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Volcanic tremor extraction and earthquake detection using music information retrieval algorithms
(2021)
Volcanic tremor signals are usually observed before or during volcanic eruptions and must be monitored to evaluate the volcanic activity. A challenge in studying seismic signals of volcanic origin is the coexistence of transient signal swarms and long-lasting volcanic tremor signals. Separating transient events from volcanic tremors can, therefore, contrib-ute to improving upon our understanding of the underlying physical processes. Exploiting the idea of harmonic-percussive separation in musical signal processing, we develop a method to extract the harmonic volcanic tremor signals and to detect tran-sient events from seismic recordings. Based on the similarity properties of spectrogram frames in the time-frequency domain, we decompose the signal into two separate spec-trograms representing repeating (harmonic) and nonrepeating (transient) patterns, which correspond to volcanic tremor signals and earthquake signals, respectively. We reconstruct the harmonic tremor signal in the time domain from the complex spectrogram of the repeating pattern by only considering the phase components for the frequency range in which the tremor amplitude spectrum is significantly contribut-ing to the energy of the signal. The reconstructed signal is, therefore, clean tremor signal without transient events. Furthermore, we derive a characteristic function suitable for the detection of tran-sient events (e.g., earthquakes) by integrating amplitudes of the nonrepeating spectro-gram over frequency at each time frame. Considering transient events like earthquakes, 78% of the events are detected for signal-to-noise ratio = 0.1 in our semisynthetic tests. In addition, we compared the number of detected earthquakes using our method for one month of continuous data recorded during the Holuhraun 2014-2015 eruption in Iceland with the bulletin presented in Agustsdottir et al. (2019). Our single station event detection algorithm identified 84% of the bulletin events. Moreover, we detected a total of 12,619 events, which is more than twice the number of the bulletin events.
This study presents an unsupervised feature selection and learning approach for the discovery and intuitive imaging of significant temporal patterns in seismic single-station or network recordings. For this purpose, the data are parametrized by real-valued feature vectors for short time windows using standard analysis tools for seismic data, such as frequency-wavenumber, polarization, and spectral analysis. We use Self-Organizing Maps (SOMs) for a data-driven feature selection, visualization and clustering procedure, which is in particular suitable for high-dimensional data sets. Our feature selection method is based on significance testing using the Wald-Wolfowitz runs test for-individual features and on correlation hunting with SOMs in feature subsets. Using synthetics composed of Rayleigh and Love waves and real-world data, we show the robustness and the improved discriminative power of that approach compared to feature subsets manually selected from individual wavefield parametrization methods. Furthermore, the capability of the clustering and visualization techniques to investigate the discrimination of wave phases is shown by means of synthetic waveforms and regional earthquake recordings.
Traveltime residuals for worldwide seismic stations are calculated. We use P and S waves from earthquakes in SE-Asia at teleseismic and regional distances. The obtained station residuals help to enhance earthquake localisation. Furthermore we calculated regional source dependent station residuals. They show a systematic dependence of the locality of the source. These source dependent residuals reflect heterogenities along the path and can be used for a refinement of earthquake localisation.
On 26 December 2004, a moment magnitude M-w = 9.3 earthquake occurred along Northern Sumatra, the Nicobar and Andaman islands, resulting in a devastating tsunami in the Indian Ocean region(1). The rapid and accurate estimation of the rupture length and direction of such tsunami-generating earthquakes is crucial for constraining both tsunami wave- height models as well as the seismic moment of the events. Compressional seismic waves generated at the hypocentre of the Sumatra earthquake arrived after about 12 min at the broadband seismic stations of the German Regional Seismic Network (GRSN)(2,3), located approximately 9,000 km from the event. Here we present a modification of a standard array- seismological approach and show that it is possible to track the propagating rupture front of the Sumatra earthquake over a total rupture length of 1,150 km. We estimate the average rupture speed to be 2.3-2.7 km s(-1) and the total duration of rupture to be at least 430 s, and probably between 480 and 500 s.
We examine the use of ambient noise cross-correlation tomography for shallow site characterization using a modified two-step approach. Initially, we extract Rayleigh wave traveltimes from correlation traces of vertical component seismic recordings from a local network installed in Mygdonia basin, northern Greece. The obtained Rayleigh wave traveltimes show significant spatial variability, as well as distance and frequency dependence due to the 3-D structure of the area, dispersion, and anelastic attenuation effects. The traveltime data sets are inverted through a surface wave tomography approach to determine group velocity maps for each frequency. The proposed tomographic inversion involves the use of approximate Fresnel volumes and interfrequency smoothing constraints to stabilize the results. In the last step, we determine a final 3-D velocity model using a node-based Monte Carlo 1-D dispersion curve inversion. The reliability of the final 3-D velocity model is examined by spatial and depth resolution analysis, as well as by inversion for different model parameterizations. The obtained results are in very good agreement with previous findings from seismic and other geophysical methods. The new 3-D VS model provides additional structural constraints for the shallow sediments and bedrock structure of the northern Mygdonia basin up to the depth of similar to 200-250 m. Present work results suggest that the migration of ambient tomography techniques from large scales (tens or hundreds of km) to local scales (few hundred meters) is possible but cannot be used as a black box technique for 3-D modeling and detailed geotechnical site characterization.
Permafrost inundated since the last glacial maximum is degrading, potentially releasing trapped or stabilized greenhouse gases, but few observations of the depth of ice-bonded permafrost (IBP) below the seafloor exist for most of the arctic continental shelf. We use spectral ratios of the ambient vibration seismic wavefield, together with estimated shear wave velocity from the dispersion curves of surface waves, for estimating the thickness of the sediment overlying the IBP. Peaks in spectral ratios modeled for three-layered 1-D systems correspond with varying thickness of the unfrozen sediment. Seismic receivers were deployed on the seabed around Muostakh Island in the central Laptev Sea, Siberia. We derive depths of the IBP between 3.7 and 20.7m15%, increasing with distance from the shoreline. Correspondence between expected permafrost distribution, modeled response, and observational data suggests that the method is promising for the determination of the thickness of unfrozen sediment.
We test the capability of broadband arrays at teleseismic distances to image the spatio-temporal characteristics of the seismic energy release during the Dec 26, 2004 Sumatra earthquake at early observation times. Using a non-plane-wave array location technique previously reported values for rupture length (about 1150 km), duration (about 480 s), and average rupture velocity (2.4-2.7 km/s) are confirmed. Three dominant energy releases are identified: one near the hypocenter, a second at 6 degrees N94 degrees E about 130 s later and a third one after 300 s at 9 degrees N92-93 degrees E. The spatio-temporal distribution of the radiated seismic energy in the source region is calculated from the stacked broadband recordings of two arrays in Germany and Japan and results in rough estimates of the total seismic energy of 0.55.10(18) Nm (GRSN) and 1.53.10(18) Nm (FNET) respectively. Changes in the relative ratio of energy as function of spatio-temporal location indicate a rotation of the focal mechanism during the rupture process
In the present study, we investigated the dispersion characteristics of medium-to-long period Rayleigh waves (2 s < T < 20 s) using both single-station techniques (multiple-filter analysis, and phase-match filter) and multichannel techniques (horizontal slowness [p] and angular frequency [omega] stack, and cross-correlation) to determine the velocity structure for the Mt. Etna volcano. We applied these techniques to a dataset of teleseisms, as regional and local earthquakes recorded by two broad-band seismic arrays installed at Mt. Etna in 2002 and 2005, during two seismic surveys organized by the Istituto Nazionale di Geofisica e Vulcanologia (INGV), sezione di Napoli. The dispersion curves obtained showed phase velocities ranging from 1.5 km/s to 4.0 km/s in the frequency band 0.05 Hz to 0.45 Hz. We inverted the average phase velocity dispersion curves using a non-linear approach, to obtain a set of shear-wave velocity models with maximum resolution depths of 25 km to 30 km. Moreover, the presence of lateral velocity contrasts was checked by dividing the whole array into seven triangular sub-arrays and inverting the dispersion curves relative to each triangle.
We present an integrated approach for deriving the 1D shear wave velocity (Vs) information at few tens to hundreds of meters down to the first strong impedance contrast in typical sedimentary environments. We use multiple small aperture seismic arrays in 1D and 2D configuration to record active and passive seismic surface wave data at two selected geotechnical sites in Germany (Horstwalde & Lobnitz). Standard methods for data processing include the Multichannel Analysis of Surface Waves (MASW) method that exploits the high frequency content in the active data and the sliding window frequency-wavenumber (f-k) as well as the spatial autocorrelation (SPAC) methods that exploit the low frequency content in passive seismic data. Applied individually, each of the passive methods might be influenced by any source directivity in the noise wavefield. The advantages of active shot data (known source location) and passive microtremor (low frequency content) recording may be combined using a correlation based approach applied to the passive data in the so called Interferometric Multichannel Analysis of Surface Waves (IMASW). In this study, we apply those methods to jointly determine and interpret the dispersion characteristics of surface waves recorded at Horstwalde and Lobnitz. The reliability of the dispersion curves is controlled by applying strict limits on the interpretable range of wavelengths in the analysis and further avoiding potentially biased phase velocity estimates from the passive f-k method by comparing to those derived from the SPatial AutoCorrelation method (SPAC). From our investigation at these two sites, the joint analysis as proposed allows mode extraction in a wide frequency range (similar to 0.6-35 Hz at Horstwalde and similar to 1.5-25 Hz at Lobnitz) and consequently improves the Vs profile inversion. To obtain the shear wave velocity profiles, we make use of a global inversion approach based on the neighborhood algorithm to invert the interpreted branches of the dispersion curves. Within the uncertainty given by the apparent spread of forward models we find that besides a well defined sediment velocity range also a reasonable minimum estimate of bedrock depth and bedrock velocity can be achieved. The Vs estimate for the best model in Horstwalde ranges from similar to 190 m/s at the surface up to similar to 390 m/s in the bottom of the soft sediment column. The bedrock starts earliest around 200 m depth and bedrock velocities are higher than 1000 m/s. In Lobnitz, we observe slightly lower velocities for the sediments (similar to 165-375 m/s for the best model) and a minimum thickness of 75 m. (C) 2016 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.
Earthquake rupture length and width estimates are in demand in many seismological applications. Earthquake magnitude estimates are often available, whereas the geometrical extensions of the rupture fault mostly are lacking. Therefore, scaling relations are needed to derive length and width from magnitude. Most frequently used are the relationships of Wells and Coppersmith (1994) derived on the basis of a large dataset including all slip types with the exception of thrust faulting events in subduction environments. However, there are many applications dealing with earthquakes in subduction zones because of their high seismic and tsunamigenic potential. There are no well-established scaling relations for moment magnitude and length/width for subduction events. Within this study, we compiled a large database of source parameter estimates of 283 earthquakes. All focal mechanisms are represented, but special focus is set on (large) subduction zone events, in particular. Scaling relations were fitted with linear least-square as well as orthogonal regression and analyzed regarding the difference between continental and subduction zone/oceanic relationships. Additionally, the effect of technical progress in earthquake parameter estimation on scaling relations was tested as well as the influence of different fault mechanisms. For a given moment magnitude we found shorter but wider rupture areas of thrust events compared to Wells and Coppersmith (1994). The thrust event relationships for pure continental and pure subduction zone rupture areas were found to be almost identical. The scaling relations differ significantly for slip types. The exclusion of events prior to 1964 when the worldwide standard seismic network was established resulted in a remarkable effect on strike-slip scaling relations: the data do not show any saturation of rupture width of strike- slip earthquakes. Generally, rupture area seems to scale with mean slip independent of magnitude. The aspect ratio L/W, however, depends on moment and differs for each slip type.
The Mw=7.7 tsunamogenic earthquake (TsE) on 17 July 2006, 08:19:28 shock the Indian Ocean at about 15 km depth off-coast Java, Indonesia. It caused a local tsunami with wave heights exceeding 2 m. The death toll reached several hundred. Thousands of people were displaced. By means of standard array methods, we have investigated the propagation and the extent of the rupture front of the causative earthquake. Waveform similarity is expressed by means of the semblance. We back-propagate the semblance for first-arrival phases recorded at broad-band stations within teleseismic distances (30°-95°). Image enhancement is realised by stacking the semblance of 8 arrays within different epicentral and azimuthal directions. From teleseismic observations we find rupturing of a 200 x 100 km wide area in at least 2 phases with propagation from NW to SE and source duration >125 s. The event has some characteristics of a circular rupture followed by unilateral faulting with change in slip rate. Unusually slow rupturing (≈1.5 km/s) is indicated. Fault area and aftershock distribution coincide. Spatial and temporal resolution are frequency dependent. Studies of a Mw6.0 earthquake on 2006/09/21 and one synthetic source show a ≈1° limit in resolution. Retrieved source area, source duration as well as peak values for semblance and beam power increase with the size of the earthquake making possible an automatic detection and classification of large and small earthquakes.
The variation of Rayleigh ellipticity versus frequency is gaining popularity in site characterization. It becomes a necessary observable to complement dispersion curves when inverting shear wave velocity profiles. Various methods have been proposed so far to extract polarization from ambient vibrations recorded on a single three-component station or with an array of three-component sensors. If only absolute values were recovered 10 yr ago, new array-based techniques were recently proposed with enhanced efficiencies providing also the ellipticity sign. With array processing, higher-order modes are often detected even in the ellipticity domain. We suggest to explore the properties of a high-resolution beamforming where radial and vertical components are explicitly included. If N is the number of three-component sensors, 2N x 2N cross-spectral density matrices are calculated for all presumed directions of propagation. They are built with N radial and N vertical channels. As a first approach, steering vectors are designed to fit with Rayleigh wave properties: the phase shift between radial and vertical components is either -Pi/2 or Pi/2. We show that neglecting the ellipticity tilt due to attenuation has only minor effects on the results. Additionally, we prove analytically that it is possible to retrieve the ellipticity value from the usual maximization of the high-resolution beam power. The method is tested on synthetic data sets and on experimental data. Both are reference sites already analysed by several authors. A detailed comparison with previous results on these cases is provided.
Tsunami early warning (TEW) is a challenging task as a decision has to be made within few minutes on the basis of incomplete and error-prone data. Deterministic warning systems have difficulties in integrating and quantifying the intrinsic uncertainties. In contrast, probabilistic approaches provide a framework that handles uncertainties in a natural way. Recently, we have proposed a method using Bayesian networks (BNs) that takes into account the uncertainties of seismic source parameter estimates in TEW. In this follow-up study, the method is applied to 10 recent large earthquakes offshore Sumatra and tested for its performance. We have evaluated both the general model performance given the best knowledge we have today about the source parameters of the 10 events and the corresponding response on seismic source information evaluated in real-time. We find that the resulting site-specific warning level probabilities represent well the available tsunami wave measurements and observations. Difficulties occur in the real-time tsunami assessment if the moment magnitude estimate is severely over- or underestimated. In general, the probabilistic analysis reveals a considerably large range of uncertainties in the near-field TEW. By quantifying the uncertainties the BN analysis provides important additional information to a decision maker in a warning centre to deal with the complexity in TEW and to reason under uncertainty.
Ambient vibration measurements with small, temporary arrays that produce estimates of surface wave dispersion have become increasingly popular as a low-cost, non-invasive tool for site characterisation. An important requirement for these measurements to be meaningful, however, is the temporal consistency and repeatability of the resulting dispersion and spatial autocorrelation curve estimates. Data acquired within several European research projects (NERIES task JRA4, SESAME, and other multinational experiments) offer the chance to investigate the variability of the derived data products. The dataset analysed here consists of repeated array measurements, with several years of time elapsed between them. The measurements were conducted by different groups in different seasons, using different instrumentations and array layouts, at six sites in Greece and Italy. Ambient vibration amplitude spectra and locations of dominant sources vary between the two measurements at each location. Still, analysis indicates that this does not influence the derived dispersion information, which is stable in time and neither influenced by the instrumentation nor the analyst. The frequency range over which the dispersion curves and spatial autocorrelation curves can be reliably estimated depends on the array dimensions (minimum and maximum aperture) used in the specific deployment, though, and may accordingly vary between the repeated experiments. The relative contribution of Rayleigh and Love waves to the wavefield can likewise change between repeated measurements. The observed relative contribution of Rayleigh waves is generally at or below 50%, with especially low values for the rural sites. Besides, the visibility of higher modes depends on the noise wavefield conditions. The similarity of the dispersion and autocorrelation curves measured at each site indicates that the curves are stable, mainly determined by the sub-surface structure, and can thus be used to derive velocity information with depth. Differences between velocity models for the same site derived from independently determined dispersion and autocorrelation curves-as observed in other studies-are consequently not adequately explained by uncertainties in the measurement part.
Records from ocean bottom seismometers (OBSs) are highly contaminated by noise, which is much stronger compared to data from most land stations, especially on the horizontal components. As a consequence, the high energy of the oceanic noise at frequencies below 1 Hz considerably complicates the analysis of the teleseismic earthquake signals recorded by OBSs.
Previous studies suggested different approaches to remove low-frequency noises from OBS recordings but mainly focused on the vertical component. The records of horizontal components, which are crucial for the application of many methods in passive seismological analysis of body and surface waves, could not be much improved in the teleseismic frequency band. Here we introduce a noise reduction method, which is derived from the harmonic–percussive separation algorithms used in Zali et al. (2021), in order to separate long-lasting narrowband signals from broadband transients in the OBS signal. This leads to significant noise reduction of OBS records on both the vertical and horizontal components and increases the earthquake signal-to-noise ratio (SNR) without distortion of the broadband earthquake waveforms. This is demonstrated through tests with synthetic data. Both SNR and cross-correlation coefficients showed significant improvements for different realistic noise realizations. The application of denoised signals in surface wave analysis and receiver functions is discussed through tests with synthetic and real data.
The main scope of the InterPACIFIC (Intercomparison of methods for site parameter and velocity profile characterization) project is to assess the reliability of in-hole and surface-wave methods, used for estimating shear wave velocity. Three test-sites with different subsurface conditions were chosen: a soft soil, a stiff soil and a rock outcrop. This paper reports the surface-wave methods results. Specifically 14 teams of expert users analysed the same experimental surface-wave datasets, consisting of both passive and active data. Each team adopted their own strategy to retrieve the dispersion curve and the shear-wave velocity profile at each site. Despite different approaches, the dispersion curves are quite in agreement with each other. Conversely, the shear-wave velocity profiles show a certain variability that increases in correspondence of major stratigraphic interfaces. This larger variability is mainly due to non-uniqueness of the solution and lateral variability. As expected, the observed variability in V-s,V-30 estimatesis small, as solution non-uniqueness plays a limited role. (C) 2015 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.
Salt diapirs are common features of sedimentary basins. If close to the surface, they can bear a significant hazard due to possible dissolution sinkholes, karst formation and collapse dolines or their influence on ground water chemistry. We investigate the potential of ambient vibration techniques to map the 3-D roof morphology of shallow salt diapirs. Horizontal-to-vertical (H/V) spectral peaks are derived at more than 900 positions above a shallow diapir beneath the city area of Hamburg, Germany, and are used to infer the depth of the first strong impedance contrast. In addition, 15 small-scale array measurements are conducted at different positions in order to compute frequency-dependent phase velocities of Rayleigh waves between 0.5 and 25 Hz. The dispersion curves are inverted together with the H/V peak frequency to obtain shear-wave velocity profiles. Additionally, we compare the morphology derived from H/V and array measurements to borehole lithology and a gravity-based 3-D model of the salt diapir. Both methods give consistent results in agreement with major features indicated by the independent data. An important result is that H/V and array measurements are better suited to identify weathered gypsum caprocks or gypsum floaters, while gravity-derived models better sample the interface between sediments and homogeneous salt. We further investigate qualitatively the influence of the 3-D subsurface topography of the salt diapir on the validity of local 1-D inversion results from ambient vibration dispersion curve inversion.
The new in situ geodynamic laboratory established in the framework of the ICDP Eger project aims to develop the most modern, comprehensive, multiparameter laboratory at depth for studying earthquake swarms, crustal fluid flow, mantle-derived CO2 and helium degassing, and processes of the deep biosphere. In order to reach a new level of high-frequency, near-source and multiparameter observation of earthquake swarms and related phenomena, such a laboratory comprises a set of shallow boreholes with high-frequency 3-D seismic arrays as well as modern continuous real-time fluid monitoring at depth and the study of the deep biosphere.
This laboratory is located in the western part of the Eger Rift at the border of the Czech Republic and Germany (in the West Bohemia–Vogtland geodynamic region) and comprises a set of five boreholes around the seismoactive zone. To date, all monitoring boreholes have been drilled. This includes the seismic monitoring boreholes S1, S2 and S3 in the crystalline units north and east of the major Nový Kostel seismogenic zone, borehole F3 in the Hartoušov mofette field and borehole S4 in the newly discovered Bažina maar near Libá. Supplementary borehole P1 is being prepared in the Neualbenreuth maar for paleoclimate and biological research. At each of these sites, a borehole broadband seismometer will be installed, and sites S1, S2 and S3 will also host a 3-D seismic array composed of a vertical geophone chain and surface seismic array. Seismic instrumenting has been completed in the S1 borehole and is in preparation in the remaining four monitoring boreholes. The continuous fluid monitoring site of Hartoušov includes three boreholes, F1, F2 and F3, and a pilot monitoring phase is underway. The laboratory also enables one to analyze microbial activity at CO2 mofettes and maar structures in the context of changes in habitats. The drillings into the maar volcanoes contribute to a better understanding of the Quaternary paleoclimate and volcanic activity.
The new in situ geodynamic laboratory established in the framework of the ICDP Eger project aims to develop the most modern, comprehensive, multiparameter laboratory at depth for studying earthquake swarms, crustal fluid flow, mantle-derived CO2 and helium degassing, and processes of the deep biosphere. In order to reach a new level of high-frequency, near-source and multiparameter observation of earthquake swarms and related phenomena, such a laboratory comprises a set of shallow boreholes with high-frequency 3-D seismic arrays as well as modern continuous real-time fluid monitoring at depth and the study of the deep biosphere.
This laboratory is located in the western part of the Eger Rift at the border of the Czech Republic and Germany (in the West Bohemia-Vogtland geodynamic region) and comprises a set of five boreholes around the seismoactive zone. To date, all monitoring boreholes have been drilled. This includes the seismic monitoring boreholes S1, S2 and S3 in the crystalline units north and east of the major Novy Kostel seismogenic zone, borehole F3 in the Hartousov mofette field and borehole S4 in the newly discovered Bazina maar near Liba. Supplementary borehole P1 is being prepared in the Neualbenreuth maar for paleoclimate and biological research. At each of these sites, a borehole broadband seismometer will be installed, and sites S1, S2 and S3 will also host a 3-D seismic array composed of a vertical geophone chain and surface seismic array. Seismic instrumenting has been completed in the S1 borehole and is in preparation in the remaining four monitoring boreholes. The continuous fluid monitoring site of Hartousov includes three boreholes, F1, F2 and F3, and a pilot monitoring phase is underway. The laboratory also enables one to analyze microbial activity at CO2 mofettes and maar structures in the context of changes in habitats. The drillings into the maar volcanoes contribute to a better understanding of the Quaternary paleoclimate and volcanic activity.