Abstract
A newly developed clustering algorithm is described which uses the Unified Scaling Law for earthquakes to identify correlations between events that lead to clustering. This algorithm is applied to a dataset from the Hengill triple junction in south west Iceland to separate spatially and temporally overlapping earthquake sequences. We show that the algorithm successfully identifies spatio-temporally clustered events.
A search for certain patterns in the identified clusters is performed. These patterns emerged in numerical simulations of seismicity performed by Hainzl (2003) when viscous coupling was introduced in order to reproduce features of swarm earthquakes. Namely we look for a combination of increased Gutenberg-Richter b-value and decreased exponent of the waiting-time distribution α. This pattern, indicating the strongest influence of viscous coupling on the characteristics of the seismicity, could be localized beneath an extinct volcano approximately 5 km north of an area of recent crustal uplift.
Similar content being viewed by others
Abbreviations
- USL:
-
Unified Scaling Law
- FMD:
-
Frequency Magnitude Distribution
- GRL:
-
Gutenberg-Richter Law
References
Aki K (1965) Maximum likelihood estimate of b in the formula log N = a , bm and its confidence. B Earthq Res I Tokyo 43: 237–239
Bak P, Christensen K, Danon L, Scanlon T (2002) Unified scaling law for earthquakes. Phys Rev Lett 88: 178501
Clifton A, Sigmundsson F, Feigl K, Gudmundsson G, Árnadóttir T (2002) Surface effects of faulting and deformation resulting from magma accumulation at the Hengill triple junction, SW Iceland, 1994–1998. J Volcanol Geoth Res 115: 233–255
DeMets C, Gordon R, Argus D, Stein S (1994) Effect of recent revisions to the geomagnetic reversal time scale on estimate of current plate motions. Geophys Res Lett 21: 2191–2194
Feigl K, Gasperi G, Sigmundsson F, Rigo A (2000) Crustal defomation near Hengill volcano, Iceland 1993-1998: Coupling between magmatic activity and faulting inferred from elastic modeling of satellite radar interferrograms. J Geophys Res 105: 25655–25670
Frohlich C, Davis S (1990) Single-link cluster analysis as a method to evaluate spatial and temporal properties of earthquake catalogues. Geophys J Int 100: 19–32
Goltz C, Böse M (2002) Configurational entropy of critical earthquake populations. Geophys Res Lett 29: 51/1–4
Gutenberg R, Richter C (1944) Frequency of earthquakes in California. Bull Seismol Soc Am 34: 185–188
Hainzl S (2003) Self-organzation of earthquake swarms. J Geodyn 1–2: 157–172
Kisslinger C, Jones L (1991) Properties of aftershock sequences in Southern California. J Geophys Res 96: 11947–11958
Miller AD, Julian BR, and FG, R (1998) Three-dimensional seismic structure and moment tensors of non-double-couple earthquakes at the Hengill-Grensdalur volcanic complex, Iceland. Geophys J Int 133: 309–325
Mogi, K (1962) Magnitude-frequency relation for elastic shocks accompanying fractures of various materials and some related problems in earthquakes. Bull Earthq Res Inst Tokyo Univ 40: 831–853
Okubo P, Aki K (1987) Fractal geometry in the San Andreas fault system. J Geophys Res 92: 345–355
Reasenberg P (1985) Second-order moment of central California seismicity, 1969–1982. J Geophys Res 90: 5479–5495
Rögnvaldsson S, Gudmundsson G, Águstsson K, Jakobsdóttir S, Slunga R, Stefánsson R (1998) Overview of 1993–1996 seismicity near Hengill, Vol VÍ-R98006-JA05 of Rit Vedurstofu Íslands Reykjavík: Vedurstofa Íslands
Rögnvaldsson S, Árnadóttir T, Áugustsson K, Skaftadóttir T, Gudmundsson G, Björnsson G, Vogfjörd K, Stefánsson R, Bödvarsson R, Slunga R, Jakobsdóttir S, Thorbjarnardóttir B, Erlendsson P, Bergsson B, Ragnarsson S, Halldórsson P, Thorkelsson B, Asgeirsdóttir M (1998) Skjálftahrina í ölfusi ì nóvember, Vol VÍ-R98006-JA05 of Greinargerd Reyhjavìk: Vedurstofa Íslands Icelandic with English summary
Sæmundsson K (1967) Vulkanismus und Tektonik des Hengill-Gebietes in Südwest-Island, Acta Naturalia Islandica Reykjavík: Náttúrufræístofnun Íslands
Sánchez J, McNutt S, Power J, Wyss M (2004) Spatial variations in the frequency-magnitude distribution of earthquakes at mount Pinatubo volcano. Bull Seismol Soc Am 94(2): 430–438
Sánchez R, Newman D, Carreras B (2002) Waiting-time statistics of self-organized-criticality systems. Phys Rev Lett 88: 068302
Sigmundsson F, Einarsson P, Rögnvaldsson S, Foulger G, Hodgkinson K, Thorbergsson G (1997) The 1994–1995 seismicity and deformation at the Hengill triple junction, Iceland: Triggering of earthquakes by minor magma injection in a zone of horizontal shear stress. J Geophys Res 102: 15151–15161
Steacy S, McCloskey J, Bean C, Ren J (1996) Heterogeneity in a self-organized critical earthquake model. Geophys Res Lett 23: 383–386
Stefánsson R, Bödvarsson R, Slunga R, Einarsson P, Jakobsdóttir S, Bungum H, Gregersen S, Havskov J, Hjelme J, Korhonen H (1993) Earthquake prediction research in the South Iceland Seismic Zone and the SIL Project. Bull Seismol Soc Am 83: 696–716
Tryggvason A, Rögnvaldsson ST, Flóvenz OG (2002) Three-dimensional imaging of the P- and S-wave velocity structure and earthquake locations beneath Southwest Iceland. Geophys J Int 151: 848–866
Utsu T, Ogata Y, Matsu'ura R (1995) The centenary of the Omori formula for a decay law of aftershock activity. J Phys Earth 43: 1–33
Wiemer S, Katsumata K (1999) Spatial variability of seismicity parameters in aftershock zones. J Geophys Res 104: 13135–13151
Wiemer S, Wyss M (1997) Mapping the frequency-magnitude distribution in asperities: An improved technique to calculate recurrence times? J Geophys Res 102: 15115– 15128
Wyss M (ed) (1999) Seismicity Patterns, their Statistical Significance and Physical Meaning, Vol 155 of Pure Appl Geophys Birkäuser Verlag AG
Wyss M, Sammis C, Nadeau R, Wiemer S (2004) Fractal dimension and b-value on creeping and locked patches of the San Andreas fault near parkfield, California. Bull Seismol Soc Am 94(2): 410–421
Wyss M, Shimazaki K, Wiemer S (1997) Mapping active magma chambers by b values beneath the off-Ito volcano, Japan. J Geophys Res 102: 20413– 20422.
Author information
Authors and Affiliations
Corresponding author
Rights and permissions
About this article
Cite this article
Sens-Schönfelder, C., Korn, M. & Stefánsson, R. Joint interpretation of the size and time distributions of seismic activity around the Hengill triple junction (SW Iceland) between 1993 and 1999. J Seismol 10, 237–246 (2006). https://doi.org/10.1007/s10950-006-9011-5
Received:
Accepted:
Published:
Issue Date:
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s10950-006-9011-5