A Coda-Duration Magnitude Scale for the Mesopotamian Seismological Network in Iraq

Abstract

One of the routine tasks of local, regional, and global seismic networks is to calculate the earthquake magnitude using one or more scales. This study aims to derive a duration magnitude equation using the earthquake data recorded by the local Mesopotamian Seismological Network (MPSN) in Iraq. The seismic waveform data were collected from 13 broadband seismic stations of the local MPSN for the period June 2014 to October 2023 years. The source parameters of these earthquakes were extracted from the International Seismological Centre (ISC). To establish a coda duration magnitude scale, 476 events were used and 100 events were employed to test the derived equation. Coda-duration magnitude equations were derived using linear regression analysis. To ensure the applicability of the magnitude equation for the network, the station correction coefficient (Sc) was estimated. The established coda duration magnitude scales are as follows: (4 ≤ ML ≤ 6) (4 ≤ ML ≤ 5) There is a good agreement between the MD values calculated using the above equation with those estimated for the same events using coda-duration magnitude equation derived in previous study from data of the Iraqi Meteorological Organization and Seismology (IMOS). The significant strong scaling relationships derived between MD–ML, MD–mb, MD–Ms, and MD–MW can be used quickly and reliably in MD calculation for earthquakes recorded by the MPNS stations and vice versa.