Location

Location ANSS

The ANSS event ID is tx2025ehit and the event page is at https://earthquake.usgs.gov/earthquakes/eventpage/tx2025ehit/executive.

2025/03/02 22:32:18 31.718 -104.273 6.9 4.2 Texas

Focal Mechanism

USGS/SLU Moment Tensor Solution ENS 2025/03/02 22:32:18:0 31.72 -104.27 6.9 4.2 Texas Stations used: 4O.BP01 4O.CT01 4O.CT02 4O.CV01 4O.DB04 4O.LWM1 4O.LWM2 4O.MBBB2 4O.NGL01 4O.NGL02 4O.PL01 4O.SA07 4O.VW01 4O.WB02 4O.WB03 4O.WB05 4O.WB06 4O.WB07 4O.WB08 4O.WB09 4O.WB10 4O.WB11 4O.WB12 4O.WW01 4T.NM01 4T.NM02 4T.NM03 TX.ALPN TX.MB15 TX.MB16 TX.MB18 TX.ODSA TX.PB01 TX.PB04 TX.PB06 TX.PB07 TX.PB10 TX.PB11 TX.PB12 TX.PB13 TX.PB16 TX.PB18 TX.PB21 TX.PB22 TX.PB23 TX.PB24 TX.PB25 TX.PB28 TX.PB29 TX.PB30 TX.PB31 TX.PB33 TX.PB34 TX.PB35 TX.PB36 TX.PB38 TX.PB39 TX.PB40 TX.PB43 TX.PB44 TX.PB46 TX.PB47 TX.PB51 TX.PB54 TX.PCOS TX.PECS TX.VHRN Filtering commands used: cut o DIST/3.3 -30 o DIST/3.3 +30 rtr taper w 0.1 hp c 0.03 n 3 lp c 0.10 n 3 Best Fitting Double Couple Mo = 1.06e+22 dyne-cm Mw = 3.95 Z = 9 km Plane Strike Dip Rake NP1 99 55 -93 NP2 285 35 -85 Principal Axes: Axis Value Plunge Azimuth T 1.06e+22 10 191 N 0.00e+00 3 101 P -1.06e+22 79 355 Moment Tensor: (dyne-cm) Component Value Mxx 9.52e+21 Mxy 2.02e+21 Mxz -3.68e+21 Myy 3.99e+20 Myz -2.04e+20 Mzz -9.92e+21 ############## ###################### ############################ ##########----################ #####-------------------########## ###-------------------------######## #-------------------------------###### #----------------------------------##### ------------------ ---------------#### #------------------ P ----------------#### ##----------------- -----------------### ###-------------------------------------## #####------------------------------------# #######--------------------------------# ###########-------------------------#### ################--------------######## #################################### ################################## ############################## ######### ################ ###### T ############# ## ######### Global CMT Convention Moment Tensor: R T P -9.92e+21 -3.68e+21 2.04e+20 -3.68e+21 9.52e+21 -2.02e+21 2.04e+20 -2.02e+21 3.99e+20 Details of the solution is found at http://www.eas.slu.edu/eqc/eqc_mt/MECH.NA/20250302223218/index.html

Preferred Solution

      STK = 285
      DIP = 35
     RAKE = -85
       MW = 3.95
       HS = 9.0

The NDK file is 20250302223218.ndk The waveform inversion is preferred.

Moment Tensor Comparison

The following compares this source inversion to those provided by others. The purpose is to look for major differences and also to note slight differences that might be inherent to the processing procedure. For completeness the USGS/SLU solution is repeated from above.

SLU	USGSMWR	TX
USGS/SLU Moment Tensor Solution ENS 2025/03/02 22:32:18:0 31.72 -104.27 6.9 4.2 Texas Stations used: 4O.BP01 4O.CT01 4O.CT02 4O.CV01 4O.DB04 4O.LWM1 4O.LWM2 4O.MBBB2 4O.NGL01 4O.NGL02 4O.PL01 4O.SA07 4O.VW01 4O.WB02 4O.WB03 4O.WB05 4O.WB06 4O.WB07 4O.WB08 4O.WB09 4O.WB10 4O.WB11 4O.WB12 4O.WW01 4T.NM01 4T.NM02 4T.NM03 TX.ALPN TX.MB15 TX.MB16 TX.MB18 TX.ODSA TX.PB01 TX.PB04 TX.PB06 TX.PB07 TX.PB10 TX.PB11 TX.PB12 TX.PB13 TX.PB16 TX.PB18 TX.PB21 TX.PB22 TX.PB23 TX.PB24 TX.PB25 TX.PB28 TX.PB29 TX.PB30 TX.PB31 TX.PB33 TX.PB34 TX.PB35 TX.PB36 TX.PB38 TX.PB39 TX.PB40 TX.PB43 TX.PB44 TX.PB46 TX.PB47 TX.PB51 TX.PB54 TX.PCOS TX.PECS TX.VHRN Filtering commands used: cut o DIST/3.3 -30 o DIST/3.3 +30 rtr taper w 0.1 hp c 0.03 n 3 lp c 0.10 n 3 Best Fitting Double Couple Mo = 1.06e+22 dyne-cm Mw = 3.95 Z = 9 km Plane Strike Dip Rake NP1 99 55 -93 NP2 285 35 -85 Principal Axes: Axis Value Plunge Azimuth T 1.06e+22 10 191 N 0.00e+00 3 101 P -1.06e+22 79 355 Moment Tensor: (dyne-cm) Component Value Mxx 9.52e+21 Mxy 2.02e+21 Mxz -3.68e+21 Myy 3.99e+20 Myz -2.04e+20 Mzz -9.92e+21 ############## ###################### ############################ ##########----################ #####-------------------########## ###-------------------------######## #-------------------------------###### #----------------------------------##### ------------------ ---------------#### #------------------ P ----------------#### ##----------------- -----------------### ###-------------------------------------## #####------------------------------------# #######--------------------------------# ###########-------------------------#### ################--------------######## #################################### ################################## ############################## ######### ################ ###### T ############# ## ######### Global CMT Convention Moment Tensor: R T P -9.92e+21 -3.68e+21 2.04e+20 -3.68e+21 9.52e+21 -2.02e+21 2.04e+20 -2.02e+21 3.99e+20 Details of the solution is found at http://www.eas.slu.edu/eqc/eqc_mt/MECH.NA/20250302223218/index.html	Regional Moment Tensor (Mwr) Moment 1.059e+15 N-m Magnitude 3.95 Mwr Depth 9.0 km Percent DC 95% Half Duration - Catalog US Data Source US Contributor US Nodal Planes Plane Strike Dip Rake NP1 288 33 -91 NP2 109 57 -89 Principal Axes Axis Value Plunge Azimuth T 1.072e+15 12 199 N -0.027e+15 1 289 P -1.046e+15 78 22	Regional Moment Tensor (Mwr) Moment 1.064e+15 N-m Magnitude 3.95 Mwr Depth 2.0 km Percent DC 81% Half Duration - Catalog TX Data Source TX Contributor TX Nodal Planes Plane Strike Dip Rake NP1 104 76 -93 NP2 298 15 -77 Principal Axes Axis Value Plunge Azimuth T 1.113e+15 31 197 N -0.105e+15 3 105 P -1.008e+15 59 10

Magnitudes

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 M_L by application of the respective IASPEI formulae. As a research study, the linear distance term of the IASPEI formula for M_L is adjusted to remove a linear distance trend in residuals to give a regionally defined M_L. The defined M_L 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.

mLg Magnitude

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.

ML Magnitude

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.

Context

Waveform Inversion using wvfgrd96

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.

Location of broadband stations used for waveform inversion

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 +30
rtr
taper w 0.1
hp c 0.03 n 3 
lp c 0.10 n 3 

           DEPTH  STK   DIP  RAKE   MW    FIT
WVFGRD96    1.0   100    85     5   3.42 0.2367
WVFGRD96    2.0     5    40   -95   3.59 0.2803
WVFGRD96    3.0   140    80   -60   3.67 0.3370
WVFGRD96    4.0   100    70   -90   3.79 0.4274
WVFGRD96    5.0   100    65   -90   3.82 0.5130
WVFGRD96    6.0   285    30   -85   3.84 0.5671
WVFGRD96    7.0   285    30   -85   3.86 0.5952
WVFGRD96    8.0   100    60   -90   3.94 0.6065
WVFGRD96    9.0   285    35   -85   3.95 0.6083
WVFGRD96   10.0   290    35   -85   3.96 0.5941
WVFGRD96   11.0   290    35   -85   3.96 0.5684
WVFGRD96   12.0   290    35   -85   3.97 0.5369
WVFGRD96   13.0   295    30   -75   3.97 0.5033
WVFGRD96   14.0   295    30   -80   3.97 0.4699
WVFGRD96   15.0   340    65    35   3.92 0.4435
WVFGRD96   16.0   340    70    35   3.92 0.4248
WVFGRD96   17.0   340    70    35   3.93 0.4079
WVFGRD96   18.0   340    70    35   3.93 0.3923
WVFGRD96   19.0   340    70    35   3.94 0.3782
WVFGRD96   20.0   340    70    35   3.94 0.3656
WVFGRD96   21.0   340    70    35   3.95 0.3538
WVFGRD96   22.0   335    75    35   3.95 0.3438
WVFGRD96   23.0   335    75    35   3.96 0.3344
WVFGRD96   24.0   335    75    35   3.96 0.3258
WVFGRD96   25.0   335    75    35   3.97 0.3181
WVFGRD96   26.0   335    75    35   3.97 0.3106
WVFGRD96   27.0   335    75    35   3.97 0.3033
WVFGRD96   28.0   335    75    35   3.98 0.2964
WVFGRD96   29.0   335    75    35   3.98 0.2905

The best solution is

WVFGRD96    9.0   285    35   -85   3.95 0.6083

The mechanism corresponding to the best fit is

Figure 1. Waveform inversion focal mechanism

The best fit as a function of depth is given in the following figure:

Figure 2. Depth sensitivity for waveform mechanism

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 +30
rtr
taper w 0.1
hp c 0.03 n 3 
lp c 0.10 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:

• The origin time and epicentral distance are incorrect
• The velocity model used for the inversion is incorrect
• The velocity model used to define the P-arrival time is not the same as the velocity model used for the waveform inversion (assuming that the initial trace alignment is based on the P arrival time)

 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.

Velocity Model

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