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A preliminary one-dimensional crustal velocity model for Himachal Pradesh, India

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Abstract

A preliminary one-dimensional (1D) velocity model for Himachal Pradesh, India has been developed by utilising the P and S wave travel time data. A very steady and narrow velocity model was obtained with travel time inversion, and a range of velocity models were tested with earthquake locations to derive the best-fit velocity model. The 1D velocity model proposed for the study region has seven uniform layers with interfaces at depths of 0, 5, 10, 15, 20, 25 and 30 km with P wave velocity of 5.219, 5.314, 5.391, 5.392, 5.964, 6.071 and 6.073 km/s and S wave velocity of 2.998, 3.015, 3.134, 3.135, 3.441, 3.482 and 3.647 km/s, respectively. According to the proposed model, the Moho in this part of the Himalaya lies at 60 km depth on an average. For P and S waves, the station correction ranges from −0.88 to 1.50 and −0.58 to 3.59 s, respectively. This low variation in station residuals indicates small lateral velocity changes that confirm the accuracy and stability of the proposed 1D velocity model. Using the new derived 1D velocity model, the earthquake epicentres were relocated and we observe a shallow seismic activity in the region at <30 km depth that clearly describes the ongoing convergence of the India-Eurasia plates in the study region. This study also infers a new, highly active seismic window in the latitude range of 31.8 °N to 32.8 °N and longitude range of 76.8 °E to 78.8 °E in the study region across the Kaurik-Chango fault, a causative fault for the 1975 Kinnaur earthquake.

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Acknowledgments

We are very much grateful to Director Wadia Institute of Himalayan Geology, Dehradun for giving permission to publish this work. We also heartily acknowledge Prof. Anil Kumar Gupta for the needful help in editing the manuscript. The authors of the Manuscript are also extremely grateful to Prof. Yu Jeffrey Gu, Associate Professor of Geophysics, University of Alberta (USA) and Associate editor for Journal of seismology for thoroughly reviewing the manuscript and providing his valuable suggestions towards improving the manuscript. Shri. R.S. Negi is highly acknowledged for the support and encouragement during the manuscript preparation. Mr. Tarun Jain is acknowledged for his help in redrawing some of the figures for the manuscript. All other supporting staffs of Geophysics group and institute are acknowledged for their fruitful help in data collection in very tough conditions in Himalaya.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Wadia Institute of Himalayan Geology, Dehradun, India

    Mahesh Prasad Parija, Sushil Kumar & Narendra Kumar

  2. Indian Institute of Technology Kharagpur, Kharagpur, India

    Shubhasmita Biswal

  3. University of Mysore, Mysore, India

    Saurabh Kumar Mishra

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  1. Mahesh Prasad Parija
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  2. Sushil Kumar
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  3. Shubhasmita Biswal
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  4. Narendra Kumar
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  5. Saurabh Kumar Mishra
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Correspondence to Mahesh Prasad Parija.

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Parija, M.P., Kumar, S., Biswal, S. et al. A preliminary one-dimensional crustal velocity model for Himachal Pradesh, India. J Seismol 20, 305–318 (2016). https://doi.org/10.1007/s10950-015-9528-6

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s10950-015-9528-6

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