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S.A. Sipkin

Publications and source records attributed to S.A. Sipkin.

18 recordsLinked to original sources
USGS2012

Rapid determination of global moment-tensor solutions

In an effort to improve data services, the National Earthquake Information Center has begun a program, in cooperation with the Incorporated Research Institutions for Seismology Data Management Center (IRIS DMC), to produce rapid estimates of the seismic moment tensor for most earthquakes with a body-wave magnitude of 5.8 or greater. Although this program is still undergoing testing and fine-tuning, an estimate of the moment tensor can usually be produced within 20 minutes of the arrival of the broadband P -waveform data from the IRIS DMC. Although the speed with which this data can be obtained varies, in many cases a solution can be obtained within two hours of the earthquake. These solutions do not vary significantly from the final solutions determined using the entire network. Because of the manner in which the data and the synthetic seismograms are aligned, the method is insensitive to the effects of timing errors, epicentral mislocation, and lateral heterogeneity in earth structure. This procedure was implemented in May 1993; the results from that month are presented here.

Geophysical Research Letters↗
USGS2012

A teleseismic analysis of the New Brunswick earthquake of January 9, 1982

The analysis of the New Brunswick earthquake of January 9, 1982, has important implications for the evaluation of seismic hazards in eastern North America. Although moderate in size ( m b 5.7), it was well-recorded teleseismically. Source characteristics of this earthquake have been determined from analysis of data that were digitally recorded by the Global Digital Seismograph Network. From broadband displacement and velocity records of P waves, we have obtained a dynamic description of the rupture process as well as conventional static properties of the source. The depth of the hypocenter is estimated to be 9 km from depth phases. The focal mechanism determined from the broadband data corresponds to predominantly thrust faulting. From the variation in the waveforms the direction of slip is inferred to be updip on a west dipping NNE striking fault plane. The steep dip of the inferred fault plane suggests that the earthquake occurred on a preexisting fault that was at one time a normal fault. From an inversion of bodywave pulse durations, the estimated rupture length is 5.5 km. Average properties of the rupture process were examined by a moment tensor analysis of long-period P and SH body waves. The long-period moment of this earthquake was 5.3 × 10 24 dyne cm. The static and dynamic stress drops are 41 and 65 bars, respectively, similar to those of many earthquakes with similar moment in regions that are more seismically active. The joint epicenter determination algorithm was used to locate, relative to the mainshock, the three teleseismically recorded aftershocks that occurred through March 31, 1982. The relocated hypocenters of the aftershocks are significantly different from each other and from that of the mainshock; they provide additional support for the source dimensions inferred from the waveform analysis.

Journal of Geophysical Research Solid Earth↗
USGS2003

Moment-tensor solutions estimated using optimal filter theory: Global seismicity, 2001

This paper is the 12th in a series published yearly containing moment-tensor solutions computed at the US Geological Survey using an algorithm based on the theory of optimal filter design ( Sipkin, 1982 and Sipkin, 1986b ). An inversion has been attempted for all earthquakes with a magnitude, m b or M S , of 5.5 or greater. Previous listings include solutions for earthquakes that occurred from 1981 to 2000 ( Sipkin, 1986b ; Sipkin and Needham, 1989 , Sipkin and Needham, 1991 , Sipkin and Needham, 1992 , Sipkin and Needham, 1993 , Sipkin and Needham, 1994a and Sipkin and Needham, 1994b ; Sipkin and Zirbes, 1996 and Sipkin and Zirbes, 1997 ; Sipkin et al., 1998 , Sipkin et al., 1999 , Sipkin et al., 2000a , Sipkin et al., 2000b and Sipkin et al., 2002 ). The entire USGS moment-tensor catalog can be obtained via anonymous FTP at ftp://ghtftp.cr.usgs.gov . After logging on, change directory to “momten”. This directory contains two compressed ASCII files that contain the finalized solutions, “mt.lis.Z” and “fmech.lis.Z”. “mt.lis.Z” contains the elements of the moment tensors along with detailed event information; “fmech.lis.Z” contains the decompositions into the principal axes and best double-couples. The fast moment-tensor solutions for more recent events that have not yet been finalized and added to the catalog, are gathered by month in the files “jan01.lis.Z”, etc. “fmech.doc.Z” describes the various fields.

Physics of the Earth and Planetary Interiors↗
USGS1994

Seismic evidence for silicate melt atop the 410-km mantle discontinuity

LABORATORY results demonstrating that basic to ultrabasic melts become denser than olivine-rich mantle at pressures above 6 GPa (refs 1-3) have important implications for basalt petrogenesis, mantle differentiation and the storage of volatiles deep in the Earth. A density cross-over between melt and solid in the extensively molten Archaean mantle has been inferred from komatiitic volcanism and major-element mass balances, but present-day evidence of dense melt below the seismic low-velocity zone is lacking. Here we present mantle shear-wave impedance profiles obtained from multiple-ScS reverberation mapping for corridors connecting western Pacific subduction zone earthquakes with digital seismograph stations in eastern China, imaging a ~5.8% impedance decrease roughly 330 km beneath the Sea of Japan, Yellow Sea and easternmost Asia. We propose that this represents the upper surface of a layer of negatively buoyant melt lying on top of the olivine ??? ??- phase transition (the 410-km seismic discontinuity). Volatile-rich fluids expelled from the partial melt zone as it freezes may migrate upwards, acting as metasomatic agents and perhaps as the deep 'proto-source' of kimberlites. The remaining, dense, crystalline fraction would then concentrate above 410 km, producing a garnet-rich layer that may flush into the transition zone.

Nature↗
USGS1989

Measuring the size of an earthquake

Earthquakes range broadly in size. A rock-burst in an Idaho silver mine may involve the fracture of 1 meter of rock; the 1965 Rat Island earthquake in the Aleutian arc involved a 650-kilometer length of the Earth's crust. Earthquakes can be even smaller and even larger. If an earthquake is felt or causes perceptible surface damage, then its intensity of shaking can be subjectively estimated. But many large earthquakes occur in oceanic areas or at great focal depths and are either simply not felt or their felt pattern does not really indicate their true size. Today, state-of-the-art seismic systems transmit data from the seismograph via telephone line and satellite directly to a central digital computer. A preliminary location, depth-of-focus, and magntidue can now be obtained within minutes of the onset of an earthquake. The only limiting factor is how long the seismic wave stake to travel from the epicenter to the stations-usually less than 10 minutes.

Earthquakes & Volcanoes (USGS)↗
USGS1987

Moment tensor solutions estimated using optimal filter theory for 51 selected earthquakes, 1980-1984

The 51 global events that occurred from January 1980 to March 1984, which were chosen by the convenors of the Symposium on Seismological Theory and Practice, have been analyzed using a moment tensor inversion algorithm (Sipkin). Many of the events were routinely analyzed as part of the National Earthquake Information Center's (NEIC) efforts to publish moment tensor and first-motion fault-plane solutions for all moderate- to large-sized (mb>5.7) earthquakes. In routine use only long-period P-waves are used and the source-time function is constrained to be a step-function at the source (??-function in the far-field). Four of the events were of special interest, and long-period P, SH-wave solutions were obtained. For three of these events, an unconstrained inversion was performed. The resulting time-dependent solutions indicated that, for many cases, departures of the solutions from pure double-couples are caused by source complexity that has not been adequately modeled. These solutions also indicate that source complexity of moderate-sized events can be determined from long-period data. Finally, for one of the events of special interest, an inversion of the broadband P-waveforms was also performed, demonstrating the potential for using broadband waveform data in inversion procedures. ?? 1987.

Physics of the Earth and Planetary Interiors↗