V S Profiles from Noise Cross Correlation at Local and Small Scale

Abstract

Ambient noise measurements have been performed at local and small scales in the Neapolitan and surrounding areas (Campania, southern Italy) by employing two broad-band Kinemetrics Q330 stations, equipped with Episensor ES-T three component accelerometers. In both experiments frequency time analysis (FTAN method) has been performed on the vertical and radial components of noise cross correlations to retrieve the Rayleigh wave dispersion (Green’s function). At local scale, over an interstation distance of about 26 km, the group velocity dispersion values have been compared with those obtained from FTAN analysis on recordings of two earthquakes with similar path. At small scale, measurements have been carried out over an interstation distance of about 440 m in the public gardens of Scampia, the northernmost quarter of Naples. The Rayleigh wave group velocity dispersion data obtained from noise cross correlation, have been combined with those from active seismic experiment along the same alignment, but shorter (120 m offset). The non linear inversion of such a dispersion curve has allowed the definition of V S models to depths of 100 m, in agreement with nearby stratigraphy. Moreover, a good agreement has resulted for the resonance frequency among the H/V ratio, the ellipticity of the fundamental mode computed for the chosen V S model, and the average two-dimensional (2D) spectral amplification computed along a cross section representative of the Scampia quarter.