Pinon Flat Observatory Research Articles

Comparing Direct Observation of Strain, Rotation, and Displacement with Array Estimates at Piñon Flat Observatory, California

ABSTRACT The unique instrument setting at the Pinon Flat Observatory in California is used to simultaneously measure 10 out of the 12 components, completely describing the seismic‐wave field. We compare the direct measurements of rotation and strain for the 13 September 2015 M w 6.7 Gulf of California earthquake with array‐derived observations using this configuration for the first time. In general, we find a very good fit between the observations of the two measurements with cross‐correlation coefficients up to 0.99. These promising results indicate that the direct and array‐derived measurements of rotation and strain are consistent. For the array‐based measurement, we derived a relation to estimate the frequency range within which the array‐derived observations provide reliable results. This relation depends on the phase velocity of the study area and the calibration error, as well as on the size of the array.

Dynamic Strains at Regional and Teleseismic Distances

Abstract We develop formulas for the size of dynamic strains caused by seismic waves from an earthquake of given magnitude and distance. These formulas include peak strain, peak dissipated power, and total dissipated energy, and they are applicable at regional and teleseismic distances. The formulas are fits to data from 89 large (6.5≤ M w ≤9.0) shallow earthquakes, with source distances between 500 and 16,000 km, recorded between 1977 and 2013 by three long‐base laser strainmeters at Pinon Flat Observatory in southern California; these strainmeters provide uniquely well‐calibrated measurements of tensor strain. The residuals to the fits suggest that strain values can usually be predicted to within a factor of 2. These data also show that the strain tensor can be substantially different from that expected for plane waves: in particular, the extension perpendicular to the back azimuth, which should be zero, is always 20% or more of the extension along that azimuth. How much the strains resemble those for plane waves depends on their path, perhaps because inhomogeneities along different paths produce different amounts of multipathing. The observed strains are systematically 10%–30% larger at nearby laser strainmeter sites in the Salton trough, suggesting local amplification from inhomogeneous crustal structure. Online Material: Tables of earthquake catalogs and dynamic strain analysis, and figures of earthquake magnitude/distance distributions and time delays of maximum strain.

Evaluation of rosette infrasonic noise-reducing spatial filters.

This paper presents results from recent tests of rosette infrasonic noise-reducing spatial filters at the Pinon Flat Observatory in southern California. Data from 18- and 70-m aperture rosette filters and a reference port are used to gauge the reduction in atmospheric wind-generated noise levels provided by the filters and to examine the effect of these spatial filters on spatially coherent acoustic signals in the 0.02- to 10-Hz band. At wind speeds up to 5.5 m/s, the 18-m rosette filter reduces wind noise levels above 0.2 Hz by 15 to 20 dB. Under the same conditions, the 70-m rosette filter provides noise reduction of up to 15 to 20 dB between 0.02 and 0.7 Hz. Standing wave resonance inside the 70-m filter degrades the reception of acoustic signals above 0.7 Hz. The fundamental mode of the resonance, 15 dB above background, is centered at 2.65-Hz and the first odd harmonic is observed at 7.95 Hz in data from the large filter. Analytical simulations accurately reproduce the noise reduction and resonance observed in the 70-m filter at all wind speeds above 1.25 m/s. Resonance theory indicates that internal reflections that give rise to the resonance observed in the passband are occurring at the summing manifolds, and not at the inlets. Rosette filters are designed for acoustic arrivals with infinite phase velocity. The plane-wave response of the 70-m rosette filter has a strong dependence on frequency above 3.5 Hz at grazing angles of less than 15 degrees from the horizontal. At grazing angles, complete cancellation of the signal occurs at 5 Hz. Theoretical predictions of the phase and amplitude response of 18- and 70-m rosette filters, that take into account internal resonance and time delays between the inlets, compare favorably with observations derived from a cross-spectral analysis of signals from the explosion of a large bolide.

Continuous measurements of crustal deformation for the 1992 Landers earthquake sequence

Abstract We describe, and attempt to interpret, continuous measurements of strains and tilts made at Pinon Flat Observatory (PFO) before, during, and after the Landers and Joshua Tree earthquake sequences. These data show substantial transient deformation following the Landers mainshock, with a total amplitude of several percent of the co-seismic deformation, and a decay time of at least several days. Comparing data from the many types of instruments at PFO allows us to infer possible sources for this deformation. The immediate postseismic transient was nearly the same size on three long-base strainmeters, suggesting either broadscale deformation or local motion near one part of the observatory. The latter can largely be ruled out by the similarity of many other measurements in the area covered by these strainmeters and the observations by others of significant postseismic displacements nearer the source. Possible mechanisms for broad-scale deformation include postseismic fault slip, time-dependent creep in near-surface rocks, and elastic or thermal responses to water-table changes. The first two agree best with the observations from PFO, but if postseismic fault slip is the source, it must have been distributed differently than the co-seismic slip, and may have included faults other than those that ruptured seismically. If one of the other mechanisms is the main source, the PFO data imply that the postseismic-slip must have been very much smaller than the seismic slip, perhaps 2% or less. No significant preseismic deformation was observed, at a level of 2 × 10 −3 of the co-seismic deformation, for the days to minutes before the earthquake.

Borehole tensor strain measurements in California

Two continuous borehole plane strain monitoring sites have been operational in California since late 1983, using borehole tensor strain monitors implanted at a depth of 150 m. Shear strain data at subtidal sensitivies were available immediately after installation without contamination by bond curing or thermal recovery signals. At Pinon Flat Observatory, data indicate a constant shear strain accumulation of 0.6 microstrain per annum with the axis of maximum compression oriented 50° ± 5° west of north. This result differs significantly from regional geodetic estimates, the amplitude being dominated by continued viscoelastic response of the hole. Variations of measured strain rate exceeding 100 nstrain/yr would be significant at this instrument site. At San Juan Bautista, measurements of the angle of maximum compression (10° ± 3° west of north) agree closely with previous geodetic and hydrofracture estimates. After 2 years of operation the residual shear strain rate is 1 μstrain/yr. Preliminary analysis of strain steps observed at San Juan Bautista during the Morgan Hill earthquake of April 24, 1984, show good agreement with calculations from seismically determined source parameters for this event.