Synthetic isoseismals of three earthquakes in California and Nevada |
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| Authors: | L Sirovich |
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| Institution: | Osservatorio Geofisico Sperimentale, P.O. Box 2011, 34016 Trieste, Italy |
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| Abstract: | Recent tests on a series of earthquakes in California and Nevada suggest that in some regions the approximate shapes of the territories with equal earthquake-induced damage (expressed in terms of macroseismic intensity) could be synthetically traced out with a simple formula. This formula takes into account some gross features of the source: depth and length, unilateral or bilateral rupture, radiation patterns, rupture velocity, and directivity. Having been formulated on an empirical basis, the formula is however compatible with the so-called asymptotic approach, in which the far-field component of the Green's function is used. This paper presents the synthetic isoseismals of the earthquakes at Cedar Mountain, Nevada, 1932; Fairview Peak-Dixie Valley, Nevada, 1954; and Coalinga, California, 1983. An overall consistency, from acceptable to remarkable, between the observed intensity patterns and the synthetically back-predicted intensity has been obtained for them. Where the detailed modelling techniques available today are inapplicable, due to insufficient information on the features of the seismic sources, or to save time and money, the new formula may be utilizable for improving seismic hazard calculations.The formula was also used inversely for back-predicting geometric-kinematic parameters of the Coalinga 1983 earthquake from macroseismic maps. This gave characteristics for its source which are in good agreement with the majority of data inferred from modelling and from analyzing modern instrumental recordings. This striking result opens new perspectives in retrieving information on the source of ancient earthquakes for which only macroseismic information is available. |
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| Keywords: | earthquake California Coalinga Nevada macroseismic intensity Green's function radiation patterns asymptotic approach synthetic isoseismals kinematic |
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