SEISMOLOGY

LAB VII
Seismic Record Sections
Name and surname: Marlon Morocho

The purpose of this lab is to learn how to download your own data, and to create several different plots of
seismic record sections. A seismic record section is a series of seismograms that is plotted in some particular
order. Typically the x-axis is time, and then the seismograms are separated in the y-direction and ordered by
source-station distance OR source-station azimuth.

The bandpass filter that is applied to the seismograms can have a dramatic effect on what is visible. The
frequency limits of the bandpass is one of several important choices that are needed when plotting record
sections.

The lab uses a few non-standard Matlab functions. Seismic waveforms are available from the IRIS Data
Management Center.

Exercise 1: Selecting and downloading data

Feel free to work in groups to select events and download/share the data! We will use the web-based tool
Wilber 3 to select an event (earthquake), then select stations that recorded that data, and download SAC data
files. First, go to:

http://ds.iris.edu/wilber3/find_event

and choose one large event (Magnitude 6.5+) and near-source stations (<20 degrees). The default station
network is GSN, but you can change that to include other networks, in order to get more near- source stations.
(Use the Wilber option “choose one station every X degrees” to get a reasonable number of stations. You should
have 20-30. You can also use the “show record section” button to see a preview of what your data will look like
before you finalize your station choices and download it).

Download parameters:
- Download only the vertical broadband component (code named BHZ).
- Select the length of the record to be 0 minutes before event time, and 30 minutes after event time. - file type
should be the default, SAC binary (little endian)
- bundle as some type of zip file
- add your name and email for notification of the download.

Then, repeat the event and station selection process, choosing one large event and teleseismic stations, from
the GSN, for example. Download the SAC files in the same manner. Exercise 2: Reading and plotting SAC files

First, you may find it helpful to add the paths to the directories/folders where you are storing your functions and
scripts, and the folder where you are storing your data. Then, OCTAVE will know to check these folders when you
call functions or load data. To load the folder OCTAVEDIR and all subfolders:
addpath(genpath('C:\Users\annafoster\Documents\OCTAVEDIR')); Then, using
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the extra functions included with this lab:

Read in a file using:

[t,data,hdr]=fget_sac('II.NNA.10.BH1.M.2018.122.063841.SAC');

You can then plot the time series simply by: plot(t,data);

Find information about the earthquake and station (including source-station distance (great-circle distance is
distance in angular degrees) and backazimuth, azimuth) using:

rdSacHead('II.NNA.10.BH1.M.2018.122.063841.SAC')

Now plot all the stations on one figure, using an offset in the amplitude (y-axis) based on source-station
distance. Note: you will want to scale the amplitude- one way to do this is based on the maximum amplitude of
each trace, so all of the values will range from 0 to +-1 (something like: newdata=data./max(data)). However,
then you will not see any variation in amplitude- so it might be better to pick one constant value and scale all of
your traces by that.

Now, try different frequency bands using: newdata=bandpass(t,data,lowf,highf);

where lowf, highf are the bounds of your filter in Hz - for example, a common surface wave band is (.01,.03).
Select a band that you think brings out some interesting features! (Note- you may want to change your
amplitude scaling value after filtering).

Finally, choose one of your data sets, and arrange the stations by azimuth (event to station orientation- not
backazimuth!). Again, select the best amplitude scaling and frequency filtering to show off your daya. Save the
3 record sections- make sure the event, distance or azimuth, time, and frequency band are clearly labeled, as
well as the axes.
Exercise 3: Thinking about record sections

Answer the following questions (I am looking for at least a paragraph response for #1, 2, and 3).

1. Describe the near-source record section. Are there any stations that look very different? Do you see
clear P wave arrivals? What about the surface waves?

SOUTHERN BOLIVIA

Figure 1. The event chosen for the near-source record section

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Figure 2. Near source record section

Figure 3. Near source record section by azimuth

Yes, many stations do not register waves signal in a good way, P waves are clear to see in the figures but only 4 or 5
stations register very clear the signal. A surface wave is clear just for two stations

2. Describe the teleseismic record section. Are there any stations that look very different? Do you see clear
P wave arrivals? What about the surface waves?
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Figure 4. The event chosen for the teleseismic record section

P and S waves are refracted and speed up in faster layers at depth. Even from long distances, teleseismic
(more than 500 km away) earthquakes are recorded by sensitive seismograph stations.

Figure 5. Teleseismic record section Near Coast of Ecuador 2016 with P wave arrivals.
Yes, some stations provide data. These stations do not show clear P, S, and Surface wave arrivals. The P
waves are not clearly seen in the closest stations to the Earthquakes, however, the latest station is seen. The
Surface waves are pretty well seen.
Comparison with the Near Source Station Seismic Record
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Figure 6. Near source record a seismic record with P and S and surface waves found.
In our signal wave’s information are far away from the source but only at 15000 the signal is good. Surface
wave-like Rayleigh wave is visible in the plot, I cannot identify Love waves.

3. On your teleseismic record section by distance: Can you identify any other phases? Using a travel time
plot from a reference model with phases identified (available in the slides from class, or use the TauP
program, if you like), try to identify at least 4 body wave phases. Label them on the figure (this doesn’t
have to be in Matlab, you can draw on a pdf, for example).

Figure 7. Teleseismic record with P, PP, S, PKIKP, and SS found.

We were able to identify PP, S, PKIKP, and SS in the teleseismic station seismic records.
Comparison with the Near Source Station Seismic Record
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Figure 8. Near Source Station Seismic Record with P, PPP, Pdiff, SKS, SS, and surface waves found.

4. Compare your record section by azimuth to the record section by distance for the same event. Do you
notice any trends in amplitude of the waves that are unique to the azimuth arrangement? To the
distance arrangement?

In the azimuth plot, the amplitude of the waves is smaller than in the distance plot.

Figure 9. Teleseismic source record section by azimuth

The same pattern was seen in the azimuth plot for near source station seismic record.