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Brune stress parameter estimates for the 2016 M (sub w) 5.8 Pawnee and other Oklahoma earthquakes

Chris H. Cramer
Brune stress parameter estimates for the 2016 M (sub w) 5.8 Pawnee and other Oklahoma earthquakes
Seismological Research Letters (May 2017) 88 (4): 1005-1016

Abstract

I have estimated Brune (single-corner) stress parameters (stress drops) for several Oklahoma earthquakes, including the 2016 M (sub w) 5.8 Pawnee earthquake and the largest aftershocks. My approach is to estimate corner frequency from the peak of the tangential component of the velocity Fourier spectrum using recordings about 50 km or less from the epicenter, where possible. Because Brune stress parameter is for body waves, care has been taken to avoid contaminating spectral peaks from surface waves, nearby building interactions, and soil resonances. For shallow earthquakes, leaky-mode surface waves have been observed overlapping P and S waves, including in Oklahoma. Hence, spectral shape fitting has been avoided in this study. Oklahoma earthquakes (potentially induced) tend to be shallow (<10 km and usually approximately 5 km or less). In general, Brune stress parameter for the M (sub w) 5.8 Pawnee and other Oklahoma mainshocks ranges between 14 and 22 MPa, whereas aftershocks and smaller magnitude earthquake stress parameters fall in the 1-11 MPa range. These values are typical for the south-central United States potentially induced and natural (shallow and deeper) earthquakes. Other eastern North America regions have natural earthquake stress parameters above 15 MPa, but shallow natural earthquakes can have values in the 2-12 MPa range, similar to potentially induced earthquakes. Comparisons with other estimates of corner frequency using spectral shape fitting suggest that these estimates can be biased by leaky-mode surface waves and/or systematic site responses among recording stations, which affects stress-parameter estimates and interpretations.


ISSN: 0895-0695
EISSN: 1938-2057
Serial Title: Seismological Research Letters
Serial Volume: 88
Serial Issue: 4
Title: Brune stress parameter estimates for the 2016 M (sub w) 5.8 Pawnee and other Oklahoma earthquakes
Author(s): Cramer, Chris H.
Affiliation: University of Memphis, Center for Earthquake Research and Information, Memphis, TN, United States
Pages: 1005-1016
Published: 20170503
Text Language: English
Publisher: Seismological Society of America, El Cerrito, CA, United States
References: 30
Accession Number: 2017-043773
Categories: Seismology
Document Type: Serial
Bibliographic Level: Analytic
Illustration Description: illus. incl. sketch maps
N33°34'60" - N37°00'00", W100°00'00" - W95°25'00"
Country of Publication: United States
Secondary Affiliation: GeoRef, Copyright 2022, American Geosciences Institute. Abstract, Copyright, Seismological Society of America. Reference includes data from GeoScienceWorld, Alexandria, VA, United States
Update Code: 201724
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