Spatial variation of coda wave attenuation using aftershocks of the Al Hoceima earthquake of 24 February, 2004, Morocco

On 24th February 2004 a significant earthquake (Md = 6.4) occurred in the north of Moroccocausing great damage in the vicinity of Al Hoceima region. This area is characterized by a complex faulting system as a result of compressional tectonic forces. Three short period seismic stations are set in this area of interest and recordings from these stations were used in this study. In order to complete our knowledge of attenuation, 60 local earthquakes are recorded a few days after the great earthquake with magnitude Ml 2.6 - 5.0 to estimate seismic attenuation. For this purpose, we applied the single backscattering model of Aki & Chouet 1975 inthe frequency range for 1 to 8 Hz. The study of coda waves was limited to a relatively short lapse time (20 Seconds) in order to sample the earth’s crust only. The values of Qc estimated for all the three stations show a strong frequency dependent relationship of the form Qc = Q0fn, where Q0 is Qc at 1 Hz , and n represents the degree of frequency dependence, and reflects the level of crustal heterogeneities to varying degrees. The average frequency dependent attenuation relationship has been obtained which indicates that the attenuation is high in this region. Finally to conclude our work, the values of Q0 suggest that Al Hoceima area is highly heterogeneous and the n parameter indicates a meaning frequency dependence of Qc.

Determination of Thermal Conductivity and Porosity of Building Stone from Ultrasonic Velocity Measurements

Ultrasonic velocity measurement, a non-destructive and easy method to apply in both field and laboratory conditions, has increasingly been conducted to determine the physical properties of rock materials. This paper presents an experimental study of the measurement of P-wave velocity, thermal conductivity and porosity of several types of sedimentary, metamorphic, and magmatic rocks. The aim of this study is to predict the rocks properties including their thermal conductivity and porosity using P-wave velocity. For this purpose, the physical properties are determined in the laboratory to obtain correlations between P-wave velocity and physical properties. Consequently, good linear relationships are found between all the determined physical properties and the P-wave velocity measurements.

Attenuation of coda waves in the SW of High-Atlas area, Morocco

We investigate attenuation scattering and loss properties in Souss basin(SW of High-Atlas) as a transition zone between the High and Anti Atlas ranges. This district consists in a thinned crustal patch with shallow seismicity and loose sedimentary trenches that perform an important contribution to augment seismic attenuation. So far, no coda waves approach in our knowledge have been used to draw satisfying outputs about the attenuation properties in the region. Therefore, this update suggests to correlate the lateral changes of seismic attenuation to different characteristics and asperities i.e. seismic activity,crustal age and thickness, heat flow, and ground deformation rate. To do so, we analysed coda waves derived from waveform data of more than 23 local earthquakes from seven broadband seismometers recorded during 2010 e2012 period. As a starter, we utilized the backscattering model which defines theseismic attenuation as inversely proportional to quality factor by the equation A ?1=. QQcestimates c were deducted at various central frequency bands 1.5, 3.0, 6.0, 9.0, 12.0 and 18.0 Hz according to different lapses times. The estimated average frequency dependence quality factor gives relation Qc? 120 f1;01,while the average Qcvalues vary from 149 at 1.5 Hz to 1895 at 18 Hz central frequencies. We observed an intimate dependence between quality factor and frequency ranges, which reflects the complexity of geological/geophysical pattern in the Souss basin and the presence of a variety of heterogeneities within the underlying crust.

Prediction of Porosity and Density of Calcarenite Rocks from P-Wave Velocity Measurements

Petrophysical proprieties such as porosity, density, permeability and saturation have a marked impact on acoustic proprieties of rocks. Hence, there has been recently a strong incentive to use new geophysical techniques to invert such properties from seismic or sonic measurements for rocks characterization. The P-wave velocity, which is non-destructtive and easy method to apply in both field and laboratory conditions, has increasingly been conducted to determine the geotechnical properties of rock materials. The P-wave velocity of a rock is closely related to the intact rock properties, and been measuring the velocity in rock masses describes the rock structure and texture. The present work deals with the use of a simple and non-destructive technique, ultrasonic velocity, to predict the porosity and density of calcarenite rocks that are characteristic in historical monument. The ultrasonic test is based on measuring the propagation time of a P-wave in the longitudinal direction. Good correlations between P-wave velocity, porosity and density were found, which indicated them as an appropriate technique for estimating the porosity and density.