The ANSS event ID is tx2023ygpd and the event page is at https://earthquake.usgs.gov/earthquakes/eventpage/tx2023ygpd/executive.
2023/12/12 03:18:22 31.656 -104.028 6.8 3.6 Texas
USGS/SLU Moment Tensor Solution ENS 2023/12/12 03:18:22:0 31.66 -104.03 6.8 3.6 Texas Stations used: 4O.BP01 4O.CV01 4O.LWM1 4O.SA02 4O.SA04 4O.SA06 4O.SA09 4O.WB02 4O.WB04 4O.WB05 4O.WB09 4O.WB11 4O.WB12 4T.NM02 TX.PB07 TX.PB09 TX.PB11 TX.PB13 TX.PB26 TX.PB28 TX.PB31 TX.PB35 TX.PB36 TX.PB37 TX.PB38 TX.PB40 TX.PB42 TX.PB43 TX.PB44 TX.PB47 TX.PECS Filtering commands used: cut o DIST/3.3 -30 o DIST/3.3 +40 rtr taper w 0.1 hp c 0.05 n 3 lp c 0.15 n 3 Best Fitting Double Couple Mo = 1.16e+21 dyne-cm Mw = 3.31 Z = 7 km Plane Strike Dip Rake NP1 180 60 -50 NP2 301 48 -138 Principal Axes: Axis Value Plunge Azimuth T 1.16e+21 7 243 N 0.00e+00 34 337 P -1.16e+21 55 143 Moment Tensor: (dyne-cm) Component Value Mxx -1.13e+14 Mxy 6.47e+20 Mxz 3.73e+20 Myy 7.71e+20 Myz -4.45e+20 Mzz -7.71e+20 ------######## --------############## ----------################## ----------#################### --#########----################### ############---------############### ############-------------############# #############----------------########### #############------------------######### #############---------------------######## #############----------------------####### #############-----------------------###### #############------------------------##### #############----------- ----------### # #########----------- P ----------### T #########----------- -----------# ##########------------------------ ###########----------------------- ##########-------------------- ##########------------------ ########-------------- ######-------- Global CMT Convention Moment Tensor: R T P -7.71e+20 3.73e+20 4.45e+20 3.73e+20 -1.13e+14 -6.47e+20 4.45e+20 -6.47e+20 7.71e+20 Details of the solution is found at http://www.eas.slu.edu/eqc/eqc_mt/MECH.NA/20231212031822/index.html |
STK = 180 DIP = 60 RAKE = -50 MW = 3.31 HS = 7.0
The NDK file is 20231212031822.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 -30 o DIST/3.3 +40 rtr taper w 0.1 hp c 0.05 n 3 lp c 0.15 n 3The results of this grid search are as follow:
DEPTH STK DIP RAKE MW FIT WVFGRD96 1.0 70 70 5 2.85 0.1468 WVFGRD96 2.0 25 80 30 2.97 0.1855 WVFGRD96 3.0 195 75 -65 3.16 0.2578 WVFGRD96 4.0 185 65 -60 3.20 0.3212 WVFGRD96 5.0 185 60 -55 3.24 0.3638 WVFGRD96 6.0 185 60 -50 3.27 0.3840 WVFGRD96 7.0 180 60 -50 3.31 0.3896 WVFGRD96 8.0 180 60 -60 3.39 0.3856 WVFGRD96 9.0 175 60 -60 3.41 0.3792 WVFGRD96 10.0 175 60 -60 3.43 0.3647 WVFGRD96 11.0 50 50 75 3.45 0.3449 WVFGRD96 12.0 50 50 75 3.47 0.3330 WVFGRD96 13.0 50 50 75 3.48 0.3193 WVFGRD96 14.0 50 50 75 3.49 0.3052 WVFGRD96 15.0 50 50 75 3.49 0.2914 WVFGRD96 16.0 45 50 65 3.49 0.2812 WVFGRD96 17.0 40 55 55 3.49 0.2763 WVFGRD96 18.0 35 55 55 3.50 0.2733 WVFGRD96 19.0 40 55 55 3.51 0.2736 WVFGRD96 20.0 40 50 55 3.52 0.2776 WVFGRD96 21.0 40 50 55 3.54 0.2803 WVFGRD96 22.0 40 50 55 3.55 0.2810 WVFGRD96 23.0 40 50 60 3.56 0.2807 WVFGRD96 24.0 45 50 60 3.57 0.2809 WVFGRD96 25.0 45 50 60 3.57 0.2834 WVFGRD96 26.0 45 50 65 3.58 0.2835 WVFGRD96 27.0 45 50 65 3.59 0.2801 WVFGRD96 28.0 45 50 65 3.59 0.2763 WVFGRD96 29.0 45 50 70 3.60 0.2701
The best solution is
WVFGRD96 7.0 180 60 -50 3.31 0.3896
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 -30 o DIST/3.3 +40 rtr taper w 0.1 hp c 0.05 n 3 lp c 0.15 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