Seismic Site Characterization Using Ambient Noise and Earthquake HVSR in the Easternmost Part of Shillong Plateau, India

Abstract

This study provides site characterization results using passive seismic techniques for the easternmost part of Shillong plateau of Northeastern India. The prime objective of this research is to generate the Horizontal-to-Vertical Spectral Ratios (HVSR) from earthquakes and ambient microtremor data for generation of 1-D shear wave velocity profiles to reveal the basement depths and fundamental resonance frequencies underneath three stations of Shillong plateau. The earthquake waveforms are recorded for a period of eighteen months (i.e. December 2018 to June 2020) using broadband seismometer; while the ambient microtremor data is collected from a three component highly sensitive velocity meter. The earthquake HVSRs and noise HVSRs are consistent with each other and range from ∼3.6 Hz to ∼14.5 Hz. The Rayleigh wave ellipticity are generated from the corresponding HVSR curves for inversion to determine compressional and shear wave velocity structure. We report that the compressional and shear wave velocity profiles match fairly well for both earthquakes and ambient microtremor data. Overall, Vs30 lies in the range of 480 m/s to 2600 m/s at all locations in the easternmost part of Shillong plateau; while the sedimentary layer velocity lies between 450 m/s and 1100 m/s. The thickness of the sedimentary layer is assessed from the velocity profiles and using an empirical formula makes a good match and varies from 11.3 m to 31.2 m.