Location

Location ANSS

The ANSS event ID is tx2026ekzzen and the event page is at https://earthquake.usgs.gov/earthquakes/eventpage/tx2026ekzzen/executive.

2026/03/04 15:33:43 32.325 -101.789 5.7 3.8 Texas

Focal Mechanism

USGS/SLU Moment Tensor Solution ENS 2026/03/04 15:33:43.0 32.33 -101.79 5.7 3.8 Texas Stations used: 4O.BW01 4O.CW01 4O.DBL01 4O.DBL02 4O.EE01 4O.EE04 4O.EE05 4O.FOR01 4O.GV01 4O.GV03 4O.MBBB2 4O.MBBB5 4O.MG01 4O.MID01 4O.MID02 4O.MID03 4O.MO01 4O.OE01 4O.OE02 4O.OEP01 4O.SD01 4O.SE01 4O.SM01 4O.SM02 4O.SM04 4O.SM05 4O.SM06 4O.VW02 TX.MB01 TX.MB04 TX.MB05 TX.MB06 TX.MB08 TX.MB11 TX.MB12 TX.MB13 TX.MB15 TX.MB18 TX.MB19 TX.MB22 TX.MB27 TX.POST TX.SGCY TX.SN03 TX.SN04 Filtering commands used: cut o DIST/3.3 -40 o DIST/3.3 +50 rtr taper w 0.1 hp c 0.05 n 3 lp c 0.15 n 3 Best Fitting Double Couple Mo = 2.40e+21 dyne-cm Mw = 3.52 Z = 4 km Plane Strike Dip Rake NP1 223 68 -125 NP2 105 40 -35 Principal Axes: Axis Value Plunge Azimuth T 2.40e+21 16 338 N 0.00e+00 32 237 P -2.40e+21 53 91 Moment Tensor: (dyne-cm) Component Value Mxx 1.90e+21 Mxy -7.55e+20 Mxz 6.20e+20 Myy -5.41e+20 Myz -1.39e+21 Mzz -1.36e+21 ############## ### ################ ###### T ################### ####### ###############----- #######################----------- #####################--------------- ####################------------------ ###################--------------------- #################----------------------- -###############-------------------------- --############--------------- ---------- ---##########---------------- P ---------- ----########----------------- ---------- -----#####------------------------------ ------###------------------------------# -------#----------------------------## -----#####----------------------#### ---###########-------------####### -############################# ############################ ###################### ############## Global CMT Convention Moment Tensor: R T P -1.36e+21 6.20e+20 1.39e+21 6.20e+20 1.90e+21 7.55e+20 1.39e+21 7.55e+20 -5.41e+20 Details of the solution is found at http://www.eas.slu.edu/eqc/eqc_mt/MECH.NA/20260304153343/index.html

Preferred Solution

      STK = 105
      DIP = 40
     RAKE = -35
       MW = 3.52
       HS = 4.0

The NDK file is 20260304153343.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

USGS/SLU Moment Tensor Solution ENS 2026/03/04 15:33:43.0 32.33 -101.79 5.7 3.8 Texas Stations used: 4O.BW01 4O.CW01 4O.DBL01 4O.DBL02 4O.EE01 4O.EE04 4O.EE05 4O.FOR01 4O.GV01 4O.GV03 4O.MBBB2 4O.MBBB5 4O.MG01 4O.MID01 4O.MID02 4O.MID03 4O.MO01 4O.OE01 4O.OE02 4O.OEP01 4O.SD01 4O.SE01 4O.SM01 4O.SM02 4O.SM04 4O.SM05 4O.SM06 4O.VW02 TX.MB01 TX.MB04 TX.MB05 TX.MB06 TX.MB08 TX.MB11 TX.MB12 TX.MB13 TX.MB15 TX.MB18 TX.MB19 TX.MB22 TX.MB27 TX.POST TX.SGCY TX.SN03 TX.SN04 Filtering commands used: cut o DIST/3.3 -40 o DIST/3.3 +50 rtr taper w 0.1 hp c 0.05 n 3 lp c 0.15 n 3 Best Fitting Double Couple Mo = 2.40e+21 dyne-cm Mw = 3.52 Z = 4 km Plane Strike Dip Rake NP1 223 68 -125 NP2 105 40 -35 Principal Axes: Axis Value Plunge Azimuth T 2.40e+21 16 338 N 0.00e+00 32 237 P -2.40e+21 53 91 Moment Tensor: (dyne-cm) Component Value Mxx 1.90e+21 Mxy -7.55e+20 Mxz 6.20e+20 Myy -5.41e+20 Myz -1.39e+21 Mzz -1.36e+21 ############## ### ################ ###### T ################### ####### ###############----- #######################----------- #####################--------------- ####################------------------ ###################--------------------- #################----------------------- -###############-------------------------- --############--------------- ---------- ---##########---------------- P ---------- ----########----------------- ---------- -----#####------------------------------ ------###------------------------------# -------#----------------------------## -----#####----------------------#### ---###########-------------####### -############################# ############################ ###################### ############## Global CMT Convention Moment Tensor: R T P -1.36e+21 6.20e+20 1.39e+21 6.20e+20 1.90e+21 7.55e+20 1.39e+21 7.55e+20 -5.41e+20 Details of the solution is found at http://www.eas.slu.edu/eqc/eqc_mt/MECH.NA/20260304153343/index.html

Regional Moment Tensor (Mwr) Moment 3.892e+14 N-m Magnitude 3.66 Mwr Depth 3.0 km Percent DC 94% Half Duration - Catalog US Data Source US Contributor US Nodal Planes Plane Strike Dip Rake NP1 35 49 -136 NP2 273 58 -50 Principal Axes Axis Value Plunge Azimuth T 3.834e+14 5 336 N 0.114e+14 33 70 P -3.948e+14 56 238

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 -40 o DIST/3.3 +50
rtr
taper w 0.1
hp c 0.05 n 3 
lp c 0.15 n 3 

           DEPTH  STK   DIP  RAKE   MW    FIT
WVFGRD96    1.0   125    50     5   3.19 0.3749
WVFGRD96    2.0   120    40     0   3.40 0.4586
WVFGRD96    3.0   100    35   -40   3.51 0.5497
WVFGRD96    4.0   105    40   -35   3.52 0.5586
WVFGRD96    5.0   110    45   -25   3.53 0.5328
WVFGRD96    6.0   110    50   -20   3.55 0.4991
WVFGRD96    7.0   115    55   -10   3.56 0.4631
WVFGRD96    8.0   110    50   -25   3.63 0.4314
WVFGRD96    9.0   115    55    -5   3.63 0.3951
WVFGRD96   10.0   115    60    -5   3.64 0.3627
WVFGRD96   11.0   115    60    -5   3.66 0.3339
WVFGRD96   12.0   115    65    -5   3.67 0.3095
WVFGRD96   13.0   115    65    -5   3.68 0.2897
WVFGRD96   14.0   210    80    20   3.69 0.2796
WVFGRD96   15.0   210    80    20   3.71 0.2797
WVFGRD96   16.0   205    85    20   3.73 0.2804
WVFGRD96   17.0   205    85    20   3.74 0.2808
WVFGRD96   18.0   205    85    20   3.75 0.2821
WVFGRD96   19.0   230    45    60   3.80 0.2923
WVFGRD96   20.0   225    50    55   3.81 0.3057
WVFGRD96   21.0   225    50    55   3.82 0.3181
WVFGRD96   22.0   225    50    50   3.83 0.3272
WVFGRD96   23.0   225    50    50   3.83 0.3348
WVFGRD96   24.0   225    50    50   3.84 0.3403
WVFGRD96   25.0   225    50    50   3.85 0.3467
WVFGRD96   26.0   225    50    50   3.85 0.3522
WVFGRD96   27.0   225    50    50   3.86 0.3575
WVFGRD96   28.0   225    50    50   3.87 0.3616
WVFGRD96   29.0   225    50    50   3.87 0.3641

The best solution is

WVFGRD96    4.0   105    40   -35   3.52 0.5586

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 -40 o DIST/3.3 +50
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)

 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