ALBERT

Description: A temporal seismic network recorded local seismicity along a 130 km long segment of the transpressional dextral strike-slip Liquiñe-Ofqui fault zone (LOFZ) in southern Chile. Seventy five shallow crustal events with magnitudes up to M(tief)w 3.8 and depths shallower than 25 km were observed in an 11-month period mainly occurring in different clusters. Those clusters are spatially related to the LOFZ, to the volcanoes Chaitén, Michinmahuida and Corcovado, and to active faulting on secondary faults. Further activity along the LOFZ is indicated by individual events located in direct vicinity of the surface expression of the LOFZ. Focal mechanisms were calculated using deviatoric moment tensor inversion of body wave amplitude spectra which mostly yield strike-slip mechanisms indicating a NE–SW direction of the P-axis for the LOFZ at this latitude. The seismic activity reveals the present-day activity of the fault zone. The recent M(tief)w 6.2 event near Puerto Aysén, Southern Chile at 45.4°S on April 21, 2007 shows that the LOFZ is also capable of producing large magnitude earthquakes and therefore imposing significant seismic hazard to this region.

Description: Magnetotelluric (MT) data from 66 sites along a 45-km-long profile across the San Andreas Fault (SAF) were inverted to obtain the 2-D electrical resistivity structure of the crust near the San Andreas Fault Observatory at Depth (SAFOD). The most intriguing feature of the resistivity model is a steeply dipping upper crustal high-conductivity zone flanking the seismically defined SAF to the NE, that widens into the lower crust and appears to be connected to a broad conductivity anomaly in the upper mantle. Hypothesis tests of the inversion model suggest that upper and lower crustal and upper-mantle anomalies may be interconnected.We speculate that the high conductivities are caused by fluids and may represent a deep-rooted channel for crustal and/or mantle fluid ascent. Based on the chemical analysis of well waters, it was previously suggested that fluids can enter the brittle regime of the SAF system from the lower crust and mantle. At high pressures, these fluids can contribute to fault-weakening at seismogenic depths. These geochemical studies predicted the existence of a deep fluid source and a permeable pathway through the crust. Our resistivity model images a conductive pathway, which penetrates the entire crust, in agreement with the geochemical interpretation. However, the resistivity model also shows that the upper crustal branch of the high-conductivity zone is locatedNEof the seismically defined SAF, suggesting that the SAF does not itself act as a major fluid pathway. This interpretation is supported by both, the location of the upper crustal highconductivity zone and recent studies within the SAFOD main hole, which indicate that pore pressures within the core of the SAF zone are not anomalously high, that mantle-derived fluids are minor constituents to the fault-zone fluid composition and that both the volume of mantle fluids and the fluid pressure increase to the NE of the SAF.We further infer from the MT model that the resistive Salinian block basement to the SW of the SAFOD represents an isolated body, being 5–8 km wide and reaching to depths 〉7 km, in agreement with aeromagnetic data. This body is separated from a massive block of Salinian crust farther to the SW. The NE terminus of resistive Salinian crust has a spatial relationship with a near-vertical zone of increased seismic reflectivity ∼15 km SW of the SAF and likely represents a deep-reaching fault zone.

Description: We propose a new rapid procedure for determining the energy magnitude Me for shallow events from broadband teleseismic P-wave signals within the distance range 20°–98°. To accomplish this task, we compute spectral amplitude decay functions for different periods using numerical simulations based on the reference Earth model AK135Q. By means of these functions, we correct the spectra of the teleseismic recordings for the propagation path effects, and calculate the radiated seismic energy ES, and hence Me. We use cumulative P-wave windows for simulating a real- or near real-time procedure and test it for 61 shallow earthquakes. The results show that our approach is able to provide a rapid and reliable Me determination within 7–15 minutes after the earthquake origin time, and is therefore suitable for implementation in rapid response systems.

Description: The lithospheric structure of the Aegean region is investigated by analysis of Rayleigh-wave fundamental mode dispersion measurements. Isotropic 1-D models for almost 100 two-station ray paths across the region display distinct variations in the Moho depth and crustal S-wave velocities. The descending slab of the subducting African plate can be resolved down to 120 km depth beneath the volcanic arc. Three different regions are distinguished in terms of Moho depth: (1) The forearc, with large crustal thicknesses between 38 and 48 km and an average of 43 km, (2) the northern Aegean, with an average Moho depth of 28 km and (3) the southern Aegean (central volcanic arc, i.e. Cyclades, and Sea of Crete) with an even thinner crust of around 25 km. Lateral variations in structure between 25 and 55 km depth indicate a marked difference between the western and eastern forearc, collocated with pronounced changes in trench and slab geometry as well as published deformation rates. S velocities between 25 and 55 km depth are low everywhere beneath the forearc but increase from the Peleponnesus to Crete. An abrupt change occurs between western and central Crete in terms of the visibility of the Aegean Moho and the seismic structure of the lithospheric mantle wedge: An Aegean mantle wedge with S velocities above 4.4 km s−1 is only observed to the east of central Crete, whereas to the west velocities of less than 4.0 km s−1 occur down to the plate contact. These low velocities above the slab may indicate the presence of a melange of metamorphic rocks at the depths. A low-velocity asthenospheric layer is observed beneath the Sea of Crete and the Cyclades below 40 km depth, between the thinned lithosphere above and the slab below. The observed radial anisotropy in the northern part of the Aegean is likely to be due to preferred orientation of anisotropic minerals within the lower crust, possibly caused by lateral ductile flow associated with recent lithospheric extension.

Description: Using three different short-period electromagnetic sensors with resonance frequencies of 1 Hz (Mark L4C-3D), 2 Hz (Mark L-22D), and 4.5 Hz (I/O SM-6), coupled with three digital acquisition system, the portable data acquisition system (PDAS) Teledyne Geotech, the refraction technology (REFTEK) 72A, and the Earth Data Logger PR6-24 (EDL), the effect of the seismic instruments on the horizontal-to-vertical spectral ratio (H/V) using seismic noise for frequencies less than 1 Hz has been evaluated. For all possible sensors–acquisition system pairs, the background seismic signal and instrumental self-noise power spectral densities have been calculated and compared. The results obtained when coupling the short-period sensors with different acquisition systems show that the performance of the considered instruments at frequencies 〈1 Hz strongly depends upon the sensor–acquisition system combination and the gain used, with the best performance obtained for sensors with the lowest resonance frequency. For all acquisition systems, it was possible to retrieve correctly the H/V peak down to 0.1–0.2 Hz by using a high gain and a 1-Hz sensor. In contrast, biased H/V spectral ratios were retrieved when low-gain values were considered. Particular care is required when using 4.5-Hz sensors, because they may not even allow the fundamental resonance frequency peak to be reproduced.

Description: This study focuses on the present-day deformation mechanisms of the south central Chile margin, at the transition zone between two megathrust earthquake segments defined from historical data: the Valdivia and Concepción sectors. New GPS data and finite-element models with complex geometries constrained by geophysical data are presented to gain insight into forearc kinematics and to address the role of upper plate faults on contemporary deformation. GPS vectors are heterogeneously distributed in two domains that follow these two earthquake segments. We find that models which simulate only interseismic locking on the plate interface fail to reproduce surface deformation in the entire study area. In the Concepción domain, models that include a crustal-scale fault in the upper plate better reproduce the GPS observations. In the Valdivia domain, GPS data show regional-scale vertical axis rotations, which could reflect postseismic deformation processes at the edge of the Mw 9.5 earthquake that ruptured in 1960 and/or activity of another crustal fault related to motion of a forearc sliver. Our study suggests that upper plate faults in addition to earthquake cycle transients may exert an important control on the surface velocity of subduction zone forearcs.

Description: Seismic anisotropy was investigated by measuring shear-wave splitting at 19 broadband stations in Greenland. We examined mostly SKS and SKKS phases, but also some PKS and depth phases of SKS (e.g. pSKS, sSKS) for deep events. Splitting parameters (fast polarization and time delay) were determined for these phases. The fast polarizations at nine sites in southern Greenland are quite uniformly oriented about N–NE. Two sites in central northern Greenland show a similar geometry to southern Greenland. Similar fast polarizations in southern and central northern Greenland suggest continuity of structural fabric beneath large parts of Greenland. This coherent pattern extends across a number of geological provinces of varying age and suggests a common cause of anisotropy not related to the bitwise formation of the Greenland continental block. Four sites in an east–west oriented belt crossing central Greenland show varying fast polarizations and suggest a separate process causing the anisotropy there, which may indicate that these processes are not currently active. The overall pattern of anisotropy in our results, with the exception of variations across central Greenland, is similar to results obtained from Rayleigh waves. The irregular geometry of splitting across central Greenland may be related to the impact of the Iceland plume at ∼ 60 Ma. Reported splitting time delays range from 0.4 to 1.4 s with an average of 0.8 s, which can generally not be explained by crustal anisotropy alone. If confined to a lithosphere of thickness on the order of 100 km, time delays of up to 1.4 s indicate anisotropy of up to about 6%, assuming that the a crystallographic axis of olivine is preferentially contained in the horizontal plane. We suggest that the anisotropy beneath Greenland is located mainly in the upper mantle but some contributions from the crust and lower mantle may be present.

Description: We describe results of an active-source seismology experiment across the Chilean subduction zone at 38.2◦S. The seismic sections clearly show the subducted Nazca plate with varying reflectivity. Below the coast the plate interface occurs at 25 km depth as the sharp lower boundary of a 2–5 km thick, highly reflective region, which we interpret as the subduction channel, that is, a zone of subducted material with a velocity gradient with respect to the upper and lower plate. Further downdip along the seismogenic coupling zone the reflectivity decreases in the area of the presumed 1960 Valdivia hypocentre. The plate interface itself can be traced further down to depths of 50–60 km below the Central Valley. We observe strong reflectivity at the plate interface as well as in the continental mantle wedge. The sections also show a segmented forearc crust in the overriding South American plate. Major features in the accretionary wedge, such as the Lanalhue fault zone, can be identified. At the eastern end of the profile a bright west-dipping reflector lies perpendicular to the plate interface and may be linked to the volcanic arc.

Description: Following the ongoing debate about suitability of short-period sensor for seismic noise measurements at frequencies lower than 1 Hz, in this study we compare recordings from two different seismometers (Güralp CMG-3ESPC and Mark L4C-3D) installed side by side in the GeoForschungsZentrum laboratory. The comparison carried out in terms of Power Spectral Density and coherency analysis shows an excellent agreement between the short-period and the broad-band recordings in the frequency band 0.2–20 Hz. Therefore, this result highlights that with a calibrated short-period sensor one can obtain the same results that would be obtained by using a broad-band seismometer in the band of engineering interest.

Description: The interdisciplinary Dead Sea Rift Transect (DESERT) project that was conducted in Israel, the Palestine Territories and Jordan has provided a rich palette of data sets to examine the crust and uppermost mantle beneath one of Earth’s most prominent fault systems, the Dead Sea Transform (DST). As part of the passive seismic component, thirty broad-band sensors were deployed in 2000 across the DST for roughly one year. During this deployment, we recorded 115 teleseismic earthquakes that are suitable for a fundamental mode Rayleigh wave analysis at intermediate periods (35–150 s). Our initial analysis reveals overall shear velocities that are reduced by up to 4 per cent with respect to reference Earth model PREM. To the west of the DST, we find a seismically relatively fast but thin lid that is about 80 km thick. Towards the east, shallow seismic velocities are low while a deeper low velocity zone is not detected. This contradicts the currently favoured thermomechanical model for the DST that predicts lithospheric thinning through mechanical erosion by an intruding plume from the Red Sea. On the other hand, our current results are somewhat inconclusive regarding asthenosphere velocities east of the DST due to the band limitation of the recording equipment in Jordan.

Description: A set of seismological stations was deployed in the Central Andes region along a ~600 km long profile at 21°S between Chile and Bolivia and operated for a period of almost two years, from March 2002 to January 2004. Here we present the results of the tomographic inversion for P-wave velocity anomalies, based on teleseismic data recorded at the stations. The reliability of the results has been checked by a series of synthetic tests. The tomographic images show high-velocities on the west of the profile that are indicative of cold material from the fore-arc. A low-velocity anomaly is detected at the border between the fore- and the volcanic are where the Quebrada Blanca seismic anomaly was previously described. This anomaly might be related to the presence of fluids that originate at the cluster of earthquakes at a depth of ~100 km in the subducted plate. A strong low-velocity anomaly is detected beneath the entire Altiplano plateau and part of the Eastern Cordillera, in agreement with previous receiver function results. The Brazilian Shield is thought to be responsible for the strong high-velocity anomaly underneath the Interandean and Subandean regions.

Description: Data from 90 permanent broad-band stations spread over central and eastern Europe were analysed using Ps receiver functions to study the crustal and upper-mantle structure down to the mantle transition zone. Receiver functions provide valuable information on structural features, which are important for the resolution of European lithospheric dynamics. Moho depths vary from less than 25 km in extensional areas in central Europe to more than 50 km at stations in eastern Europe (Craton) and beneath the Alpine–Carpathian belt. A very shallow Moho depth can be observed at stations in the Upper Rhine Graben area (ca. 25 km), whereas, for example, stations in the SW Bohemian Massif show a significantly deeper Moho interface at a depth of 38 km. Vp/Vs ratios vary between 1.60 and 1.96, and show no clear correlation to the major tectonic units, thus probably representing local variations in crustal composition. Delayed arrivals of converted phases from the mantle transition zone are observed at many stations in central Europe, whereas stations in the cratonic area show earlier arrivals compared with those calculated from the IASP91 Earth reference model. Differential delay times between the P410s and P660s phases indicate a thickened mantle transition zone beneath the eastern Alps, the Carpathians and the northern Balkan peninsula, whereas the transition zone thickness in eastern and central Europe agrees with the IASP91 value. The thickening of the mantle transition zone beneath the eastern Alps and the Carpathians could be caused by cold, deeply subducted oceanic slabs.

Description: From November 1999 through July 2000, a broadband seismic experiment was carried out at Popocatépetl Volcano to record seismic activity over a wide period range (0.04–100 s). We present an overview of the seismicity recorded during this experiment and discuss results of analyses of long-period (LP) and very-long-period (VLP) seismic signals recorded at stations nearest to the crater over a four-month interval December 1999–March 2000. Three families of LP signals (Types-I, II, and III) are identified based on distinctive waveform features observed periods shorter than 1 s, periods longer than 15 s, and within the period range 0.5–2.5 s. Type-I LP events have impulsive first arrivals and exhibit a characteristic harmonic wave train with dominant periods in the 1.4–1.9 s range during the first 10 s of signal. These events are also associated with a remarkable VLP wavelet with period near 30 s. Type-II LP events represent pairs of events occurring in rapid succession and whose signatures are superimposed. These are typically marked by slowly emergent first arrivals and by a characteristic VLP wave train with dominant period near 30 s, made of two successive wavelets whose shapes are quasi-identical to those of the VLP wavelets associated with Type-I events. Type-III LP events represent the most energetic signals observed during our experiment. These have an emergent first arrival and display a harmonic signature with dominant period near 1.1 s. They are dominated by periods in the 0.25–0.35 s band and contain no significant energy at periods longer than 15 s. Hypocentral locations of the three types of LP events obtained from phase picks point to shallow seismic sources clustered at depths shallower than 2 km below the crater floor. Observed variations in volcanic eruptive activity correlate with defined LP families. Most of the observed seismicity consists of Type-I events that occur in association with 1–3-min-long degassing bursts (“exhalations”). Eruptive activity increased in intensity in February, coinciding with an increasing occurrence of Type-II LP events. Type-III events were first observed at the end of February and during March, in coincidence with the formation of a new lava dome. Vulcanian eruptions occurred in April and May. These events typically exhibit broadband signatures extending over the full period range of the sensors and lasting 30–80 min.

Description: On 12 May, a great earthquake (Ms=8.0) on the Longmenshan thrust fault rumbled through Chinas Sichuan province, killing more than 69,000 people and injuring 374,000. The Longmenshan thrust is part of the eastern border of the Tibetan Plateau, but it is not the plateaus only restless margin. An even larger earthquake (Ms=8.1) on the Kunlun fault shook northeastern Tibet in 2001, fortunately in a sparsely populated area. These massive quakes underscore the importance of understanding the tectonic response of Asia to collision by India. The International Deep Profiling of Tibet and the Himalaya (INDEPTH) program explores the dynamics of the India-Asia collision. Though many past geophysical studies have focused on the Himalayas and the southern Tibetan Plateau, the INDEPTH IV project examines the deep structure of the northeastern margin of the Tibetan Plateau.