Seismic Waves

and
Earthquake Location

Walter D. Mooney
US Geological Survey
California
Mooney @ usgs.gov
Wave propagation animation
Seismogram showing different phases
 SEISMIC WAVE VELOCITY

Body Waves
1
    2   2
P-wave Vp   
  
1 Vp ~ √3 Vs.
 2
S-wave Vs   

Surface Waves
Love Wave V S1 < VL< V S2

Rayleigh Wave VR < 0.92 VS

Conversion of Seismic Phases at Rock Boundaries

Sini V1

Sinr2 V2
 Seismogram showing converted phases

P*
Pg
Pn
Magnetic Tape Record Analog Record
 High
frequency
seismometers
Streckeisen STS-2

Guralp CMG-3T

Teledyne GS-13
Vault of an
observatory
IDA MK8 DAS

Another popular model

Major Discontinuities of the Earth
Teleseismic Analog record
Digital Record of the 2004 Sumatra Earthquake Mw 9.3
T-phase of the Largest Aftershock of the 2004 Sumatra Earthquake Recorded at the VISK Station, India
Travel Time Curves
EARTHQUAKE LOCATION

Manual Method for Location

Computational Methods for Location

Single-station Location

Multi-station Location

Computer Programs for Location

HYPO 71

SEISAN
 Manual Method
EPICENTRE X SEISMOGRAPH
STATION

H  1 1 
Ts  T p  D
V  
 s Vp 


D  8 Ts  Tp 
*
HYPOCENTRE B

CHAPTER 3 FIG. 28 a
* EPICENTRE

C
D
SEISMIC STATION
Seismogram
 Computational Method
Input data: P & S Arrival Data
Station Coordinates
Station Correction
P-wave Velocity Model
Vp/Vs
Maximum Amplitude
Signal Duration

Computation :
Geiger's (1912) method of least squares Technique
N

R
2
Ri = i - t i i 1
i
RMS 
N 1
STATION CORRECTION
3-Component Seismograms of an aftershock of the 2004 Sumatra Earthquake
Wadati Plot

Vp/Vs = 1.73
 Limitations in Precise Location:

(b) Earthqauke occurs outside the Array

CHAPTER 3 FIG. 35
Note: At least one S-phase is required to
control the Hypocentre location
(a) Earthquake occurs in a Circular Array
EARTHQUAKE RELOCATION

 Master Event Method

 Average Residual Method

 Homogeneous Station Method

 Double-Difference (DD) Method

drkij  (t ki  t kj ) obs  (t ki  t kj ) cal

 Joint Hypocentre Method

rij = tij – (ij + Si)

THANK YOU

Fremantle, Perth