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Modelling of earthquake source parameters and scaling relations in the Uttarakhand Himalayan region, India

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Abstract

During 2017–2019, a temporary seismic network of fifty-five 3-component broadband seismometers was installed by CSIR-NGRI, Hyderabad, Telangana, in the Uttarakhand Himalayan region, India. We used digital waveform data of 21 local earthquakes of Mw 2.9–4.3 from nineteen 3-component broadband seismic stations of the above seismic network for computing source parameters of local earthquakes, through simultaneous inversion of shear wave (S-wave) spectra. Here, we used the ω square circular source spectral model of Brune (1970) to formulate the iterative inversion scheme to compute earthquake source parameters. The modelled corner-frequency (fc), source radius (r), seismic moment (Mo) and stress-drop (Δσ) vary from 2.4 to 4.0 Hz, 247–693 m, 2.4 × 1013 to 6.6 × 1015 N-m, 0.2–5.4 MPa, respectively. The maximum stress-drop (Δσmax) is computed to be 5.4 MPa for an event of Mw 4.3 while the minimum stress drop (Δσmin) is computed to be 0.2 MPa for an event of Mw 2.9. The scaling relations between Mo and fc is obtained as Mo = 3.2E + 17fc−5.5, while Mo and Δσ are modelled to be related as Mo = 4.59E + 13∆σ2.5. This relationship could be very useful for the future seismic-hazard assessment of the Uttarakhand Himalayan region.

Research Highlights

  • Modelled source parameters of local earthquakes and scaling relationship in the Uttarakhand Himalayan region.

  • Local earthquakes magnitude range of 2.9–4.3.

  • Mo, r, fc, and ∆σ are 2.4×1013–6.6×1015 N-m. 247.0–693.0 m, 2.4–4.0 Hz, 0.2–5.4 MPa, respectively.

  • Mo fc5.5 \(\propto\) constant & Mo∆σ2.5 \(\propto\) constant.

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Acknowledgements

Our present study is supported by the CSIR-funded Mission mode project on ‘Safety and security of vital installations’. Authors are grateful to the Director, CSIR-NGRI, Hyderabad, Telangana, for his kind permission to publish our present work. This article, bearing the WIHG contribution No. WIHG/0267.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Wadia Institute of Himalayan Geology, 33 GMS Road, Dehradun, 248 001, India

    Abhishek Kumar Gupta & Kalachand Sain

  2. CSIR-National Geophysical Research Institute, Hyderabad, 500 007, India

    Abhishek Kumar Gupta & Prantik Mandal

Authors
  1. Abhishek Kumar Gupta
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  2. Prantik Mandal
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  3. Kalachand Sain
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Contributions

The modelling and computation of earthquake source parameters are done by Abhishek Kumar Gupta (AKG). Interpretation of geodynamic models of the region done by Prantik Mandal (PM). Collection of data and processing is done by AKG and PM. MS writing, discussions, and interpretation were done by AKG and PM, and KS contributed to writing and editing.

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Correspondence to Abhishek Kumar Gupta.

Additional information

Communicated by Somnath Dasgupta

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Gupta, A.K., Mandal, P. & Sain, K. Modelling of earthquake source parameters and scaling relations in the Uttarakhand Himalayan region, India. J Earth Syst Sci 132, 73 (2023). https://doi.org/10.1007/s12040-023-02082-5

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s12040-023-02082-5

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