to 4.0 – 5.0). For such small earthquakes, these assessments are particularly sensitive to the signal-to-noise ratio, to the seismic structure of the region, to its attenuation properties, and to the azimuthal distribution of the regional network with respect to the focal mechanisms.

We attempt to determine the M₀, and the f_c, of 106 earthquakes, detected in northwestern France between 2015 and 2023, with local magnitudes M_L ranging from 2.0 to 5.3, using spectral methods. We obtained a linear relationship between M_L and M_w for M_w ranging from 1.5 to 5.0. Our analysis also highlighted the importance of the frequency dependence of attenuation on the assessment of the f_c. This study will show the relation between M₀ and f_c in the region.

How to cite: Alloncle, M., Mocquet, A., and Bonnin, M.: Earthquake source characterization in stable continental regions: Application to the Armorican Massif, France, EGU General Assembly 2024, Vienna, Austria, 14–19 Apr 2024, EGU24-1533, https://doi.org/10.5194/egusphere-egu24-1533, 2024.

In the early morning of 23 February 1887, the ‘Ligurian earthquake’, a devastating seismic event currently estimated at MW 6.3-7.2, shook the towns of the Italian and French Riviera. It is the most devastating earthquake known in this region: it is thought to have claimed at least six hundred lives, displaced twenty thousand people, and destroyed many historic buildings and houses. As a result of the event, a tsunami with a maximum run-up of two meters near Imperia (Italy) also occurred and the record of the tide gauge in the port of Genoa (Italy) has long been considered the only existing record of the event.

However, we found that the 1887 earthquake was also recorded by historical magnetometers in the UK and France. These instruments were used to measure variations in geomagnetic field strength, but were also able to record seismic waves, which were essentially a simple ‘disturbance’. Almost uninterrupted records of this type of variometric data are held by the British Geological Survey (BGS). Traces recorded at Greenwich, Kew, and Falmouth magnetic observatories, which clearly show waveforms related to the event, were used. The Bureau Central de Magnetisme Terrestre (BCMT) also keeps magnetograms: in particular, we used the recordings of the instrument at Le Parc de Saint-Maur (Saint-Maur-des-Fossés, Paris).

The waveforms were digitized and processed according to the theory of Eleman (1966), which describes the response of a classical declinometer and/or a horizontal force instrument to harmonic ground displacement, and according to the work of Krüger et al. (2018).

The location of the epicenter and the magnitude of this historical earthquake are difficult to characterize with high accuracy, and the focal mechanism of the fault responsible for the event remains controversial to this day. We present the preliminary results of our research, which is focused on the revaluation of the Ligurian earthquake in terms of magnitude and focal mechanism. This would lead for the first time to a definition of magnitude on an instrumental basis for this important seismic event, whose macroseismic intensity is usually assessed based on studies conducted immediately after the event to determine the damage it had caused.

How to cite: Tarchini, G., Spallarossa, D., Parolai, S., Sandron, D., and Saraò, A.: Reassessment of the historical earthquake of 23 February 1887 in Liguria (north-western Mediterranean) on the basis of magnetogram recordings, EGU General Assembly 2024, Vienna, Austria, 14–19 Apr 2024, EGU24-11960, https://doi.org/10.5194/egusphere-egu24-11960, 2024.

Geophysical monitoring requires the highest level of performance and reliability from purpose-built and tightly integrated instrumentation and infrastructure. Parallel and separate efforts between different scientific disciplines seen in the past came at the expense of duplicated infrastructure, telemetry and power subsystems, and even land use permits. This duplication increases costs, ultimately limiting station counts and reducing “the reach” of monitoring networks. Recent ambitions to combine multi-disciplinary geophysical applications into streamlined deployments led to initiatives such as the European Plate Observing System (EPOS) and the recent amalgamation of the SAGE and GAGE programs in the United States.

Modern seismic dataloggers, such as the Nanometrics Centaur, support a wide range of seismo-acoustic sensor interfaces and sensor types while maintaining ultra-low power consumption, precise timing, and reliable data transport with automatic back-fill features over flexible telemetry mediums. These properties transformed the Centaur’s capabilities to act as a highly versatile foundation in multi-disciplinary geophysical station deployments. 

Despite initially being designed as a high-performance data recorder for seismic applications, Centaur’s applicability has evolved to include data collection for the infrasonic, geodetic, magnetic, and meteorological domains. This triggered the development and addition of purpose-built features to support multi-disciplinary use cases with the same proven performance and reliability of a Centaur seismic station.

Both existing and planned capabilities that enable reliable and efficient multi-disciplinary science are discussed.

How to cite: Perlin, M., Trerice, N., Somerville, T., and Jusko, M.: Seismic Network Station Infrastructure as the Basis for Multi-Disciplinary Geophysical Stations, EGU General Assembly 2024, Vienna, Austria, 14–19 Apr 2024, EGU24-12990, https://doi.org/10.5194/egusphere-egu24-12990, 2024.

We used the liquid-based R2 rotational seismometer in addition to several arrays of translation velocity seismometers on a 12-floor building in the National Cheng Kung University campus to evaluate the dynamic responses of the structure. During the observation period in August-October 2023, we encountered a moderate M 5.6 earthquake sequence 61 km north of the campus and one moderate typhoon passing through this 49-m-long and 12-m-wide building. By examining these data, we investigate the natural frequency and the rotation behavior of the long-strip-shaped building. Both the time-frequency and Fast Fourier Transform analyses of the microtremor and earthquake data show two dominant frequencies of ~1.2 Hz and 1.8 Hz occurred in the horizontal directions. The translation velocity and rotation rate are more significant in the transverse, short-axis direction and at the location away from the elevator of the building. The translation velocity array and rotational seismometer show rotations around the horizontal and vertical axes during the M 5.6 earthquake. The results of two natural frequencies and the corresponding rotational motions are most likely related to the asymmetric design of the building, which resulted in the non-rigid behavior of the structure. These findings may provide insights into improvements that could enhance the building’s resilience to seismic or typhoon events.

How to cite: Rau, R.-J., Wu, C.-F., Chen, Y.-C., Wu, H.-Y., and Lin, C.-J.: Dynamic responses of a building derived from microtremor and seismic signals, EGU General Assembly 2024, Vienna, Austria, 14–19 Apr 2024, EGU24-4895, https://doi.org/10.5194/egusphere-egu24-4895, 2024.

For decades, the seismological community has debated the scaling relationships of earthquake sources. The debate centers around whether the scaled energy (E_R/M₀) remains uniform across all magnitudes, indicating self-similarity, or if there is an increase in scaled energy with seismic moment, M₀. To contribute to this discussion, we analyzed coda derived source displacement spectra of 303 local earthquakes that occurred in and around the segments of the North Anatolian Fault Zone (NAFZ) within the Sea of Marmara. Our database includes digital waveform recordings of the events that were occurred between 2018 and 2020 (2.5≤ M_L ≤5.7 within a radius of 200 km) and were recorded at 49 seismic stations operated by the Kandilli Observatory and Earthquake Research Institute (KOERI) in the study area. We employed a joint inversion technique to optimize source-, path-, and site-specific factors simultaneously. This was achieved by comparing the observed coda envelope with its physically derived representative synthetic coda envelope based on Radiative Transfer Theory. Our inversion process, conducted across various frequency bands, enabled us to make reliable coda-based seismic moment (M₀) and moment magnitude estimates (M_w-coda) consistent with local catalogue magnitudes. The variation of the scaled energy (E_R/M₀) calculated from the total seismic radiated energy (E_R) using coda-derived source displacement spectra for each event tends to increase with seismic moment across most magnitude ranges. This indicates that the crustal earthquakes with M_w-coda 2.5 and M_w-coda 5.7 in this laterally heterogeneous region are likely to follow non-self-similarity. Our findings imply different rupture dynamics working for large earthquakes than small ones and relatively more efficient seismic energy radiation for larger earthquakes along the northwestern part of the NAFZ.

How to cite: Özkan, B., Eken, T., Gaebler, P., and Taymaz, T.: Implications for Non-Self Similar Energy and Moment Scaling of Small-to-Moderate Earthquakes Along the NAFZ: Source Displacement Spectra Derived from Coda Waves, EGU General Assembly 2024, Vienna, Austria, 14–19 Apr 2024, EGU24-749, https://doi.org/10.5194/egusphere-egu24-749, 2024.

The North Anatolian Fault Zone in Turkey spans 1400 km, passing through densely populated areas, including Düzce, which experienced the destructive Mw 7.2 event in 1999 that caused more than 700 lives. On 23 November 2022, for the first time in over 20 years, a moderate Mw 6.1 earthquake struck the city and surrounding area. Despite its moderate magnitude, the event caused unexpectedly severe damage to numerous buildings, as reported by local institutions (Disaster and Emergency Management Presidency; AFAD). Recognizing the potential impact of near-field effects such as ground motion pulses and directivity effects, which are known to increase damage in the vicinity of the fault, we investigate these phenomena using the AFAD-Turkish Accelerometric Database. Our analysis delves into the spatial distribution of ground motion intensities, revealing higher peak ground velocities in certain azimuthal ranges than predicted by existing ground motion models. Surprisingly, our findings challenge outcomes derived from previous studies, suggesting that impulsive ground motions associated with directivity effects mainly occur on the fault-normal component of large-magnitude events. In contrast, our examination of near-fault recordings indicates a concentration of velocity pulses, primarily on the fault-parallel component, and thus questions the widely established understandings of earlier studies.

How to cite: Türker, E., Yen, M.-H., Pilz, M., and Cotton, F.: Importance of Pulse-Like Ground Motions and Directivity Effects in Moderate Earthquakes based on the 23 November 2022, Mw 6.1 Gölyaka-Düzce Earthquake (Turkey)., EGU General Assembly 2024, Vienna, Austria, 14–19 Apr 2024, EGU24-17715, https://doi.org/10.5194/egusphere-egu24-17715, 2024.