The characteristics of the shear-wave attenuation field in the Altai lithosphere and their relationship to seismicity

Abstract

The short-period S-wave attenuation field has been mapped for the lithosphere of the Altai and adjacent areas in Mongolia and southern Siberia. A total of approximately 500 earthquake seismograms were used. These were recorded at the Makanchi and Ulan-Bator stations at distances of ~300–1900 km. It is shown that the attenuation of shear waves is much stronger in the west of the area of study compared with the east. A V-shaped band of high attenuation in the upper mantle has been identified in the west of the area where the epicenters of the magnitude 6.9 1990 Zaisan and the magnitude 7.3 2003 Chuya earthquakes were situated; a similar band extends northwestward to the west of Lake Ubsu Nur. The attenuation is comparatively low in the rupture zones of large (М ≥ 7.0) pre-1970 earthquakes. It was concluded that fluid-charged zones are formed in the lithosphere prior to large earthquakes in the Altai, as well as in other areas of Central Asia. Following large seismic events, the fluids were rising into the crust from the upper mantle during a few tens of years, thus reducing the attenuation of Sn waves. We have identified zones of high attenuation with no significant earthquakes being recorded there during historical time. It is our opinion that earthquake precursory processes may be occurring in these zones.