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Hawaiian Volcano Observatory Seismic Data, January to December 2007

The U.S. Geological Survey (USGS), Hawaiian Volcano Observatory (HVO) summary presents seismic data gathered during the year. The seismic summary is offered without interpretation as a source of preliminary data and is complete in that most data for events of M=1.5 are included. All latitude and longitude references in this report are stated in Old Hawaiian Datum. The HVO summaries have been published in various forms since 1956. Summaries prior to 1974 were issued quarterly, but cost, convenience of preparation and distribution, and the large quantities of data necessitated an annual publication, beginning with Summary 74 for the year 1974. Beginning in 2004, summaries are simply identified by the year, rather than by summary number. Summaries originally issued as administrative reports were republished in 2007 as Open-File Reports. All the summaries since 1956 are listed at http://geopubs.wr.usgs.gov/ (last accessed September 30, 2008). In January 1986, HVO adopted CUSP (California Institute of Technology USGS Seismic Processing). Summary 86 includes a description of the seismic instrumentation, calibration, and processing used in recent years. The present summary includes background information about the seismic network to provide the end user an understanding of the processing parameters and how the data were gathered. A report by Klein and Koyanagi (1980) tabulates instrumentation, calibration, and recording history of each seismic station in the network. It is designed as a reference for users of seismograms and phase data and includes and augments the information in the station table in this summary.

Open-File Report↗

Hawaiian Volcano Observatory seismic data, January to December 2008

The U.S. Geological Survey (USGS), Hawaiian Volcano Observatory (HVO) summary presents seismic data gathered during the year. The seismic summary is offered without interpretation as a source of preliminary data and is complete in that most data for events of M greater than 1.5 are included. All latitude and longitude references in this report are stated in Old Hawaiian Datum. The HVO summaries have been published in various forms since 1956. Summaries prior to 1974 were issued quarterly, but cost, convenience of preparation and distribution, and the large quantities of data necessitated an annual publication, beginning with Summary 74 for the year 1974. Beginning in 2004, summaries are simply identified by the year, rather than by summary number. Summaries originally issued as administrative reports were republished in 2007 as Open-File Reports. All the summaries since 1956 are listed at http://geopubs.wr.usgs.gov/ (last accessed 09/21/2009). In January 1986, HVO adopted CUSP (California Institute of Technology USGS Seismic Processing). Summary 86 includes a description of the seismic instrumentation, calibration, and processing used in recent years. The present summary includes background information about the seismic network to provide the end user an understanding of the processing parameters and how the data were gathered. A report by Klein and Koyanagi (1980) tabulates instrumentation, calibration, and recording history of each seismic station in the network. It is designed as a reference for users of seismograms and phase data and includes and augments the information in the station table in this summary. Figures 11-14 are maps showing computer-located hypocenters. The maps were generated using the Generic Mapping Tools (GMT http://gmt.soest.hawaii.edu/, last accessed 09/21/2009) in place of traditional Qplot maps.

Hawaii↗

Hawaiian Volcano Observatory seismic data, January to December 2005

The Hawaiian Volcano Observatory (HVO) summary presents seismic data gathered during the year. The seismic summary is offered without interpretation as a source of preliminary data. It is complete in the sense that most data for events of M-1.5 routinely gathered by the Observatory are included. The HVO summaries have been published in various forms since 1956. Summaries prior to 1974 were issued quarterly, but cost, convenience of preparation and distribution, and the large quantities of data dictated an annual publication beginning with Summary 74 for the year 1974. Summary 86 (the introduction of CUSP at HVO) includes a description of the seismic instrumentation, calibration, and processing used in recent years. Beginning with 2004, summaries will simply be identified by the year, rather than Summary number. The present summary includes background information on the seismic network and processing to allow use of the data and to provide an understanding of how they were gathered. A report by Klein and Koyanagi (1980) tabulates instrumentation, calibration, and recording history of each seismic station in the network. It is designed as a reference for users of seismograms and phase data and includes and augments the information in the station table in this summary.

Open-File Report↗

Hawaiian Volcano Observatory Seismic Data, January to December 2006

Introduction The Hawaiian Volcano Observatory (HVO) summary presents seismic data gathered during the year. The seismic summary is offered without interpretation as a source of preliminary data. It is complete in the sense that most data for events of M>1.5 routinely gathered by the Observatory are included. The HVO summaries have been published in various forms since 1956. Summaries prior to 1974 were issued quarterly, but cost, convenience of preparation and distribution, and the large quantities of data dictated an annual publication beginning with Summary 74 for the year 1974. Summary 86 (the introduction of CUSP at HVO) includes a description of the seismic instrumentation, calibration, and processing used in recent years. Beginning with 2004, summaries are simply identified by the year, rather than Summary number. The present summary includes background information on the seismic network and processing to allow use of the data and to provide an understanding of how they were gathered. A report by Klein and Koyanagi (1980) tabulates instrumentation, calibration, and recording history of each seismic station in the network. It is designed as a reference for users of seismograms and phase data and includes and augments the information in the station table in this summary.

Open-File Report↗

Hydrologic and geochemical monitoring in Long Valley caldera, Mono County, California, 1986

The U.S. Geological Survey continued to monitor hydrologic and geochemical conditions in the Long Valley caldera during 1986. The monitoring is directed toward detecting changes in the hydrologic system caused by tectonic or magmatic processes. Data collected during 1986 include chemical and isotopic composition of water from selected streams sites, springs, and wells; pumpage from four geothermal wells; flow rates of selected springs and stream sites; mean daily water or gas temperatures at selected sites; mean daily atmospheric pressures and water level at selected wells, and precipitation records for two sites. Seismicity within the caldera persisted at a relatively low level compared with the more active periods of 1978-84. The most significant events of seismicity that affected hydrologic monitoring sites in Long Valley during 1986 occurred during July , in response to the Chalfant Valley earthquakes, centered about 20 miles southeast of the caldera. Water level records for three wells show distinct responses to the Chalfant Valley earthquakes. (USGS)

Water-Resources Investigations Report↗

Seismic evidence for rock damage and healing on the San Andreas fault associated with the 2004 M 6.0 Parkfield earthquake

We deployed a dense linear array of 45 seismometers across and along the San Andreas fault near Parkfield a week after the M 6.0 Parkfield earthquake on 28 September 2004 to record fault-zone seismic waves generated by aftershocks and explosions. Seismic stations and explosions were co-sited with our previous experiment conducted in 2002. The data from repeated shots detonated in the fall of 2002 and 3 months after the 2004 M 6.0 mainshock show ???1.0%-1.5% decreases in seismic-wave velocity within an ???200-m-wide zone along the fault strike and smaller changes (0.2%-0.5%) beyond this zone, most likely due to the coseismic damage of rocks during dynamic rupture in the 2004 M 6.0 earthquake. The width of the damage zone characterized by larger velocity changes is consistent with the low-velocity waveguide model on the San Andreas fault, near Parkfield, that we derived from fault-zone trapped waves (Li et al., 2004). The damage zone is not symmetric but extends farther on the southwest side of the main fault trace. Waveform cross-correlations for repeated aftershocks in 21 clusters, with a total of ???130 events, located at different depths and distances from the array site show ???0.7%-1.1% increases in S-wave velocity within the fault zone in 3 months starting a week after the earthquake. The velocity recovery indicates that the damaged rock has been healing and regaining the strength through rigidity recovery with time, most likely . due to the closure of cracks opened during the mainshock. We estimate that the net decrease in seismic velocities within the fault zone was at least ???2.5%, caused by the 2004 M 6.0 Parkfield earthquake. The healing rate was largest in the earlier stage of the postmainshock healing process. The magnitude of fault healing varies along the rupture zone, being slightly larger for the healing beneath Middle Mountain, correlating well with an area of large mapped slip. The fault healing is most prominent at depths above ???7 km.

Bulletin of the Seismological Society of America↗

Earthquakes record cycles of opening and closing in the enhanced seismic catalog of the 2008 Okmok Volcano, Alaska, eruption

Seismicity during explosive volcanic eruptions remains challenging to observe through the eruptive noise, leaving first-order questions unanswered. How do earthquake rates change as eruptions progress, and what is their relationship to the opening and closing of the eruptive vent? To address these questions for the Okmok Volcano 2008 explosive eruption, Volcano Explosivity Index 4, we utilized modern detection methods to enhance the existing earthquake catalog. Our enhanced catalog detected significantly more earthquakes than traditional methods. We located, relocated, determined magnitudes and classified all events within this catalog. Our analysis reveals distinct behaviors for long-period (LP) and volcano-tectonic (VT) earthquakes, providing insights into the opening and closing cycle. LP earthquakes occur as bursts beneath the eruptive vent and do not coincide in time with the plumes, indicating their relationship to an eruptive process that occurs at a high pressurization state, that is, partially closed conduit. In contrast, VT earthquakes maintain a steadier rate over a broader region, do not track the caldera deflation and have a larger b -value during the eruption than before or after. The closing sequence is marked by a burst of LPs followed by small VTs south of the volcano. The opening sequence differs as only VTs extend to depth and migrate within minutes of the eruption onset. Our high-resolution catalog offers valuable insights, demonstrating that volcanic conduits can transition between partially closed (clogged) and open (cracked) states during an eruption. Utilizing modern earthquake processing techniques enables clearer understanding of eruptions and holds promise for studying other volcanic events.

Alaska↗

Notes on a broad-band variant of the NCER seismic data multiplex system for use with field tape recorders

Tests of the standard NCER multiplex system recorded and played back on both the Bell and Howell 3700B (about 0.1% tape speed variation) and on the Sony TC-126 cassette recorder (about 1% tape speed variation) showed that subtractive compensation employing a reference frequency multiplexed on the data track was remarkably effective in reducing tape-speed-variation-induced noise 1 and, hence, in increasing the dynamic range of the record/playback system. Further tests suggested that the 0 to 30 Hz bandwidth of the standard system (8 data channels) might be increased substantially, at the 'price' of reducing the number of data channels to 3 or 4, without serious loss of dynamic range if subtractive compensation could be implemented effectively with the broader-band system.

Open-File Report↗

Multichannel seismic reflection and sonobuoy refraction data in the outer southern California Borderland

During the L1-78-SC cruise of the USGS research vessel S. P. Lee (April 25 - May 11, 1978) seven sonobuoy profiles and 200 km of 24-channel seismic reflection data were recorded in the outer southern California Continental Borderland. These data were obtained, at the request of the Deep Sea Drilling Project (DSDP), to evaluate possible drill sites along the southern California continental margin. The drill sites shown in Figure 1 were proposed by the Ocean Paleo-environmental Panel for DSDP Leg 63--secheduled for Sept. - Nov. 1978. These sites were selected in order to provide an expanded Neogene record of paleoceanographic-paleoclimatic events and associated evolutionary development of planktic communities along the eastern side of the north Pacific Ocean. Site selection was made prior to this survey on the basis of available single-channel seismic reflection profiles. Thus, the proposed sites shown on Fig. 1 may be relocated or eliminated when the data presented in this report are incorporated with earlier data. The combined data will be evaluated for safety and pollution hazards by Leg 63 site proponents and the DSDP safety panels. The ship's tracks (Fig. 1) were located by an integrated Satellite-Loran C-Doppler Sonar navigation system. Average survey speed was about 5 kts. A 1326 cu in (21,723 CC) tuned air gun array provided the sound source for both reflection and refraction profiles. The air gun array was fired at 50 m (about 18 sec.) intervals by the integrated navigation system.

California↗

Evidence for an upper mantle low velocity zone beneath the southern Basin and Range-Colorado Plateau transition zone

A 370-km-long seismic refraction/wide-angle reflection profile recorded during the Pacific to Arizona Crustal Experiment (PACE) detected an upper mantle P-wave low-velocity zone (LVZ) in the depth range 40 to 55 km beneath the Basin and Range in southern Arizona. Interpretation of seismic data places constraints on the sub-crustal lithosphere of the southern Basin and Range Province, which is important in light of the active tectonics of the region and the unknown role of the sub-crustal lithosphere in the development of the western United States. Forward travel time and synthetic seismogram techniques are used to model this shallow upper mantle LVZ. Modeling results show that the LVZ is defined by a 5% velocity decrease relative to a P n velocity of 7.95 km s −1 , suggesting either a ∼3–5% mafic partial melt or high-temperature, sub-solidus peridotite.

Geophysical Research Letters↗

Report on progress at the Center for Engineering Strong Motion Data (CESMD)

Strong-motion data of engineering and scientific importance from the United States and other seismically active countries are served through the Center for Engineering Strong Motion Data (CESMD) at www.strongmotioncenter.org. Recently, the CESMD staff, with cooperation from colleagues at international strong-motion seismic networks, has disseminated strong-motion data from significant earthquakes that occurred in Italy, Haiti, Mexico, New Zealand, Chile, Japan, Turkey, and the United States. The CESMD now automatically posts strong-motion data from an increasing number of seismic stations in California within a few minutes following an earthquake as an Internet Quick Report (IQR). As appropriate, IQRs are updated by more comprehensive Internet Data Reports that include reviewed versions of the data and maps showing, for example, the finite fault rupture along with the distribution of recording stations. Automated processing of strong-motion data will be extended to post the strong-motion records of the regional seismic networks of the Advanced National Seismic System (ANSS) outside California. Transfer of the operational and maintenance responsibilities for the Consortium of Organizations for Strong Motion Observation Systems (COSMOS) Virtual Data Center (VDC) from the University of California at Santa Barbara to the CESMD is nearing completion. The VDC Tagged Format (VTF) file format has been adopted by the CESMD as the standard for converting strong motion data to facilitate the process of uploading data into the VDC database. The CESMD now provides strong-motion records from lower magnitude (<M3.5) and smaller amplitude (<0.5%g) records for use in developing ground motion prediction equations in areas with less frequent earthquakes, such as the Central and Eastern US.

Conference Paper↗

Determination of three‐dimensional velocity anomalies under a seismic array using first P arrival times from local earthquakes: 1. A homogeneous initial model

Geiger's method of locating local earthquakes has been extended to include the effect of P velocity variation along the ray paths in three dimensions. The crustal structure was modeled by rectangular blocks, and a parameter was assigned to each block describing the perturbation of P wave slowness in the block. On the basis of an initial model, a set of linear equations for the observed first P arrival times was formulated in terms of the source and medium parameters. The source parameters for all the earthquakes in the data set and medium parameters for all the blocks penetrated by the seismic rays were then determined simultaneously by the damped least squares method. A computer program has been written for the case of a homogeneous initial medium model with constant P velocity. It has been tested with artificial data and applied to a set of local earthquakes recorded by a dense seismic array in Bear Valley, California. The resultant velocity distribution in the top 5 km shows a narrow low‐velocity zone of about 5 km/s in the San Andreas fault zone sandwiched between high‐velocity regions of about 6 km/s.

California↗

Cruise report for P1-13-LA, U.S. Geological Survey gas hydrates research cruise, R/V Pelican April 18 to May 3, 2013, deepwater Gulf of Mexico

The U.S. Geological Survey led a seismic acquisition cruise in the Gulf of Mexico from April 18 to May 3, 2013, with the objectives of (1) achieving improved imaging and characterization at two established gas hydrate study sites, and (2) refining geophysical methods for gas hydrate characterization in other locations. We conducted this acquisition aboard the R/V Pelican, and used a pair of 105/105-cubic-inch generator/injector air guns to provide seismic energy that we recorded using a 450-meter 72-channel digital hydrophone streamer and 25 multicomponent ocean-bottom seismometers. In the area of lease block Green Canyon 955, we deployed 21 ocean-bottom seismometers and acquired approximately 400 kilometers of high-resolution two-dimensional streamer seismic data in a grid with line spacing as small as 50 meters and along radial lines that provide source offsets up to 10 kilometers and diverse azimuths for the ocean-bottom seismometers. In the area of lease block Walker Ridge 313, we deployed 25 ocean-bottom seismometers and acquired approximately 450 kilometers of streamer seismic data in a grid pattern with line spacing as small as 250 meters and along radial lines that provide source offsets up to 10 kilometers for the ocean-bottom seismometers. The data acquisition effort was conducted safely and met the scientific objectives.

Open-File Report↗

Detailed lithologic log of the Dow Chemical #1 B.L. Garrigan Drill Hole, Mississippi County, Arkansas

The geology and tectonic setting of the New Madrid region in southeastern Missouri has received considerable attention because of the area's high seismic activity. The largest recorded earthquakes in this area occurred in the winter of 1811-1812. These earthquakes has estimated magnitudes as large as 8.0 on the Richter scale (Johnsonton and Kanter, 1990) and affected an area of about 1 million square miles (Fuller, 1912). Today, an area of continuously high seismic activity defines the New Madrid seismic zone, which extends from northeastern Arkansas into southeastern Missouri and northwestern Tennessee. Seismicity is locally concentrated along two subsurface archers--the Blytheville and Pascola (Hildenbrand and others, 1977; Crone and others, 1985; Hildenbrand, 1985; McKeown, 1988). The Padcola arch is not pertinent to this study and, therefore will not be discusses further. The Blytheville arch is located in and is subparallel to the axis of the northeast-southwest-trending Reelfoot structural basin, which formed during early Paleozoic rifting (Ervin and McGinnis, 1975; fig. 1). The Reelfoot basin is filled with Cambrian and Ordovician sedimentary rocks (Grohskopf, 1955; Howe, 1984; Houseknevht, 1989; Collins and others, 1992) that are uncomfortably overlain by Cretacaous and Tertiary sedimentary rocks and underlain by crystalline rocks of the eastern granite-rhyolite province (see Bickford and others, 1986). The presence of some Late Proterozoic sedimentary rocks in the Reelfoot basin currently cannot be ruled out. The Dow Chemical #1 B.L. Garrigan drill hole (hereafter, Garrigan) penetrated Paleozoic rocks on the Blytheville arch. The Garrigan is locted in the Reelfoot basin in the NW1/4, NW1/4 sec. 28, T. 15 N., R. 10 E., Mississippi County, Arkansas (fig. 1) and was completed to a total depth of 12,038 ft from a ground elevation of 239 ft on April 11, 1982 (Swolfs, 1991). The Garrigan is the only reported drill hole that penetrates the subsurface Blytheville arch and is an important source of core from the Reelfoot basin (Collins and others, 1992). Therefore, this drill hole is important for understanding structure and Paleozoic stratigraphy in a basin where stratigraphic and structural data are sparse. Rocks in the Garrigan were originally logged and described by J.R. Howe (personal communication to D.S. Collins, 1990) and published as a composite stratigraphic section along with the rock description for the Dow Chemical #1 Wilson drill hole (Howe, 1984). F.A. McKeown later relogged the rocks in the Garrigan and presented a generalized log in McKeown and others (1990). Swolfs (1991) presented another version of the Garrigan drill-hole geologic section (fig. 2). Aided by new biostratigraphic information, Taylor and others (1991) corrected major errors in the characterization and correlation of rocks in the Garrigan (fig. 2). Collins (1991) described the insoluble residues from the cuttings of the Garrigan, but could not correlate them with the insoluble resides from rocks of the carbonate platform west of the basin. However Taylor and others (1991), Collins and others (1992), and Collins and Bohm (1993) did correlate fossils from the Garrigan to other drill holes in the Reelfoot basin and adjacent areas. Using these correlated data, Collins and Bohm (1993) provided information on the structural relief across a part of the Reelfoot basin. Collins and others (1992) also interpreted the depositional setting for the Paleozoic rocks of the Garrigan. This report presents a detailed lithologic log of the Paleozoic rocks penetrated by the Garrigan that differs from the lithologic logs of previous workers (Howe, 1984; McKeown and others, 1990; see also Dart, 1992, p. 18-19). The lithologic descriptions of the Garrigan are derived from observations of well cuttings and core. Cored intervals used were 11,426-11,402 ft, 10,229-10,200 ft, and 8,002-7,979 ft. These intervals were the only intervals cored during the Garrigan drill project. Detailed analyses of the core will be described in a subsequent report.

Arkansas↗

Attenuation and scattering tomography of the deep plumbing system of Mount St. Helens

We present a combined 3-D P wave attenuation, 2-D S coda attenuation, and 3-D S coda scattering tomography model of fluid pathways, feeding systems, and sediments below Mount St. Helens (MSH) volcano between depths of 0 and 18 km. High-scattering and high-attenuation shallow anomalies are indicative of magma and fluid-rich zones within and below the volcanic edifice down to 6 km depth, where a high-scattering body outlines the top of deeper aseismic velocity anomalies. Both the volcanic edifice and these structures induce a combination of strong scattering and attenuation on any seismic wavefield, particularly those recorded on the northern and eastern flanks of the volcanic cone. North of the cone between depths of 0 and 10 km, a low-velocity, high-scattering, and high-attenuation north-south trending trough is attributed to thick piles of Tertiary marine sediments within the St. Helens Seismic Zone. A laterally extended 3-D scattering contrast at depths of 10 to 14 km is related to the boundary between upper and lower crust and caused in our interpretation by the large-scale interaction of the Siletz terrane with the Cascade arc crust. This contrast presents a low-scattering, 4&ndash;6 km 2 &ldquo;hole&rdquo; under the northeastern flank of the volcano. We infer that this section represents the main path of magma ascent from depths greater than 6 km at MSH, with a small north-east shift in the lower plumbing system of the volcano. We conclude that combinations of different nonstandard tomographic methods, leading toward full-waveform tomography, represent the future of seismic volcano imaging.

Washington↗