Origin of precursors to teleseismic S waves

1991 ◽  
Vol 81 (4) ◽  
pp. 1216-1230
Author(s):  
Lev. P. Vinnik ◽  
Barbara A. Romanowicz

Abstract In the literature, there are descriptions of precursors to teleseismic S waves that are polarized as teleseimic P. They are commonly regarded as phases converted from SV to P underneath the seismographic stations. We present observations of precursors at the broadband digital GEOSCOPE stations in the distance range from 45° to 95° and at periods around 10 sec. These precursors are polarized as the teleseismic P but cannot be interpreted in terms of conversion underneath the station. We propose that they are formed by conversion and scattering from S to P at the free surface and scattering of the resulting P in the lithosphere of the region between the source and the receiver. The apparent velocity of S in the region of scattering is usually around 7 km/sec, which implies a long wavepath of the converted P in the continental crust. Apparently, S-to-P and P-to-P scattering play an important role in forming teleseismic wave fields even in the relatively long-period band around 10 sec. A possibility of observing true S-P converted phases originating in the lithosphere underneath the station is certainly not ruled out. However, our analysis is a warning that scattered waves sometimes can be erroneously taken for converted phases.

1979 ◽  
Vol 69 (2) ◽  
pp. 483-511
Author(s):  
J. F. Evernden ◽  
W. M. Kohler

abstract The spectral compositions (bandwidth 0.4 to 4.5 Hz) of the P codas of 108 explosions and 225 earthquakes recorded at LASA are the basis of a technique by which all earthquakes studied are discriminated successfully from all Semipalatinsk explosions. Such complete separation is not achieved, however, for the full set of presumed Russian explosions. The lack of detectable change in frequency content of P signals in the distance range 30° to 90° suggests a very high Qp value for the central mantle. This result, together with the observed rate of amplitude decay for long-period S waves, implies Qs for the central mantle is high while Qs values for the crust-upper mantle and lower mantle are very low.


1969 ◽  
Vol 59 (5) ◽  
pp. 1863-1887
Author(s):  
James H. Whitcomb

abstract Array data processing is applied to long-period records of S waves at a network of five Fennoscandian seismograph stations (Uppsala, Umeå, Nurmijärvi, Kongsberg, Copenhagen) with a maximum separation of 1300 km. Records of five earthquakes and one underground explosion are included in the study. The S motion is resolved into SH and SV, and after appropriate time shifts the individual traces are summed, both directly and after weighting. In general, high signal correlation exists among the different stations involved resulting in more accurate time readings, especially for records which have amplitudes that are too small to be read normally. S-wave station residuals correlate with the general crustal type under each station. In addition, the Fennoscandian shield may have a higher SH/SV velocity ratio than the adjacent tectonic area to the northwest.SV-to-P conversion at the base of the crust can seriously interfere with picking the onset of Sin normal record reading. The study demonstrates that, for epicentral distances beyond about 30°, existing networks of seismograph stations can be successfully used for array processing of long-period arrivals, especially the S arrivals.


1991 ◽  
Vol 81 (5) ◽  
pp. 1900-1922
Author(s):  
Arthur Frankel ◽  
Susan Hough ◽  
Paul Friberg ◽  
Robert Busby

Abstract A small aperture (≈300 m), four-station array was deployed in Sunnyvale, California for 5 days to record aftershocks of the Loma Prieta earthquake of October 1989. The purpose of the array was to study the seismic response of the alluvium-filled Santa Clara Valley and the role of surface waves in the seismic shaking of sedimentary basins. Strong-motion records of the Loma Prieta mainshock indicate that surface waves produced the peak velocities and displacements at some sites in the Santa Clara Valley. We use the recordings from the dense array to determine the apparent velocity and azimuth of propagation for various arrivals in the seismograms of four aftershocks with magnitudes between 3.6 and 4.4. Apparent velocities are generally observed to decrease with increasing time after the S wave in the seismograms. Phases arriving less than about 8 sec after the S wave have apparent velocities comparable to the S wave and appear to be body waves multiply reflected under the receiver site or reflected by crustal interfaces. For times 10 to 30 sec after the direct S wave, we observe long-period (1 to 6 sec) arrivals with apparent velocities decreasing from 2.5 to 0.8 km / sec. We interpret these arrivals to be surface waves and conclude that these surface waves produce the long duration of shaking observed on the aftershock records. Much of the energy in the 40 sec after the S-wave is coming approximately from the direction of the source, although some arrivals have backazimuths as much as 60° different from the backazimuths to the epicenters. Two of the aftershocks show arrivals coming from 30 to 40° more easterly than the epicenters. This energy may have been scattered from outcrops along the southeastern edge of the basin. In contrast, the deepest aftershock studied (d = 17 km) displays later arrivals with backazimuths 30 to 40° more westerly than the epicenter. A distinct arrival for one of the aftershocks propagates from the southwest, possibly scattered from the western edge of the basin. Synthetic seismograms derived from a plane-layered crustal model do not produce the long-period Love waves observed in the waveforms of the ML 4.4 aftershock. These Love waves may be generated by the conversion of incident S waves or Rayleigh waves near the edge of the basin.


2020 ◽  
Vol 17 (3) ◽  
pp. 552-561
Author(s):  
Yue Pan ◽  
Xiao He ◽  
Hao Chen ◽  
Xiuming Wang

Abstract In sonic logging while drilling (LWD), it is difficult to extract reflection signals for the goal of geo-steering as the wave fields are so complicated. It is important to analyse the reflection and scattering effects based on the synthetic acoustic signals of the real LWD models, while considering the medium discontinuity at the end of the borehole. We numerically investigate the acoustic LWD responses to reflective boundaries out of the borehole. To simulate the received signals, the 3D finite difference in time domain method is implemented. Mode conversions between the collar and the Stoneley waves are revealed. Strong reflections are generated at the bottom of the well, which can be equivalent to an additional scattering source (i.e. an apparent point source). The scattering waves by the wellbore bottom are generally much stronger than the reflections from the layer interfaces of formations. By comparing the models with stratified interfaces of opposite inclination directions, the propagation mechanisms of two newly recognised reflection waves are revealed in addition to the traditional body wave reflections (P and S waves) in LWD models. The energy of the collar wave radiates outside the borehole and then reflects at the bedding boundaries; meanwhile, the scattering waves from the well bottom can generate reflections too. These reflection arrivals match well with the time predicted by ray theories, respectively. Finally, we propose a possible means to estimate the dipping directions of geological interfaces by reflection waves emitted from both LWD transmitters and the apparent source at the well bottom.


Author(s):  
Hans Bihs ◽  
Weizhi Wang ◽  
Csaba Pakozdi ◽  
Arun Kamath

Abstract In situations where the calculation of ocean wave propagation and impact on structures are required, fast numerical solvers are desired in order to find relevant wave events. Computational fluid dynamics (CFD)-based numerical wave tanks (NWTs) emphasize on the hydrodynamic details such as fluid–structure interaction, which make them less ideal for the event identification due to the large computational resources involved. Therefore, a computationally efficient numerical wave model is needed to identify the events both for offshore deep-water wave fields and coastal wave fields where the bathymetry and coastline variations have strong impact on wave propagation. In the current paper, a new numerical wave model is represented that solves the Laplace equation for the flow potential and the nonlinear kinematic and dynamics free surface boundary conditions. This approach requires reduced computational resources compared to CFD-based NWTs. The resulting fully nonlinear potential flow solver REEF3D::FNPF uses a σ-coordinate grid for the computations. This allows the grid to follow the irregular bottom variation with great flexibility. The free surface boundary conditions are discretized using fifth-order weighted essentially non-oscillatory (WENO) finite difference methods and the third-order total variation diminishing (TVD) Runge–Kutta scheme for time stepping. The Laplace equation for the potential is solved with Hypre’s stabilized bi-conjugated gradient solver preconditioned with geometric multi-grid. REEF3D::FNPF is fully parallelized following the domain decomposition strategy and the message passing interface (MPI) communication protocol. The numerical results agree well with the experimental measurements in all tested cases and the model proves to be efficient and accurate for both offshore and coastal conditions.


Author(s):  
Shuai Liu ◽  
Xinshu Zhang ◽  
Xingyu Song ◽  
Ke Chen

Abstract A series of directly numerical simulations of potential Euler equation have been performed using high-order spectral (HOS) method, to investigate the nonlinear wave statistics and the probability of rogue wave occurrence in crossing sea states. Several typical crossing sea states in deep water with different wave steepness are chosen for the computations. The ensemble statistical properties for those crossing waves are measured, including the temporal evolution of directional and omnidirectional wave spectra, exceedance probability of wave crest amplitude, as well as the kurtosis and skewness of free surface elevations. Particular attention is paid to the correlation between kurtosis and rogue wave occurrence. Our numerical results suggest that the global wave steepness plays a significant role in the statistical properties of crossing seas. Results also show the dependence of rogue wave occurrence probability on the kurtosis of free surface elevations.


2020 ◽  
Author(s):  
Brigitte Knapmeyer-Endrun ◽  
Felix Bissig ◽  
Nicolas Compaire ◽  
Raphael Garcia ◽  
Rakshit Joshi ◽  
...  

<p>NASA’s InSight mission arrived on Mars in November 2018 and deployed the first very broad-band seismometer, SEIS, on the planet’s surface. SEIS has been collecting data continuously since early February 2019, by now recording more than 400 events of different types. InSight aims at enhancing our understanding of the internal structure and dynamics of Mars, including better constraints on its crustal thickness. Various models based on topography and gravity observed from the orbit currently vary in average crustal thickness from 30 km to more than 100 km, with important implications for Mars’ thermal evolution, and the partitioning of silicates and heat-producing elements between different layers of Mars.</p><p>We present P-to-S and S-to-P receiver functions, which are available for 4 and 3 marsquakes, respectively, up to now. Out of all of the marsquakes recorded to date, these are the only ones with clear enough P- or S-arrivals not dominated by scattering to make them suitable for the analysis. All of the quakes are located at comparatively small epicentral distances, between 25° and 40°. We observe three consistent phases within the first 10 seconds of the P-to-S receiver functions. The S-to-P receiver functions also show a consistent first phase. Later arrivals are harder to pinpoint, which could be due to the comparatively shallow incidence of the S-waves at the considered distances, which prevents the generation of converted waves. Identification of later multiple phases in the P-to-S receiver functions likewise remains inconclusive. To obtain better constraints on velocity, we also calculated apparent velocity curves from the P-to-S receiver functions, but these provide meaningful results for only one event so far, implying a large uncertainty. Due to difficulties in clearly identifying multiples, the receiver functions can currently be explained by either two crustal layers and a thin (25-30 km) crust or three crustal layers and a thicker (40-45 km) crust at the landing site. This model range already improves the present constraints by providing a new maximum value of less than 70 km for the average crustal thickness. Information from noise autocorrelations as a complementary method, identification of P-reverberations and S-precursors in the event recordings, and more extensive modeling, ultimately including 3D-effects, are considered to further our understanding of the waveforms and tighten the constraints on the crust.</p>


2021 ◽  
Author(s):  
David Jewitt ◽  
Yoonyoung Kim ◽  
Max Mutchler ◽  
Jessica Agarwal ◽  
Jing Li ◽  
...  

<p class="p1">We discuss the development of activity in the extraordinary, distant long-period comet C/2017 K2 over the heliocentric distance range<span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span>9 < r<sub>H</sub> < 16 AU.<span class="Apple-converted-space">  C/2017 K2 is an incoming long-period comet with a period so long (~ 3 Myr) that no heat from the previous perihelion can be retained; we can be sure that the observed mass-loss is driven by the current insolation and not by a thermal lag.  </span>The comet is characterized by a steady-state coma of sub-millimeter and larger particles ejected at low (4 m/s) velocity, filling a roughly spheroidal coma with a characteristic scale of 80,000 km.<span class="Apple-converted-space">  </span>In a fixed, co-moving volume around the nucleus we find that the scattering cross-section of the coma, C, is related to the heliocentric distance by a power law, C ~ r<sub>H</sub><sup>-s</sup>, with heliocentric index s = 1.14+/-0.05. This dependence is significantly weaker than the r<sub>H</sub><sup>-2</sup>, variation of the<span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span>insolation as a result of two effects.<span class="Apple-converted-space">  </span>These are, first, the heliocentric dependence of the dust velocity and, second, a lag effect due to very slow-moving<span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span>particles ejected long before the observations were taken. <span class="Apple-converted-space">  </span>A Monte Carlo<span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span>model of the photometry shows that dust production beginning at r<sub>H</sub> ~ 35 AU is needed to match the measured heliocentric index, with only a slight dependence on the particle size distribution.<span class="Apple-converted-space">  </span>Dust mass loss rates at 10 AU are of order dM/dt ~ 10<sup>3 </sup>a<sub>1</sub> kg/s, where 0.1 < a<sub>1</sub> < 1 is the effective particle radius expressed in millimeters.</p> <p class="p1">The expulsion of submillimeter and larger grains, beginning at Kuiper belt distances, is likely the result of the sublimation of near-surface supervolatile ice (probably CO, as suggested by the recent detection of this molecule at 6.7 AU; Yang et al. Ap. J. Letters, in press). Water ice is involatile over the observed distance range and even the energy and gas release triggered by the crystallization of amorphous ice, if present, cannot produce activity at 35 AU.  Comet C/2017 K2 will reach perihelion near Mars' orbit in December 2022.  </p> <p class="p1"> </p> <p class="p1">This work is described in D. Jewitt, Y. Kim. M. Mutchler, J. Agarwal, J. Li and H. Weaver (2021).  Astronomical Journal, 161:188 (11pp) </p>


2022 ◽  
Author(s):  
◽  
Syuhada, Syuhada

<p>We investigate the mechanisms of seismic anisotropy and attenuation (1/Q) beneath the southernmost part of the Taupo Volcanic Zone (TVZ) by computing variations in S-wave attenuation factors with the direction of wave polarization. We rotate pairs of horizontal components in steps of 22.5◦ from 0◦ to 67.5◦ and into the radial and transverse directions to search for the optimal separation of the attenuation curves and thereby determine an anisotropy symmetry system. The frequency dependence of Q for the rotated S-waves is estimated by means of the non-parametric generalized inversion technique (GIT) of Castro et al. (1990) using shallow earthquakes (< 40 km depth) recorded by GeoNet within 100 km of Mt. Ruapehu. To analyze the effects on computed attenuation properties of source locations, we divide our dataset into two groups: a “TVZ” group containing earthquakes within the TVZ in a distance range of 5–55 km and a “non-TVZ” group containing earthquakes outside the TVZ in a distance range of 5–50 km. To measure Q, we compute the spectral amplitude decay with distance in terms of empirical functions at 20 separate frequencies in the frequency bands 2–10 Hz and 2– 12 Hz for the TVZ and non-TVZ datasets respectively. We construct homogeneous and two-layer Q models for the TVZ dataset based on characteristic features of the attenuation function, while for outside TVZ we only analyse a homogeneous Q model. The homogeneous Q models obtained for the two datasets indicate that S-waves are more attenuated within the TVZ than outside. The homogeneous Q model for the TVZ dataset reveals that the S-wave is anisotropic at high frequencies ( f > 6 Hz) along N–S/E– W directions with the relation QSE ( f ) = (6.15±1.22) f (1.73±0.12) and QSN ( f ) = (4.14± 1.26) f (2.06±0.14), while the non-TVZ dataset shows a weak frequency dependence of attenuation anisotropy at low frequencies in NE–SW/SE–NW directions giving the power law function QSNE ( f ) = (50.93±1.18) f (0.20±0.10) and QSSE ( f ) = (22.60±1.10) f (0.53±0.06). Here, the uncertainty estimates are 95% confidence intervals. To investigate the variation of attenuation anisotropy with depth within the TVZ, we first calculate Q along propagation paths (< 25 km, which corresponds to a maximum turning point depth of 9 km ) and then using paths of 25–55 km length. Small attenuation anisotropy with low attenuation in the N–S direction for the upper crust of TVZ may be related to heterogenous structure as reported by previous studies. Attenuation anisotropy in the northwest direction yielding lower attenuation inferred for the deeper crust suggests the presence of connected melt aligned with the extension direction of TVZ .</p>


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