High-resolution seismicity imaging and early aftershock migration of the 2023 Kahramanmara?(SE Türkiye)M_W7.9&7.8 earthquake doublet

We build a high-resolution early aftershock catalog for the 2023 SE Türkiye seismic sequence with PALM,a seamless workflow that sequentially performs phase picking,association,location,and matched filter for continuous data.The catalog contains 29,519 well-located events in the two mainshocks rupture region during 2023-02-01–2023-02-28,which significantly improves the detection completeness and relocation precision compared to the public routine catalog.Employing the new PALM catalog,we analyze the structure of the seismogenic fault system.We find that the Eastern Anatolian Fault(EAF)that generated the first M_(W)7.9 mainshock is overall near-vertical,whereas complexities are revealed in a small-scale,such as subparallel subfaults,unmapped branches,and stepovers.The seismicity on EAF is shallow(<15 km)and concentrated in depth distribution,indicating a clear lock-creep transition.In contrast,the SürgüFault(SF)that is responsible for the second M_(W)7.8 mainshock is shovel-shaped for the nucleation segment and has overall low dip angles(~40°–80°).Aftershocks on the SF distribute in a broad range of depth,extending down to~35 km.We also analyze the temporal behavior of seismicity,discovering no immediate foreshocks within~5 days preceding the first mainshock,and no seismic activity on the SF before the second mainshock.

Intrinsic and scattering attenuations of the Sichuan-Yunnan region in China from S coda waves

Seismic attenuation is a fundamental property of the Earth's media.Attenuation structure for the complicated geological structures with strong seismicity in the Sichuan-Yunnan region is poorly studied.In this study,we collected 108,399 waveforms of 11,517 local small earthquakes with magnitudes between 1.5 and 3.5 from January 2014 to September 2021 in the Sichuan-Yunnan region and its adjacent areas.We employed an envelope inversion technique for separating the intrinsic and scattering attenuations of the S coda wave,and obtained the intrinsic and scattering attenuation structures for frequencies between 0.25 and 8.00 Hz.The attenuation structures correlate well with the geological units,and some major faults mark the attenuation variations where historic large earthquakes have occurred.The regional average attenuation shows a negative frequency dependence.The average scattering attenuation has a faster descending rate than the average intrinsic attenuation,and is dominant at low frequencies,while at high frequencies the average intrinsic attenuation is stronger.The lateral variation in the intrinsic attenuation is consistent with the variation in heat flow,the scattering attenuation may be related to the scatter distribution and size.The total attenuation is consistent with the previous studies in this region,and the separate intrinsic and scattering attenuation may be useful in understanding regional tectonics and important in earthquake prevention and disaster reduction.

A comparative study of seismic tomography models of the Chinese continental lithosphere

The Chinese mainland is subject to complicated plate interactions that give rise to its complex structure and tectonics. While several seismic velocity models have been developed for the Chinese mainland, apparent discrepancies exist and, so far, little effort has been made to evaluate their reliability and consistency. Such evaluations are important not only for the application and interpretation of model results but also for future model improvement. To address this problem, here we compare five published shear-wave velocity models with a focus on model consistency. The five models were derived from different datasets and methods (i.e., body waves, surface waves from earthquakes, surface waves from noise interferometry, and full waves) and interpolated into uniform horizontal grids (0.5° × 0.5°) with vertical sampling points at 5 km, 10 km, and then 20 km intervals to a depth of 160 km below the surface, from which we constructed an averaged model (AM) as a common reference for comparative study. We compare both the absolute velocity values and perturbation patterns of these models. Our comparisons show that the models have large (> 4%) differences in absolute values, and these differences are independent of data coverage and model resolution. The perturbation patterns of the models also show large differences, although some of the models show a high degree of consistency within certain depth ranges. The observed inconsistencies may reflect limited model resolution but, more importantly, systematic differences in the datasets and methods employed. Thus, despite several seismic models being published for this region, there is significant room for improvement. In particular, the inconsistencies in both data and methodologies need to be resolved in future research. Finally, we constructed a merged model (ChinaM-S1.0) that incorporates the more robust features of the five published models. As the existing models are constrained by different datasets and methods, the merged model serves as a new type of reference model that incorporates the common features from the joint datasets and methods for the shear-wave velocity structure of the Chinese mainland lithosphere.

Assessing the effects of model parameter assumptions on surface-wave inversion results

Surface-wave inversion is a powerful tool for revealing the Earth's internal structure.However,aside from shear-wave velocity(v_(S)),other parameters can influence the inversion outcomes,yet these have not been systematically discussed.This study investigates the influence of various parameter assumptions on the results of surface-wave inversion,including the compressional and shear velocity ratio(v_(P)/v_(S)),shear-wave attenuation(Q_(S)),density(ρ),Moho interface,and sedimentary layer.We constructed synthetic models to generate dispersion data and compared the obtained results with different parameter assumptions with those of the true model.The results indicate that the v_(P)/v_(S) ratio,Q_(S),and density(ρ) have minimal effects on absolute velocity values and perturbation patterns in the inversion.Conversely,assumptions about the Moho interface and sedimentary layer significantly influenced absolute velocity values and perturbation patterns.Introducing an erroneous Mohointerface depth in the initial model of the inversion significantly affected the v_(S) model near that depth,while using a smooth initial model results in relatively minor deviations.The assumption on the sedimentary layer not only affects shallow structure results but also impacts the result at greater depths.Non-linear inversion methods outperform linear inversion methods,particularly for the assumptions of the Moho interface and sedimentary layer.Joint inversion with other data types,such as receiver functions or Rayleigh wave ellipticity,and using data from a broader period range or higher-mode surface waves,can mitigate these deviations.Furthermore,incorporating more accurate prior information can improve inversion results.

A review of geophysical studies on the Mongolian Plateau

The Mongolian Plateau in Central Asia is an intracontinental tectonic system far from active plate boundaries.Despite its distance from these boundaries,the plateau is characterized by intense crustal deformation accompanied by voluminous Cenozoic volcanism and active modern seismicity.However,the intraplate deformation mechanism has long been debated owing to the scarcity of observations and contradictions between different results.In recent years,growing geophysical studies have been conducted on the Mongolian Plateau,providing constraints on its lithospheric structure and dynamics.Here,we review the geophysical research on the Mongolian Plateau over the last decade,including seismological,geodetic,gravity,magnetotelluric,and geodynamic aspects.This review aims to(a)describe crustal and mantle structures based on multiscale seismic images;(b)describe deformation patterns based on seismic anisotropy,focal mechanisms,and global positioning system(GPS)observations;and(c)discuss the mechanisms behind intraplate deformation,volcanism,and seismic activity across the Mongolian Plateau.Seismic images show that the crustal structure of the plateau has significant east-west differences.Several blocks in the western Mongolian Plateau have thick crusts,including the Altai Mountains,Hovsgol Rift,and Hangay Dome.The lithospheric deformation across the Mongolian Plateau has strong lateral variation,with NE-SW shortening in the Altai Mountains and W-E or NW-SE shear deformation in the Hangay Dome region and the eastern part.The varied deformation may result from the superposition of multiple mechanisms,including far-field stress in the Altai Mountains,mantle upwelling,and mantle flow in the Hangay Dome region.However,it is difficult to identify the geodynamics of the formation of the entire Mongolian Plateau because the deformation is too complicated,and the present models are not sufficient and are always partial.Overall,this review encompasses recent advances in seismic observations of the Mongolian Plateau,illuminates the heterogeneities in the crust and mantle structure and deformation of the plateau,and discusses the mechanisms behind the deformation,magmatism,and seismicity.

Moment magnitudes of two large Turkish earthquakes on February 6,2023 from long-period coda

Two large earthquakes(an earthquake doublet)occurred in south-central Turkey on February 6,2023,causing massive damages and casualties.The magnitudes and the relative sizes of the two mainshocks are essential information for scientific research and public awareness.There are obvious discrepancies among the results that have been reported so far,which may be revised and updated later.Here we applied a novel and reliable long-period coda moment magnitude method to the two large earthquakes.The moment magnitudes(with one standard error)are 7.95±0.013 and 7.86±0.012,respectively,which are larger than all the previous reports.The first mainshock,which matches the largest recorded earthquakes in the Turkish history,is slightly larger than the second one by 0.11±0.035 in magnitude or by 0.04 to 0.18 at 95%confidence level.

Crust and upper mantle structure of East Asia from ambient noise and earthquake surface wave tomography

The complex tectonic background of East Asia makes it an ideal region for investigating the evolution of the continental lithosphere,for which high-resolution lithospheric structural models are essential.In this study,we measured Rayleigh-wave phase-velocity dispersion curves at periods of 10-120 s and group velocity dispersion curves at periods of 10-140 s using event records from more than 1,000 seismic stations in and around China.By jointly inverting new and previously published dispersion data from ambient noise and earthquakes,we developed a high-resolution shear-wave velocity model down to a depth of~300 km beneath East Asia.Our model revealed heterogeneous lithospheric structures beneath East Asia,and allowed us to investigate the velocity structure of the entire lithosphere.We also derived crustal and lithospheric thickness models from the three-dimensional(3D)shear-wave model,revealing strong spatial heterogeneity and a general thinning trend of lithospheric thickness from west to east across the study region.Overall,our models reveal important lithospheric features beneath East Asia and provide a valuable baseline dataset for understanding continental-scale dynamics and evolution.

A comparative study of seismic tomography models of Southwest China

The margin of the Tibetan Plateau of Southwest China is one of the most seismically active regions of China and is the location of the China Seismic Experimental Site(CSES).Many studies have developed seismic velocity models of Southwest China,but few have compared and evaluated these models which is important for further model improvement.Thus,we compared six published seismic shear-wave velocity models of Southwest China on absolute velocity and velocity perturbation patterns.The models are derived from different types of data(e.g.,surface waves from ambient noise and earthquakes,body-wave travel times,receiver functions) and inversion methods.We interpolated the models into a uniform horizontal grid(0.5° × 0.5°) and vertically sampled them at 5,10,20,30,40,and 60 km depths.We found significant differences between the six models.Then,we selected three of them that showed greater consistency for further comparison.Our further comparisons revealed systematic biases between models in absolute velocity that may be related to different data types.The perturbation pattern of the model is especially divergent in the shallow part,but more consistent in the deep part.We conducted synthetic and inversion tests to explore possible causes and our results imply that systematic differences between the data,differences in methods,and other factors may directly affect the model.Therefore,the Southwest China velocity model still has considerable room for improvement,and the impact of inconsistency between different data types on the model needs further research.Finally,we proposed a new reference shear-wave velocity model of Southwest China(SwCM-S1.0) based on the three selected models with high consistency.We believe that this model is a better representation of more robust features of the models that are based on different data sets.

Time-varying gravity field model of Sichuan-Yunnan region based on the equivalent mass source model

High-precision time-varying gravity field is an effective way to study the internal mass movement and understanding the spatio-temporal evolution process of the geodynamic system.Compared to the satellite gravity measurement,the repeated terrestrial gravity observation can provide a more high-order signal related to the shallow crust and subsurface.However,the suitable and unified method for gravity model estimation is a key problem for further applications.In this study,we introduce the spherical hexahedron element to simulate the field source mass and forward model the change of gravity field located at the Sichuan-Yunnan region(99—104°E,23—29°N)in the four epochs from 2015 to 2017.Compared to the experimental results based on Slepian or spherical harmonics frequency domain method,this alternative approach is suitable for constructing the equivalent mass source model of regional-scale gravity data,by introducing the first-order smooth prior condition of gravity time-varying signal to suppress the high-frequency component of the signal.The results can provide a higher spatial resolution reference for regional gravity field modeling in the Sichuan-Yunnan region.

Theoretical analysis of high-speed rail seismic imaging

We do theoretical research on using high-speed rail(HSR)as an active source to perform reverse time migration(RTM)and analyze the influence of the interferometric field on the seismic imaging results.When a train runs on a rail viaduct,the evenly spaced piers of the viaduct generate a nearly spherical interferometric wavefield with radically travelling waves in frequency-determined directions.We find that the directions span stationary areas of the interference phases,of which cross-talks deteriorating HSR seismic imaging can be well suppressed by stacking.Accordingly,we propose a method for performing RTM by employing HSR data.Numerical tests primarily verify the proposed method by use of 2 D and 3 D acoustic wave equations.Subsequently,we execute least square RTM to suppress crosstalk artifacts,further improving the imaging quality.At last,we stack images derived from trains with different velocities,which extends the frequency band,effectively overcoming the limit from the discrete spectrum of the source wavelet.