Location

Location ANSS

The ANSS event ID is tx2025qkelbt and the event page is at https://earthquake.usgs.gov/earthquakes/eventpage/tx2025qkelbt/executive.

2025/08/21 04:00:07 31.668 -104.374 6.1 3.5 Texas

Focal Mechanism

USGS/SLU Moment Tensor Solution ENS 2025/08/21 04:00:07.0 31.67 -104.37 6.1 3.5 Texas Stations used: 4O.BP01 4O.CT01 4O.CT02 4O.CV01 4O.DB02 4O.LWM1 4O.PL01 4O.PRS01 4O.SA01 4O.SA04 4O.WB02 4O.WB03 4O.WB04 4O.WB05 4O.WB06 4O.WB07 4O.WB08 4O.WB09 4O.WB11 4O.WW01 4T.NM01 4T.NM02 TX.PB01 TX.PB03 TX.PB04 TX.PB07 TX.PB09 TX.PB10 TX.PB13 TX.PB16 TX.PB18 TX.PB21 TX.PB22 TX.PB23 TX.PB24 TX.PB25 TX.PB26 TX.PB28 TX.PB29 TX.PB31 TX.PB33 TX.PB34 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 0.05 n 3 lp c 0.15 n 3 Best Fitting Double Couple Mo = 2.09e+21 dyne-cm Mw = 3.48 Z = 7 km Plane Strike Dip Rake NP1 90 50 -90 NP2 270 40 -90 Principal Axes: Axis Value Plunge Azimuth T 2.09e+21 5 180 N 0.00e+00 -0 270 P -2.09e+21 85 0 Moment Tensor: (dyne-cm) Component Value Mxx 2.06e+21 Mxy 1.60e+14 Mxz -3.63e+20 Myy 1.00e+07 Myz 4.28e+13 Mzz -2.06e+21 ############## ###################### ############################ ############################## #############--------############# ########--------------------######## #####----------------------------##### ####--------------------------------#### ##----------------- ----------------## ##------------------ P -----------------## #------------------- ------------------# #----------------------------------------# ##--------------------------------------## ###----------------------------------### ######----------------------------###### #########--------------------######### #################################### ################################## ############################## ############################ ########## ######### ###### T ##### Global CMT Convention Moment Tensor: R T P -2.06e+21 -3.63e+20 -4.28e+13 -3.63e+20 2.06e+21 -1.60e+14 -4.28e+13 -1.60e+14 1.00e+07 Details of the solution is found at http://www.eas.slu.edu/eqc/eqc_mt/MECH.NA/20250821040007/index.html

Preferred Solution

The preferred solution from an analysis of the surface-wave spectral amplitude radiation pattern, waveform inversion or first motion observations is

      STK = 90
      DIP = 50
     RAKE = -90
       MW = 3.48
       HS = 7.0

The NDK file is 20250821040007.ndk The waveform inversion is preferred.

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

The left panel of the next figure presents the focal mechanism for this earthquake (red) in the context of other nearby events (blue) in the SLU Moment Tensor Catalog. The right panel shows the inferred direction of maximum compressive stress and the type of faulting (green is strike-slip, red is normal, blue is thrust; oblique is shown by a combination of colors). Thus context plot is useful for assessing the appropriateness of the moment tensor of this event.

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 0.05 n 3 
lp c 0.15 n 3

The results of this grid search are as follow:

           DEPTH  STK   DIP  RAKE   MW    FIT
WVFGRD96    1.0   190    70   -25   2.96 0.1870
WVFGRD96    2.0   350    60    80   3.19 0.2400
WVFGRD96    3.0   170    90    75   3.27 0.3734
WVFGRD96    4.0   345    90   -70   3.29 0.4632
WVFGRD96    5.0   285    55   -75   3.40 0.5292
WVFGRD96    6.0   275    45   -80   3.44 0.5779
WVFGRD96    7.0    90    50   -90   3.48 0.5988
WVFGRD96    8.0    90    50   -90   3.57 0.5889
WVFGRD96    9.0   270    40   -90   3.59 0.5806
WVFGRD96   10.0   270    40   -90   3.61 0.5554
WVFGRD96   11.0   265    40   -95   3.62 0.5200
WVFGRD96   12.0   155    50    55   3.57 0.4860
WVFGRD96   13.0   155    50    55   3.58 0.4499
WVFGRD96   14.0   155    50    55   3.59 0.4115
WVFGRD96   15.0   150    55    50   3.60 0.3739
WVFGRD96   16.0   155    55    50   3.60 0.3388
WVFGRD96   17.0   115    55   -55   3.64 0.3098
WVFGRD96   18.0   115    60   -55   3.64 0.2909
WVFGRD96   19.0   340    75    60   3.58 0.2789
WVFGRD96   20.0   340    75    60   3.59 0.2773
WVFGRD96   21.0   345    70    65   3.60 0.2756
WVFGRD96   22.0   340    70    60   3.61 0.2748
WVFGRD96   23.0   340    75    60   3.61 0.2745
WVFGRD96   24.0   340    75    60   3.62 0.2772
WVFGRD96   25.0   340    75    60   3.63 0.2809
WVFGRD96   26.0   340    75    60   3.64 0.2842
WVFGRD96   27.0   335    75    60   3.64 0.2861
WVFGRD96   28.0   335    80    60   3.66 0.2875
WVFGRD96   29.0   335    80    60   3.66 0.2880

The best solution is

WVFGRD96    7.0    90    50   -90   3.48 0.5988

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 0.05 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:

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)

Assuming only a mislocation, the time shifts are fit to a functional form:

 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

Last Changed Thu Aug 21 04:56:13 CDT 2025