The ANSS event ID is ak0256fr5fxe and the event page is at https://earthquake.usgs.gov/earthquakes/eventpage/ak0256fr5fxe/executive.
2025/05/20 13:29:03 63.199 -151.546 15.6 3.5 Alaska
USGS/SLU Moment Tensor Solution
ENS 2025/05/20 13:29:03.0 63.20 -151.55 15.6 3.5 Alaska
Stations used:
AK.CAST AK.CCB AK.GCSA AK.GHO AK.H22K AK.H24K AK.J20K
AK.J25K AK.KNK AK.KTH AK.L17K AK.L22K AK.MCK AK.N18K
AK.O18K AK.PAX AK.PPD AK.PWL AK.SAW AK.SCM AK.SKN AK.SLK
AK.SSN AK.WRH AT.PMR AT.TTA AV.RED AV.SPCL AV.STLK IM.IL31
IU.COLA
Filtering commands used:
cut o DIST/3.3 -40 o DIST/3.3 +50
rtr
taper w 0.1
hp c 0.03 n 3
lp c 0.10 n 3
br c 0.12 0.25 n 4 p 2
Best Fitting Double Couple
Mo = 1.70e+21 dyne-cm
Mw = 3.42
Z = 15 km
Plane Strike Dip Rake
NP1 27 61 132
NP2 145 50 40
Principal Axes:
Axis Value Plunge Azimuth
T 1.70e+21 53 350
N 0.00e+00 36 182
P -1.70e+21 6 88
Moment Tensor: (dyne-cm)
Component Value
Mxx 5.83e+20
Mxy -1.64e+20
Mxz 7.94e+20
Myy -1.66e+21
Myz -3.24e+20
Mzz 1.08e+21
##############
#####################-
--######################----
--#######################-----
----########################------
-----########## ###########-------
------########## T ##########---------
-------########## ##########----------
-------#######################----------
---------#####################---------
---------#####################--------- P
----------###################----------
-----------#################--------------
-----------###############--------------
------------#############---------------
-------------##########---------------
--------------######----------------
---------------###----------------
--------------#---------------
-----------#######----------
----##################
##############
Global CMT Convention Moment Tensor:
R T P
1.08e+21 7.94e+20 3.24e+20
7.94e+20 5.83e+20 1.64e+20
3.24e+20 1.64e+20 -1.66e+21
Details of the solution is found at
http://www.eas.slu.edu/eqc/eqc_mt/MECH.NA/20250520132903/index.html
|
STK = 145
DIP = 50
RAKE = 40
MW = 3.42
HS = 15.0
The NDK file is 20250520132903.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: 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 +50 rtr taper w 0.1 hp c 0.03 n 3 lp c 0.10 n 3 br c 0.12 0.25 n 4 p 2The results of this grid search are as follow:
DEPTH STK DIP RAKE MW FIT
WVFGRD96 1.0 280 90 0 3.06 0.3334
WVFGRD96 2.0 265 45 -90 3.20 0.5051
WVFGRD96 3.0 275 70 -20 3.27 0.4442
WVFGRD96 4.0 135 30 -15 3.26 0.4384
WVFGRD96 5.0 140 25 -30 3.31 0.5210
WVFGRD96 6.0 125 20 -55 3.33 0.5788
WVFGRD96 7.0 110 20 -70 3.33 0.6112
WVFGRD96 8.0 110 20 -70 3.40 0.6345
WVFGRD96 9.0 105 20 -75 3.39 0.6454
WVFGRD96 10.0 115 25 -65 3.39 0.6519
WVFGRD96 11.0 145 45 40 3.39 0.6588
WVFGRD96 12.0 145 50 45 3.41 0.6709
WVFGRD96 13.0 145 50 40 3.41 0.6794
WVFGRD96 14.0 145 50 40 3.42 0.6845
WVFGRD96 15.0 145 50 40 3.42 0.6860
WVFGRD96 16.0 145 50 40 3.43 0.6853
WVFGRD96 17.0 145 50 40 3.44 0.6831
WVFGRD96 18.0 145 50 40 3.45 0.6788
WVFGRD96 19.0 145 50 40 3.46 0.6737
WVFGRD96 20.0 170 55 55 3.49 0.6702
WVFGRD96 21.0 170 55 55 3.51 0.6662
WVFGRD96 22.0 170 55 55 3.52 0.6630
WVFGRD96 23.0 170 55 55 3.53 0.6583
WVFGRD96 24.0 170 55 50 3.54 0.6520
WVFGRD96 25.0 170 55 50 3.55 0.6440
WVFGRD96 26.0 170 55 50 3.55 0.6345
WVFGRD96 27.0 170 50 50 3.56 0.6241
WVFGRD96 28.0 170 50 50 3.56 0.6124
WVFGRD96 29.0 170 50 50 3.57 0.5981
The best solution is
WVFGRD96 15.0 145 50 40 3.42 0.6860
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 +50 rtr taper w 0.1 hp c 0.03 n 3 lp c 0.10 n 3 br c 0.12 0.25 n 4 p 2
|
| 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