The ANSS event ID is ak0194ibqout and the event page is at https://earthquake.usgs.gov/earthquakes/eventpage/ak0194ibqout/executive.
2019/04/08 15:24:14 65.388 -153.359 9.3 4.8 Alaska
USGS/SLU Moment Tensor Solution ENS 2019/04/08 15:24:14:0 65.39 -153.36 9.3 4.8 Alaska Stations used: AK.ANM AK.BMR AK.BPAW AK.BWN AK.CAST AK.CCB AK.CHUM AK.COLD AK.CUT AK.DIV AK.DOT AK.EYAK AK.FID AK.FYU AK.GCSA AK.GHO AK.GLB AK.GLI AK.HDA AK.HIN AK.KLU AK.KNK AK.KTH AK.MCK AK.NEA2 AK.PAX AK.PPD AK.PPLA AK.PWL AK.RC01 AK.RDOG AK.RIDG AK.RND AK.SAW AK.SCM AK.SCRK AK.SKN AK.SSN AK.TRF AK.WRH AT.PMR AV.ILS AV.ILSW AV.RDT AV.RDWB AV.SPBG AV.SPCR AV.STLK AV.WACK AV.WAZA IM.IL31 IU.COLA XV.F6TP XV.F7TV XV.F8KN XV.FAPT XV.FNN2 XV.FPAP XV.FTGH Filtering commands used: cut o DIST/3.3 -40 o DIST/3.3 +60 rtr taper w 0.1 hp c 0.03 n 3 lp c 0.08 n 3 Best Fitting Double Couple Mo = 4.68e+22 dyne-cm Mw = 4.38 Z = 14 km Plane Strike Dip Rake NP1 30 80 25 NP2 295 65 169 Principal Axes: Axis Value Plunge Azimuth T 4.68e+22 25 255 N 0.00e+00 63 50 P -4.68e+22 10 161 Moment Tensor: (dyne-cm) Component Value Mxx -3.78e+22 Mxy 2.38e+22 Mxz 2.91e+21 Myy 3.11e+22 Myz -1.98e+22 Mzz 6.76e+21 -------------- ---------------------# ------------------------#### ------------------------###### --------------------------######## --------------------------########## ###############-----------############ #####################-----############## ######################################## #########################----############# ########################--------########## #######################-----------######## #### ###############--------------###### ### T ##############----------------#### ### #############-------------------## #################--------------------- ##############---------------------- ############---------------------- #########--------------------- ######------------- ------ #--------------- P --- ------------ Global CMT Convention Moment Tensor: R T P 6.76e+21 2.91e+21 1.98e+22 2.91e+21 -3.78e+22 -2.38e+22 1.98e+22 -2.38e+22 3.11e+22 Details of the solution is found at http://www.eas.slu.edu/eqc/eqc_mt/MECH.NA/20190408152414/index.html |
STK = 30 DIP = 80 RAKE = 25 MW = 4.38 HS = 14.0
The NDK file is 20190408152414.ndk The waveform inversion is preferred.
Given the availability of digital waveforms for determination of the moment tensor, this section documents the added processing leading to mLg, if appropriate to the region, and ML by application of the respective IASPEI formulae. As a research study, the linear distance term of the IASPEI formula for ML is adjusted to remove a linear distance trend in residuals to give a regionally defined ML. The defined ML uses horizontal component recordings, but the same procedure is applied to the vertical components since there may be some interest in vertical component ground motions. Residual plots versus distance may indicate interesting features of ground motion scaling in some distance ranges. A residual plot of the regionalized magnitude is given as a function of distance and azimuth, since data sets may transcend different wave propagation provinces.
Left: mLg computed using the IASPEI formula. Center: mLg residuals versus epicentral distance ; the values used for the trimmed mean magnitude estimate are indicated.
Right: residuals as a function of distance and azimuth.
Left: ML computed using the IASPEI formula for Horizontal components. Center: ML residuals computed using a modified IASPEI formula that accounts for path specific attenuation; the values used for the trimmed mean are indicated. The ML relation used for each figure is given at the bottom of each plot.
Right: Residuals from new relation as a function of distance and azimuth.
Left: ML computed using the IASPEI formula for Vertical components (research). Center: ML residuals computed using a modified IASPEI formula that accounts for path specific attenuation; the values used for the trimmed mean are indicated. The ML relation used for each figure is given at the bottom of each plot.
Right: Residuals from new relation as a function of distance and azimuth.
![]() |
The focal mechanism was determined using broadband seismic waveforms. The location of the event (star) and the stations used for (red) the waveform inversion are shown in the next figure.
![]() |
|
The program wvfgrd96 was used with good traces observed at short distance to determine the focal mechanism, depth and seismic moment. This technique requires a high quality signal and well determined velocity model for the Green's functions. To the extent that these are the quality data, this type of mechanism should be preferred over the radiation pattern technique which requires the separate step of defining the pressure and tension quadrants and the correct strike.
The observed and predicted traces are filtered using the following gsac commands:
cut o DIST/3.3 -40 o DIST/3.3 +60 rtr taper w 0.1 hp c 0.03 n 3 lp c 0.08 n 3The results of this grid search are as follow:
DEPTH STK DIP RAKE MW FIT WVFGRD96 1.0 25 65 -35 4.00 0.3415 WVFGRD96 2.0 25 65 -35 4.11 0.4279 WVFGRD96 3.0 35 80 -10 4.10 0.4490 WVFGRD96 4.0 30 85 30 4.15 0.4743 WVFGRD96 5.0 25 90 35 4.18 0.5140 WVFGRD96 6.0 30 85 30 4.21 0.5520 WVFGRD96 7.0 30 85 30 4.23 0.5874 WVFGRD96 8.0 30 80 35 4.28 0.6209 WVFGRD96 9.0 30 80 30 4.30 0.6491 WVFGRD96 10.0 30 80 30 4.32 0.6732 WVFGRD96 11.0 30 80 30 4.33 0.6897 WVFGRD96 12.0 30 80 25 4.35 0.7009 WVFGRD96 13.0 30 80 25 4.36 0.7080 WVFGRD96 14.0 30 80 25 4.38 0.7097 WVFGRD96 15.0 30 80 25 4.39 0.7068 WVFGRD96 16.0 30 80 25 4.40 0.6998 WVFGRD96 17.0 30 80 25 4.41 0.6895 WVFGRD96 18.0 30 80 25 4.42 0.6761 WVFGRD96 19.0 30 80 25 4.43 0.6600 WVFGRD96 20.0 30 80 20 4.44 0.6422 WVFGRD96 21.0 30 80 25 4.44 0.6230 WVFGRD96 22.0 30 80 25 4.45 0.6021 WVFGRD96 23.0 30 80 25 4.46 0.5803 WVFGRD96 24.0 30 80 25 4.46 0.5577 WVFGRD96 25.0 25 55 -20 4.49 0.5419 WVFGRD96 26.0 25 55 -20 4.50 0.5250 WVFGRD96 27.0 25 55 -20 4.50 0.5074 WVFGRD96 28.0 25 50 -20 4.51 0.4892 WVFGRD96 29.0 25 50 -20 4.52 0.4707
The best solution is
WVFGRD96 14.0 30 80 25 4.38 0.7097
The mechanism corresponding to the best fit is
![]() |
|
The best fit as a function of depth is given in the following figure:
![]() |
|
The comparison of the observed and predicted waveforms is given in the next figure. The red traces are the observed and the blue are the predicted. Each observed-predicted component is plotted to the same scale and peak amplitudes are indicated by the numbers to the left of each trace. A pair of numbers is given in black at the right of each predicted traces. The upper number it the time shift required for maximum correlation between the observed and predicted traces. This time shift is required because the synthetics are not computed at exactly the same distance as the observed, the velocity model used in the predictions may not be perfect and the epicentral parameters may be be off. A positive time shift indicates that the prediction is too fast and should be delayed to match the observed trace (shift to the right in this figure). A negative value indicates that the prediction is too slow. The lower number gives the percentage of variance reduction to characterize the individual goodness of fit (100% indicates a perfect fit).
The bandpass filter used in the processing and for the display was
cut o DIST/3.3 -40 o DIST/3.3 +60 rtr taper w 0.1 hp c 0.03 n 3 lp c 0.08 n 3
![]() |
Figure 3. Waveform comparison for selected depth. Red: observed; Blue - predicted. The time shift with respect to the model prediction is indicated. The percent of fit is also indicated. The time scale is relative to the first trace sample. |
![]() |
Focal mechanism sensitivity at the preferred depth. The red color indicates a very good fit to the waveforms. Each solution is plotted as a vector at a given value of strike and dip with the angle of the vector representing the rake angle, measured, with respect to the upward vertical (N) in the figure. |
A check on the assumed source location is possible by looking at the time shifts between the observed and predicted traces. The time shifts for waveform matching arise for several reasons:
Time_shift = A + B cos Azimuth + C Sin Azimuth
The time shifts for this inversion lead to the next figure:
The derived shift in origin time and epicentral coordinates are given at the bottom of the figure.
The WUS.model used for the waveform synthetic seismograms and for the surface wave eigenfunctions and dispersion is as follows (The format is in the model96 format of Computer Programs in Seismology).
MODEL.01 Model after 8 iterations ISOTROPIC KGS FLAT EARTH 1-D CONSTANT VELOCITY LINE08 LINE09 LINE10 LINE11 H(KM) VP(KM/S) VS(KM/S) RHO(GM/CC) QP QS ETAP ETAS FREFP FREFS 1.9000 3.4065 2.0089 2.2150 0.302E-02 0.679E-02 0.00 0.00 1.00 1.00 6.1000 5.5445 3.2953 2.6089 0.349E-02 0.784E-02 0.00 0.00 1.00 1.00 13.0000 6.2708 3.7396 2.7812 0.212E-02 0.476E-02 0.00 0.00 1.00 1.00 19.0000 6.4075 3.7680 2.8223 0.111E-02 0.249E-02 0.00 0.00 1.00 1.00 0.0000 7.9000 4.6200 3.2760 0.164E-10 0.370E-10 0.00 0.00 1.00 1.00