The ANSS event ID is aka2026rxqgmp and the event page is at https://earthquake.usgs.gov/earthquakes/eventpage/aka2026rxqgmp/executive.
2026/09/10 02:22:11 63.516 -151.416 5.0 3.6 Alaska
USGS/SLU Moment Tensor Solution
ENS 2026/09/10 02:22:11.0 63.52 -151.42 5.0 3.6 Alaska
Stations used:
AK.BPAW AK.CAST AK.CUT AK.F21K AK.G19K AK.GCSA AK.H22K
AK.H23K AK.J20K AK.L19K AK.L22K AK.M20K AK.MCK AK.MLY
AK.PAX AK.PPLA AK.RND AK.SKN AK.WRH AV.SPCL AV.STLK 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
Best Fitting Double Couple
Mo = 1.48e+21 dyne-cm
Mw = 3.38
Z = 14 km
Plane Strike Dip Rake
NP1 78 50 113
NP2 225 45 65
Principal Axes:
Axis Value Plunge Azimuth
T 1.48e+21 72 54
N 0.00e+00 17 243
P -1.48e+21 3 152
Moment Tensor: (dyne-cm)
Component Value
Mxx -1.11e+21
Mxy 6.70e+20
Mxz 3.13e+20
Myy -2.28e+20
Myz 3.13e+20
Mzz 1.34e+21
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----------------##############
--------------####################
-------------#######################
-----------###########################
-----------#############################
---------############# ###############
---------############## T ###############-
--------############### ##############--
-------###############################----
------###############################-----
-----#############################------
##---##########################---------
###-######################------------
##--------########------------------
##--------------------------------
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---------------------- ---
------------------- P
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Global CMT Convention Moment Tensor:
R T P
1.34e+21 3.13e+20 -3.13e+20
3.13e+20 -1.11e+21 -6.70e+20
-3.13e+20 -6.70e+20 -2.28e+20
Details of the solution is found at
http://www.eas.slu.edu/eqc/eqc_mt/MECH.NA/20260910022211/index.html
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STK = 225
DIP = 45
RAKE = 65
MW = 3.38
HS = 14.0
The NDK file is 20260910022211.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.
Map showing station locations used for computing the ML's. No distinction is made whether the vertical (Z) or horizontal (H) components were used.
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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.
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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 3The results of this grid search are as follow:
DEPTH STK DIP RAKE MW FIT
WVFGRD96 1.0 265 45 -85 2.99 0.2770
WVFGRD96 2.0 260 45 -90 3.14 0.3728
WVFGRD96 3.0 120 75 -40 3.09 0.2931
WVFGRD96 4.0 310 80 40 3.11 0.3129
WVFGRD96 5.0 105 85 -55 3.12 0.3493
WVFGRD96 6.0 200 35 5 3.13 0.3885
WVFGRD96 7.0 205 40 15 3.15 0.4208
WVFGRD96 8.0 210 35 25 3.23 0.4436
WVFGRD96 9.0 215 40 45 3.28 0.4820
WVFGRD96 10.0 220 45 55 3.31 0.5169
WVFGRD96 11.0 225 45 65 3.34 0.5438
WVFGRD96 12.0 225 45 65 3.36 0.5614
WVFGRD96 13.0 225 45 65 3.37 0.5705
WVFGRD96 14.0 225 45 65 3.38 0.5732
WVFGRD96 15.0 225 45 65 3.39 0.5701
WVFGRD96 16.0 225 45 65 3.40 0.5628
WVFGRD96 17.0 225 50 65 3.41 0.5515
WVFGRD96 18.0 225 45 60 3.41 0.5376
WVFGRD96 19.0 225 45 60 3.42 0.5214
WVFGRD96 20.0 225 45 60 3.43 0.5035
WVFGRD96 21.0 225 45 60 3.44 0.4844
WVFGRD96 22.0 225 45 60 3.44 0.4643
WVFGRD96 23.0 230 40 65 3.45 0.4444
WVFGRD96 24.0 230 40 65 3.45 0.4257
WVFGRD96 25.0 230 40 65 3.45 0.4069
WVFGRD96 26.0 235 35 65 3.45 0.3882
WVFGRD96 27.0 235 35 70 3.46 0.3713
WVFGRD96 28.0 235 35 70 3.46 0.3540
WVFGRD96 29.0 235 35 70 3.46 0.3368
The best solution is
WVFGRD96 14.0 225 45 65 3.38 0.5732
The mechanism corresponding to the best fit is
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The best fit as a function of depth is given in the following figure:
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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
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| 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. |
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| 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