Phase Velocity Dispersion Curves Research Articles

Shallow crustal structure of the northern Longmen Shan fault zone revealed by a dense seismic array with ambient noise analysis

The Longmen Shan (LMS) fault zone located in the southwest of China is not only the boundary tectonic zone of the Tibetan Plateau and South China block, but also an important part of the north–south seismic belt of China. To investigate the detailed crustal structure of the LMS fault zone, we deployed a dense seismic array of 151 short-period temporary stations in its northern section from March 16 to April 6, 2023. Continuous vertical component ambient noise waveforms recorded by these stations were cross-correlated for all station pairs, enabling the extraction of Rayleigh wave phase velocity dispersion curves across periods ranging from 0.5 s to 6 s. We then inverted these data to derive the crustal shear wave velocity using direct surface wave tomography. Meanwhile, a linear sub-array consisting of 54 stations and crossing the surface rupture of the 2008 Wenchuan earthquake was used to image the fault structure by applying the Transmitted Surface Wave Reverse Time Migration method (TSW-RTM). The ambient noise tomography results show that strong lateral heterogeneity exists in the shallow crust in the study area, with a high shear velocity in the northwest and a low shear velocity in the southeast. The low shear velocity is generally distributed between the Yingxiu-Beichuan fault (YBF) and the Guanxian-Jiangyou fault (GJF). The results of TSW-RTM indicate that the Wenchuan-Maoxian fault (WMF) and the YBF are both characterized with a steep dip to the northwest. Our results could serve as the important basis for the study of segmentation characteristics of the LMS fault and seismic hazard preparation and mitigation.

Research on ultrasonic guided wave-based high-speed turnout switch rail base flaw detection

Turnout switch rail fracture detection is currently a serious issue in the field of railway transportation. Guided wave detection, a non-destructive testing method, is a good way of studying this issue and looking for a suitable solution. For this paper, a guided wave mode and an excitation position were selected based on the phase velocity dispersion curve and the wave structure. After this, a model was devised for the turnout switch area using the finite element (FE) method. This model considered the straight switch rail, curved stock rail, bolt hole, spacer block, and sub-rail foundation, and verifies the validity of the simulation model through the experiment. The propagation characteristics of guided waves in the switch rail were then simulated in different fracturing states by means of a 30-kHz excitation applied vertically to the rail base. The results showed that a single mode of the guided wave could be generated by this excitation method, showing that it could be used as an effective means for fracture detection. The growth rate of the root-mean-square (RMS) value of the time-domain acceleration signal could then be analysed to identify the state of fracture in the straight switch rail. This discrimination method is suitable for finding fractures parallel to the rail cross-section with a width of 5 mm or more at the bottom of the straight switch rail.

Lithospheric structure of the Paraná, Chaco-Paraná, and Pantanal basins: Insights from ambient noise and earthquake-based surface wave tomography

To investigate the lithospheric seismic structure of southern South America beneath the Paraná, Chaco-Paraná, and Pantanal basins, we measure two distinct sets of dispersion curves of Rayleigh waves: the first corresponds to 25,986 phase velocity dispersion curves in the period range 5–50 s, extracted from cross-correlation of the ambient noise between pairs of stations and thus sensitive mainly to crustal structure; the second set is derived from group velocities extracted from earthquake recordings, resulting in 33,888 dispersion curves with periods ranging from 8 to 200 s, allowing us to probe deeper Earth structure. From these data sets, we derive two independent S-wave velocity models following a two-step inversion procedure, resulting in a crustal and a lithospheric mantle model with depths extending up to 50 and 200 km, respectively. Features imaged in our crustal model include low velocity anomalies in agreement with the surface position of the major sedimentary basins and high velocity anomalies within fold-thrust provinces and the basement of the Pantanal basin. In the uppermost mantle, we identify high velocities in the region of the Paraná basin, São Francisco and Amazonian cratons, and Luiz Alves block, and a low velocity feature beneath the Pantanal basin, which suggests a potentially thinner lithosphere under the basin. We also illuminate a strong velocity gradient boundary between the eastern border of the Pantanal basin with the Paraná basin, from crustal to lithospheric mantle depths, which seems to delineate the western and southern borders of the Paraná basin, coinciding with the Western Paraná Suture. Additionally, we construct a Moho depth proxy map for the study area, which has an overall good agreement with previous results, except for a thicker crust beneath the southern Chaco-Paraná basin. This area, together with a thicker crust counterpart in the Paraná basin, has a remarkable correlation with the position of a volcanic layer related to the Paraná Magmatic Province, which leads us to suggest that magmatic processes played an important role in the south Chaco-Paraná basin as well.

Low temperature coefficient of frequency AlN Lamb wave resonator using groove structure between interdigital transducers

The lithographically tunable and small size features of Lamb wave resonators (LWRs) take a bright future for their use in high frequency narrow band filters. Resonant frequency drift due to temperature variation has a large impact on the narrower passband and a temperature coefficient of frequency (TCF) closer to 0 can broaden the stable temperature range of the resonator. This paper proposes a method of etching grooves in the area of the piezoelectric layer not covered by the Interdigital transducer (IDT) electrodes to improve the temperature stability of the Lamb resonator. Through the finite element method and theoretical analysis, the phase velocity, group velocity, and TCF dispersion curve of different modes of the resonator with groove structure were determined. The reason for the change of TCF under different normalized thicknesses of AlN was explained through the conversion of the LWR from a contour mode resonator (CMR) to a Cross-Sectional Lamé Mode Resonator. Simulation and test have shown that etching grooves have the effect of reducing TCF by adjusting the electromechanical coupling coefficient. The test shows that 205 nm-depth grooves can lower the TCF of the S0 mode IDT-Open LWR from −13.3 to −5.1 ppm/°C and S1 mode from −36.8 to −9.0 ppm/°C, respectively. The TCF of S0 and S1 mode LWRs decreased by 61.7% and 75.5%, respectively, after 205 nm groove etching. The groove etching method greatly raises the temperature stability of the LWR, enabling Lamb wave filters to operate stably over a wider temperature range.

3D shear wave velocity and azimuthal anisotropy structure in the shallow crust of Binchuan Basin in Yunnan, Southwest China, from ambient noise tomography

The Binchuan Basin in northwest Yunnan, southwest China, is a rift basin developed at the intersection of the Red River Fault and Chenghai Fault, where historical earthquakes have occurred. Understanding the fine velocity structure of the shallow crust in this region can help improve earthquake location accuracy and our understanding of the relationship between fault zone structures and fault slip behaviors. Using the continuous waveform data recorded by 381 dense array stations in 2017, we obtained 7 915 Rayleigh-wave phase velocity dispersion curves in the period band of 0.2–6 ​s from ambient noise cross-correlation functions after rigorous data processing and quality control. We determined 3D isotropic and azimuthally anisotropic shear wave velocity models at depths above 6 ​km in the shallow crust based on the direct surface wave azimuthal anisotropic tomography method. The isotropic model reveals a strong correspondence between the S-wave velocity structure at depths of 0–1 ​km and the regional topography and lithology. The Binchuan depocenter, Zhoucheng depocenter, Xiangyun Basin, and Xihai Rift Basin are primarily composed of Quaternary deposits, which show low-velocity anomalies, while the regions with the Paleozoic shale, limestone, and basalt exhibit high-velocity anomalies. The nearly N–S orientation of fast directions from azimuthal anisotropy models are mainly controlled by the active Binchuan Fault with N–S strike as well as the NNW-oriented primary compressive stress.

Detection of the low-velocity layer using a convolutional neural network on passive surface-wave data: An application in Hangzhou, China

Passive surface-wave methods using dense seismic arrays have gained growing attention in near-surface high-resolution imaging in urban environments. Deep learning (DL) in the extraction of dispersion curves and inversion can release a tremendous workload brought by dense seismic arrays. We presented a case study of imaging shear-wave velocity (Vs) structure and detecting low-velocity layer (LVL) in the Hangzhou urban area (eastern China). We used traffic-induced passive surface-wave data recorded by dense linear arrays. We extracted phase-velocity dispersion curves from noise recordings using seismic interferometry and multichannel analysis of surface waves. We adopted a convolutional neural network to estimate near-surface Vs models by inverting Rayleigh-wave fundamental-mode phase velocities. To improve the accuracy of the inversion, we utilized the sensitivities to weight the loss function. The average root mean square error from the weighted inversion is 46% lower than that from the unweighted DL inversion. The estimated pseudo-2D Vs profiles correspond to the velocities obtained from downhole seismic measurements. Compared with an investigation on the same survey area, our inversion results are more consistent with the Vs provided by downhole seismic measurements within 50–60 m where the LVL exists. The trained neural network successfully identified that the LVL is located at 50–60 m deep. To check the applicability of the trained neural network, we applied it to a nearby passive surface-wave survey and the inversion results agree with the existing investigation results. The two applications demonstrate the accuracy and efficiency of delineating near-surface Vs structures with the LVL from traffic-induced noise using the DL technique. The DL inversion has great potential for monitoring subsurface medium changes in urban areas.

Computation and analysis of surface wave dispersion and attenuation in layered viscoelastic-vertical transversely isotropic media by the generalized R/T coefficient method

SUMMARY In this study, we propose a systematic and effective method, that is, an extended version of the generalized reflection/transmission (R/T) coefficient method, for computing the phase-velocity (${c}_r$) dispersion curves, attenuation coefficient ($\alpha $) curves, and eigenfunctions of both Rayleigh and Love waves as well as the ellipticity of Rayleigh waves in layered viscoelastic-vertical transversely isotropic (VTI) media. The numerical scheme of combining the root-searching method with the local optimization method is designed for determining the complex-valued modal solutions (i.e. complex wavenumber $k = {\omega {/ {\vphantom {\omega {{c}_r - i\alpha }}}} {{c}_r - i\alpha }}$) of surface waves. The near-surface sedimentary geological environment is taken as the model example because it is typical viscoelastic-VTI media. Besides the anisotropic-viscoelastic (AV) media, our algorithm can also compute surface waves in isotropic-elastic (IE), isotropic-viscoelastic (IV) and anisotropic-elastic (AE) media by resetting the corresponding parameters. Using the six-layer half-space models and in these four media, we verify the correctness of our algorithm by benchmarking the modal solutions against those from other methods. In the four-layer half-space model, by comparing the results of IE, IV, AE and AV media, we analyse the effects of velocity anisotropy, viscoelasticity and attenuation anisotropy on the dispersion and attenuation characteristics of both Rayleigh and Love waves in detail. Our study can provide a theoretical basis and useful tool for surface wave imaging considering the anisotropy and/or viscoelasticity of the medium, which has the potential to better investigate the solid Earth's internal structure.

Lithospheric Evolution of the South‐Central United States Constrained by Joint Inversion of Receiver Functions and Surface Wave Dispersion

AbstractIn the present study, we use broadband seismic data recorded by 190 stations of the EarthScope program's Transportable Array to construct a 3‐D shear wave velocity model for the upper 180 km using a non‐linear Bayesian Monte‐Carlo joint inversion of receiver functions (RFs) and Rayleigh wave dispersion curves. Ambient noise and teleseismic data are used for obtaining Rayleigh wave phase velocity dispersion curves. A resonance removal filtering technique is applied to the RFs contaminated by reverberations from the thick sedimentary layers that cover most of the region. Our observations of the higher crustal shear velocities (∼3.40 km/s) beneath the Sabine Block (SB), along with the estimated relatively thicker crust (∼34.0 km) and lower crustal Vp/Vs estimates (∼1.80) in comparison with the rest of the Gulf Coastal Plain (GCP) (∼3.10 km/s for crustal shear velocities, ∼29.0 km for crustal thickness, and ∼1.90 for crustal Vp/Vs estimates), indicating that this crustal block has different crustal properties from the surrounding coastal plain regions. The southern Ouachita Mountains have a thin crust (∼30.0 km) and low mean crustal Vp/Vs value (∼1.73), suggesting that lower crustal delamination has occurred in this region. Low velocities in the upper mantle beneath most of the GCP are interpreted as a combined result of thin lithosphere, higher‐than‐normal temperatures, and possibly compositional variations.

A new guided mode so-called minimum group velocity in viscoelastic sandwich plates: A parametric numerical study

Zero-Group-Velocity (ZGV) guided mode has recently received particular attention because of its highly sensitive to structural changes, such as defects. Parallel to ZGV, in the present work, we introduce a new guided mode so-called Minimum-Group-Velocity (MGV) that is a remarkable phenomenon in defect detection applications. Strictly speaking, when any two phase-velocity dispersion curves of Lamb modes approach each other without overlapping, we observe this new mode in group-velocity dispersion curves. It is worth noting that this MGV mode has never been addressed in literature. We compute the Lamb-like modes in asymmetric viscoelastic sandwich plates using the Stiffness Matrix Method (SMM). We show that the change in properties of this sandwich can dramatically affect frequency ranges associated with ZGV and MGV modes. However, a linear correlation between phase velocities and this change on viscoelastic properties is discussed, where we observed an interconnection phenomenon in the dispersion curves. This interconnection happens between specific points on the dispersion curves, each corresponding to a ZGV- or MGV-mode. On the other hand, we verify that the detection of changes in level of viscoelastic properties or variations in the thickness of the buffer viscoelastic layer is possible within a limited segment of the damped mode curve.

Retrieval and precise phase-velocity estimation of Rayleigh waves by the spatial autocorrelation method between distributed acoustic sensing and seismometer data

Summary In distributed acoustic sensing (DAS), optical fibre is used as sensors, which enables us to observe strain over tens of kilometres at intervals of several metres. S-wave velocity (Vs) structures of shallow sediments of high resolution have been obtained from surface wave dispersion curves by applying seismic interferometry to DAS data both onshore and offshore. However, it is known that there is a disadvantage to DAS seismic interferometry. In addition to Rayleigh waves, Love waves are also included. Consequently, the accuracy of the estimated phase velocities for Rayleigh waves is reduced due to the contamination of Love waves. To address this shortcoming, we suggest a spatial autocorrelation (SPAC) method between DAS and the vertical component of seismometer data. The SPAC method is equivalent to seismic interferometry and is useful for obtaining phase velocity dispersion curves of surface waves from the cross-correlation functions (CCFs) between the records of two receivers. The CCFs obtained from a combination of DAS and vertical seismometer data should contain only Rayleigh waves because Love waves have no vertical component. CCFs between DAS and vertical seismometer data are therefore expected to give more accurate phase velocities of Rayleigh waves than CCFs with DAS data only. In this study, we first formulated analytical expressions of cross-spectra for DAS and three-component seismometer data because seismic observation is generally carried out using a three-component seismometer. A new SPAC method is presented in the form of analytical expressions. We showed that our formulation only includes Rayleigh and not Love waves in the cross-spectra with DAS and the vertical-component seismometer data. We applied our SPAC method to actual DAS and vertical seismometer data recorded on the seafloor. Then, we compared our new SPAC method for DAS and vertical seismometer data with a conventional SPAC method for only DAS data. The results reveal that our new SPAC method can estimate the phase velocities of Rayleigh waves more accurately than the conventional method. In addition, the analytical formulations of the cross-spectrum between DAS and three-component seismometer data, which we obtained in this study, are expected to be useful for the estimation of accurate three-dimensional structures in the future, although this is not available at the moment due to the lack of an applicable dataset.

Evaluation of Robustness of S-Transform Based Phase Velocity Estimation in Viscoelastic Phantoms and Renal Transplants.

Ultrasound shear wave elastography (SWE) methods are being used to differentiate healthy versus diseased tissue on the basis of their viscoelastic mechanical properties. Tissue viscoelasticity is often studied by analyzing shear wave phase velocity dispersion curves, which is the variation of phase velocity with frequency or wavelength. Recently, a unique approach using a generalized Stockwell transformation (GST-SFK) was proposed for the calculation of dispersion curves in viscoelastic media over expanded frequency band. In this work, the method's robustness was evaluated on data from five custom-made viscoelastic tissue-mimicking phantoms and sixty in vivo renal transplants. For each phantom, 15 shear wave motion data acquisitions were taken, while 10-13 acquisitions were acquired for renal transplants measured in the renal cortex. For each data-set mean and standard deviation (SD) of estimated phase velocity dispersion curves were studied. In addition, the viscoelastic parameters of the Zener model were examined, which were preceded by a convergence analysis. For viscoelastic phantoms scanned with a research ultrasound scanner, and for the in vivo renal transplants scanned with a clinical scanner, the decisive advantage of the GST-SFK method over the standard two-dimensional Fourier transform (2D-FT) method was shown. The GST-SFK method provided dispersion curve estimates with lower SD over a wider frequency band in comparison to the 2D-FT method. These advantages are relevant to the analysis of the mechanical properties of tissues in clinical practice to discriminate healthy from diseased tissue.

Microtremor Full-Wavefield Modeling of Effective Phase Velocity and Horizontal-to-Vertical Spectral Ratio at Kyoto Reference Borehole Site: Comparison with Surface-Wavefield Modeling Based on a Velocity Structure with a Cap Layer

ABSTRACT Two types of data commonly used for microtremor exploration are phase-velocity dispersion curves obtained through an array measurement and horizontal-to-vertical spectral ratios (HVSRs) obtainable by a single-station measurement. Phase-velocity dispersion curves obtained by applying the spatial autocorrelation method to the array waveforms have a characteristic peaked shape in some cases. This dispersion curve shape has traditionally been explained as a consequence of the predominance of higher modes over fundamental mode in the Rayleigh waves. In this study, the effects of body waves on phase velocities and HVSRs were investigated based on both field measurements and theoretical calculations of microtremors. We used vertical-component array waveforms and single-station three-component waveforms of microtremors, obtained at and around a site where combined P-wave–S-wave (PS) and density loggings were conducted in the Kyoto basin, Japan (site KD-1), to identify phase velocities and HVSRs at frequencies in the range 0.2–2 Hz. The corresponding theoretical phase velocities and HVSRs were identified using full-wavefield synthetic data, which were generated assuming excitation points randomly distributed over the surface of a horizontally stratified velocity structure model created based on the logging data. The following key results were obtained. The measured phase-velocity dispersion curve exhibits a peaked shape with the value exceeding the S-wave velocity of the Tamba Group (Tb-Group), which is the bedrock (half-space) of the velocity structure model. Theoretical calculations based on the surface-wavefield theory were unable to reproduce this peaked shape; however, theoretical calculations based on the full-wavefield theory reproduced it with extraordinary accuracy. To reproduce the peaked shape based on the surface-wavefield theory, it was necessary to construct a model containing a cap (i.e., high-velocity layer) connected under the Tb-Group. The theoretical calculation based on the full wavefield also accurately reproduced the peak value and peak frequency of the measured HVSRs.

Method of automated extracting dispersion curves based on time-frequency distribution of seismic data

This paper discusses examples of testing a new implementation of the method of multi-channel surface wave analysis on synthetic data computed for elastic media with complex boundary geometry. The new implementation of the method includes developed algorithms for noise-resistant spectral analysis based on time-frequency domain filtering of seismograms and inversion of dispersion curves of phase velocities based on determination of ranges of possible transverse wave velocity models and application of artificial neural networks. Based on the results of synthetic data processing, the accuracy, lateral resolution limitations and applicability limits of the method under consideration are evaluated.

Potential geothermal reservoir systems in the Kenyan Great Rift Valley and volcanic region assessed by ambient noise analysis

To identify potential geothermal reservoirs in the Kenyan Great Rift, we analyzed ambient noise data to reveal seismic velocities and map azimuth-based Rayleigh-wave phase velocities. We extracted phase velocity dispersion curves from the ambient noise cross-correlation using the zero-crossing method and constructed S-wave velocity models using 3D surface-wave tomography. S-wave velocities were lower under Silali and Paka volcanoes (i.e., in magmatic regions) and in fractured areas (i.e., geothermal reservoirs) normal to the rift axis. We detected magmas at depths of >3 km beneath the volcanoes. Low-velocity anomalies may be related to fluid migration pathways. Most potential geothermal reservoirs are located above magma bodies and below the rift axis and are associated with intensive fracturing and porous rocks. Our approach used a limited number of seismometers, making it useful for application in areas with restricted access and challenging deployment; therefore, it could be used for the assessment of preliminary results in other magmatically active regions.

Detection of Low-Velocity Layer Using Passive Surface-Wave Data and Deep Learning: An Application in The Urban Area of Hangzhou, China

Passive surface-wave methods using dense seismic arrays have gained growing attention in near-surface high-resolution imaging in urban environments. Deep learning (DL) can release a tremendous workload brought by dense seismic arrays. We presented a case study of shear-wave velocity (Vs) structure imaging in the Hangzhou urban area (eastern China) using DL inversion. Noise data were recorded by dense linear arrays with approximately 5 m spacing deployed along two crossing roads for investigating the top 80 m of the subsurface. Phase-velocity dispersion curves are extracted from virtual shot gathers using multichannel analysis of surface waves. We divided the area where the low-velocity layer (LVL) may exist into three layers with a thickness of 5 m. We gave the four layers weak constraints to generate training dataset and adopted a convolutional neural network to directly invert fundamental-mode Rayleigh-wave phase velocity for 1D Vs models. To improve the accuracy, we further applied the sensitivities to weight the loss function in DL inversion. The obtained pseudo-2D Vs profiles correspond to the velocities estimated from logging data and previous survey. The well-trained neural network successfully identified that the LVL is located at 50-60 m deep. And this network was also achieved accurately the inversion of a dense seismic network nearby. The results of this survey demonstrate the accuracy and efficiency of delineating near-surface structures from traffic-induced noise using the DL technique, which has great potential for monitoring subsurface changes in urban areas.

Structure of the crust-uppermost mantle beneath the Ethiopian volcanic province using ambient seismic noise and teleseismic P wave coda autocorrelation

The Ethiopian-Yemen plateaus have been affected by plume-related magmatism for at least 40 My, yet the nature and distribution of intrusive magmas and their relation to subsequent East Africa rifting remain poorly characterized. This paper presents a 3D shear (S) - wave velocity structure of the crust and uppermost mantle beneath the northern sectors of the East African rift and the dynamically-supported Ethiopian Plateau. We apply a Bayesian inversion of group and phase velocity dispersion curves for periods 5–40 s extracted from the ambient noise tomography of data from over 125 broadband seismic stations, and we identify seismic discontinuities using autocorrelation of P-wave coda. The resulting crustal structure affecting much of the Main Ethiopian Rift (MER) indicates a pronounced low S-wave velocity lower crust (∼3.6 km/s) that becomes thinner towards the northeast rising to almost the same depth level (∼20 km) as the base crust beneath the Afar triple junction zone. We also find high velocity features in the crust and uppermost mantle beneath the Afar rift axes, the current locus of strain and volcanism, that may indicate voluminous new basaltic crust. Our Moho-depth map indicates that the entire Afar Depression is underlain by crust thinner than 25 km, whereas the MER and central Ethiopian plateau are underlain by low S-wave velocity crust thicker than 35 km. These patterns suggest active underplating beneath the largely unfaulted plateau, in contrast to the efficient magmatic feeder system supplying a narrow zone of incipient seafloor spreading in the Afar depression. Within the uppermost mantle we report evidence of a localized asthenospheric upwelling beneath the western part of the plateau southeast of Lake Tana, overlying a cooled magma body within the upper crust. A broader low-velocity uppermost mantle underlies the crust beneath the Western Plateau. These observations attest to active mantle upwelling, heating, and melt intrusion at relatively different length scales beneath the plateau in agreement with the ongoing active strains reported away from the rift zones. At 45–60 km depth beneath the rift and its shoulders, we observe a fast lid (4.2–4.4 km/s). Beneath the plateau, upper mantle velocity highs that are at least 5 km below the Moho are observed. These areas have most likely experienced prolonged magma extraction and may mark highly depleted areas.

Shear-wave velocity determination by combining data from passive and active source field investigations in Kumamoto city, Japan

We present the 1D subsoil structure and local site effects at KUMA strong ground motion station in Kumamoto City, Japan. We analyze data from a field campaign conducted in the framework of the Blind Prediction BP1 test of the 6th IASPEI/IAEE International Symposium: Effects of Surface Geology on Seismic Motion. In parallel with other participants of the BP1 test, we process data from passive and active source measurements aiming to determine the shear-wave velocity, Vs, structure and the site response at KUMA station. Passive measurements are associated to five microtremor arrays. In each array, seven seismometers have been deployed in a common-center triangle shape, recording microtremors simultaneously for 1 to 2 h. The vertical component of microtremors was analyzed using the spatial autocorrelation (SPAC) method. Cross-correlation coefficients were computed for all station pairs available for each array. By fitting the average SPAC’s coefficients to the first-kind zero-order Bessel function, J0, and assuming that microtremors primarily comprise fundamental mode Rayleigh waves, phase velocity dispersion curves were determined. Phase velocity values for frequencies > 15 Hz were obtained from data of a close-by active source geophone profile. We integrated the data with those of the passive measurements and obtained an experimental phase velocity dispersion curve. The resulting curve shows low velocity variation, from 150 to 200 m/s, in the surface layers, whereas significant dispersion appears in frequencies below 2.5 Hz. By inverting this curve, we achieved to determine the 1D shear-wave velocity structure at KUMA station. Site response characteristics were determined by applying the Horizontal-to-Vertical-Spectral-Ratios method. Significantly amplified peaks in the frequency range between 0.3 to 1.5 Hz dominate HVSR spectral ratios. These peaks correspond to resonant frequencies of soils and originate from different impedance contrasts within the substratum of the site.Graphical

A New Method for Selecting the Phase and Group Velocity Dispersion Curves of Rayleigh and Love Surface Waves: Real Data Case of Central Anatolia, Turkey (Türkiye)

We propose a new method to select the dispersion curve of Rayleigh and Love surface waves obtained from local and regional earthquakes. This method is efficient for the crustal tomography studies and the Central Anatolia is chosen to test it. The single-station method utilizing both seismograms and accelerograms is used for the group velocities from local earthquakes while the two-station approach utilizing the cross correlograms is employed for the group and phase velocities using both local and regional earthquakes. The proposed method is made of two stages. The first stage based on the multiple filter technique – MFT is designed for an automatic selection of the desired dispersion curve. In case of the single-station approach, the MFT diagrams are computed for both Rayleigh and Love seismograms or accelerograms. An algorithm based on several selection criteria is employed to extract the corresponding group velocity dispersion curve from the MFT diagram. In case of the two-station method, the MFT diagrams are computed for both Rayleigh and Love cross correlograms. The latter algorithm developed for the MFT diagram is again applied to the cross correlogram to select the respective two-station group velocity dispersion curve. To select the corresponding two-station phase velocity dispersion curve, another algorithm is developed where the joint inversion of phase and group velocities is employed. The RMS value quantifying the misfit between the selected and inverted dispersion curves is found minimum when the selected phase velocity curve is compatible with the group velocity curve extracted via the MFT. The selection procedures defined up until this point constitute the first stage. In the second stage, phase and group velocity gathering around base pathways is performed. This way it is possible to compute the averages and standard deviations for the observed pathways traversing the similar geology. The outliers determined by using the averages and standard deviations are eliminated from the data set and this elimination is performed for phase and group velocities, separately.

Seismic structure of the Eastern European crust and upper mantle from probabilistic ambient noise tomography

The Eastern European lithosphere is a natural laboratory to study continental formation and evolution through time, comprising Archean continental remnants, Proterozoic rifts and belts, and younger accreted terranes. We investigate the seismic structure of the East European Craton (EEC) crust and uppermost mantle, and the transition from Precambrian to Phanerozoic Europe across the Trans European Suture Zone (TESZ) using probabilistic transdimensional ambient noise tomography. We cross-correlate noise recorded at broadband seismic stations from Eastern, Northern, and Central Europe, remove earthquake signals using continuous wavelet transform, and extract Rayleigh wave phase velocity dispersion curves. We invert these for the highest resolution shear wave velocity model of the Eastern European lithosphere to date, using Markov chain Monte Carlo Bayesian inversion. Our shear wave velocity model exhibits spatial correlation with major tectonic units and bears similarities with active seismic survey profiles in terms of seismic velocity patterns and main discontinuities. The crust thickens across the TESZ boundary and the mantle is seismically faster than beneath younger terranes, consistent with a less dense Precambrian lithosphere in the EEC. The crust and lithosphere beneath the Pannonian region is hyper-extended but the adjacent Transylvanian basin crust shows significant heterogeneity. The Precambrian building blocks of the EEC exhibit contrasting seismic fabrics. The Baltic orogens of Fennoscandia are underlain by uniform crust with a flat Moho, while Sarmatia shows alternating high and low velocity layers and a regional south-dipping crustal boundary from beneath the Ukrainian Shield towards the Crimean Peninsula. The last observation supports a geodynamic style driven by horizontal rather than vertical tectonics, with fundamental implications for the formation and evolution of early continents.

Determination of the contrast boundaries of the low velocity zone by analyzing the features of the dispersion curves of the Rayleigh wave velocities based on empirical dependencies

An important application of the multichannel surface wave (MASW) method is seismic safety assessment. The key parameters in the calculation of increments in the input of seismic microzoning are the thickness and average velocity of the soil mass lying on the base of more rigid rocks. To determine these parameters, we propose a new method for constructing horizontally layered models of the upper part of the geological section using the features (positions of extrema of the second derivative) of the dispersion curves of phase velocities of the Rayleigh surface wave, which, as shown by numerical experiments, are associated with the position of contrasting boundaries in the medium under study. (e.g., the boundary between soils and rocks). This approach is much simpler than the problem of recovering a horizontally layered model traditionally solved in the MASW method from a set of phase velocities for a sequence of frequencies and does not require an initial approximation and/or any restrictions on the possible values of the model parameters. In the case of two-layer and three-layer media, our approach is reduced to a simple and fast application of explicit formulas.