Double-Frequency Microseisms on the Thick Unconsolidated Sediments in Eastern and Southeastern Coasts of United States: Sources and Applications on Seismic Site Effect Evaluation

Abstract

This study presents a systematic analysis of double-frequency (DF) microseisms recorded on the unconsolidated sediments in the eastern and southeastern coasts of United States. For all recordings, the site effect parameters (predominant frequency (f ₀), amplification factor and unconsolidated sediment thickness (UST)) are obtained by Nakamura method and the DF spectra are classified into five groups in terms of the DF peak patterns and the recording locations relative to the coastline. The frequencies and energy levels of the DF peaks in horizontal direction and the amplification factors are associated with the UST which is resulted from seismic site effect. By polarization analysis, the primary vibration directions of the DF peaks are identified and presented as great circles passing through the recording stations intersecting mainly along the continental slope. Correlation analyses of time histories of the DF energy and the ocean wave climate observed at buoys show that the low (<0.2 Hz) and high (>0.2 Hz) frequency DF microseisms are generated in the deep ocean and the continental shelf respectively. It is concluded that the continental slope plays a significant role in the generation of DF microseisms as it causes reflection of waves from the open ocean, initiating standing waves.

Keywords

seismic site effect / double-frequency microseisms / unconsolidated sediments / continental slope / ocean wave

References

[1] Abd el-aal A K. New Relationship between Fundamental Site Frequency and Thickness of Soft Sediments from Seismic Ambient Noise. Journal of Seismology, 2018, 22(5): 1315-1323.

[2] Ardhuin F, Stutzmann E, Schimmel M, . Ocean Wave Sources of Seismic Noise. Journal of Geophysical Research Atmospheres, 2011, 116(C9): C09004

[3] Bard, P.-Y., 1999. Microtremor Measurements: A Tool for Site Effect Estimation? Proc. 2nd Int. Symp. on the Effects of Surface Geology on Seismic Motion, Yokohama

[4] Bard, P.-Y., SESAME-Team, 2005. Guideline for the Implementation of the H/V Spectral Ratio Technique on Ambient Vibrations-Measurements, Processing and Interpretations. SESAME European Research Project EVG1-CT-2000-00026, D23.12

[5] Bodin P, Smith K, Horton S, . Microtremor Observations of Deep Sediment Resonance in Metropolitan Memphis, Tennessee. Engineering Geology, 2001, 62 1/2/3 159-168.

[6] Bromirski P D. The Near-Coastal Microseism Spectrum: Spatial and Temporal Wave Climate Relationships. Journal of Geophysical Research Atmospheres, 2002, 107(B8): 2166

[7] Bromirski P D, Duennebier F K, Stephen R A. Mid-Ocean Microseisms. Geochemistry, Geophysics, Geosystems, 2005, 6 4 Q04009

[8] Dorman L M, Schreiner A E, Bibee L D, . Kerman B, . Deep-Water Sea-Floor Array Observations of Seismo-Acoustic Noise in the Eastern Pacific and Comparisons with Wind and Swell. Natural Physical Source of Underwater Sound, 1993, New York: Springer

[9] Essen H H, Krüger F, Dahm T, . On the Generation of Secondary Microseisms Observed in Northern and Central Europe. Journal of Geophysical Research: Solid Earth, 2003, 108 B10 2506

[10] Fenneman N M. Physiographic Divisions of the United States. Annals of the Association of American Geographers, 1916, 6 1 19-98.

[11] Gerstoft P, Bromirski P D. “Weather Bomb” Induced Seismic Signals. Science (New York, N Y), 2016, 353(6302): 869-870.

[12] Guo Z, Aydin A. Double-Frequency Microseisms in Ambient Noise Recorded in Mississippi. Bulletin of the Seismological Society of America, 2015, 105(3): 1691-1710.

[13] Guo Z, Aydin A. A Modified HVSR Method to Evaluate Site Effect in Northern Mississippi Considering Ocean Wave Climate. Engineering Geology, 2016, 200: 104-113.

[14] Guo Z, Aydin A, Kuszmaul J S. Microtremor Recordings in Northern Mississippi. Engineering Geology, 2014, 179: 146-157.

[15] Guo Z, Huang Y, Aydin A, . Identifying the Frequency Dependent Interactions between Ocean Waves and the Continental Margin on Seismic Noise Recordings. J. Mar. Sci. Eng., 2020, 8: 134

[16] Guo Z, Xue M, Aydin A, . Exploring Source Regions of Single- and Double-Frequency Microseisms Recorded in Eastern North American Margin (ENAM) by Cross-Correlation. Geophysical Journal International, 2020, 220(2): 1352-1367

[17] Hardin G C. Rainwater E H, Zingula R P. Notes on Cenozoic Sedimentation in the Gulf Coast Geosyncline, USA. Geology of the Gulf Coast and Central Texas and Guidebook of Excursions, 1962, Houston: Houston Geological Society

[18] Kedar S, Longuet-Higgins M, Webb F, . The Origin of Deep Ocean Microseisms in the North Atlantic Ocean. Proceedings of the Royal Society A: Mathematical, Physical and Engineering Sciences, 2008, 464(2091): 777-793.

[19] Koper K D, Burlacu R. The Fine Structure of Double-Frequency Microseisms Recorded by Seismometers in North America. Journal of Geophysical Research: Solid Earth, 2015, 120(3): 1677-1691.

[20] Langston C A, Horton S P. Three-Dimensional Seismic-Velocity Model for the Unconsolidated Mississippi Embayment Sediments from H/V Ambient Noise Measurements. Bulletin of the Seismological Society of America, 2014, 104(5): 2349-2358.

[21] Li H Y, Liu X, Li X F, . Rayleigh Wave Group Velocity Distribution in Ningxia. Journal of Earth Science, 2011, 22(1): 117-123.

[22] Longuet-Higgins M S. A Theory for the Generation of Microseisms. Philos. Trans. R. Soc. London, 1950, 243 1-35.

[23] Lynner C, Porritt R W. Crustal Structure across the Eastern North American Margin from Ambient Noise Tomography. Geophysical Research Letters, 2017, 44(13): 6651-6657.

[24] Nakamura Y. Method for Dynamic Characteristics Estimation of Subsurface Using Microtremor on the Ground Surface. Quarterly Report of RTRI (Railway Technical Research Institute) (Japan), 1989, 30(1): 25-33

[25] Obrebski M J, Ardhuin F, Stutzmann E, . How Moderate Sea States can Generate Loud Seismic Noise in the Deep Ocean. Geophysical Research Letters, 2012, 39(11): L11601

[26] Parolai S. New Relationships between Vs, Thickness of Sediments, and Resonance Frequency Calculated by the H/V Ratio of Seismic Noise for the Cologne Area (Germany). Bulletin of the Seismological Society of America, 2002, 92 6 2521-2527.

[27] Paskevich V. Srtm30plus-na_pctshade.tif—RTM30PLUS Color-Encoded Shaded Relief Image of North America (Approximately 1 km)—Geo-TIFF Image: Open-File Report 2005–1001, 2005, Woods Hole: U.S. Geological Survey, Coastal and Marine Geology Program, Woods Hole Science Center

[28] Qin W B, Zhang S X, Li M K, . Distribution of Intra-Crustal Low Velocity Zones beneath Yunnan from Seismic Ambient Noise Tomography. Journal of Earth Science, 2018, 29(6): 1409-1418.

[29] Rhie J, Romanowicz B. A Study of the Relation between Ocean Storms and the Earth’s Hum. Geochemistry, Geophysics, Geosystems, 2006, 7(10): Q10004

[30] Rybin A K, Bataleva E A, Nepeina K S, . Definition of the Seismic Field of the Underground Sources in the Ambient Seismic Noise in the Tien Shan Region Using a Three-Component Gradient System. Journal of Earth Science, 2020, 31 5 988-992.

[31] Sautter, L. R., 2004. A Profile of the Southeast U.S. Continental Margin. Estuary to the Abyss, Explorations, National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA), http://oceanexplorer.noaa.gov/explora-tions/04etta/background/profile/profile.html

[32] Schimmel M, Stutzmann E, Ardhuin F, . Polarized Earth’s Ambient Microseismic Noise. Geochemistry, Geophysics, Geosystems, 2011, 12(7): Q07014

[33] Schwab, W. C., Gayes, P. T., Morton, R. A., et al., 2009. Coastal Change along the Shore of Northeastern South Carolina: The South Carolina Coastal Erosion Study, U.S. Geological Survey Open-File Report 2008-1206. http://pubs.usgs.gov/of/2008/1206/

[34] Seht M I -v, Wohlenberg J. Microtremor Measurements Used to Map Thickness of Soft Sediments. Bulletin of the Seismological Society of America, 1999, 89 1 250-259.

[35] Seht M I -v, Wohlenberg J. Microtremor Measurements Used to Map Thickness of Soft Sediments. Bull. Seismol. Soc. Am., 1999, 89: 250-259.

[36] Stephen R A, Spiess F N, Collins J A, . Ocean Seismic Network Pilot Experiment. Geochem. Geophys. Geosyst., 2003, 4 1092

[37] Tan J, Li H Y, Li X F, . Radial Anisotropy in the Crust beneath the Northeastern Tibetan Plateau from Ambient Noise Tomography. Journal of Earth Science, 2015, 26(6): 864-871.

[38] Tian B Q, Du Y N, You Z W, . Measuring the Sediment Thickness in Urban Areas Using Revised H/V Spectral Ratio Method. Engineering Geology, 2019, 260 105223

[39] Traer J, Gerstoft P, Bromirski P D, . Microseisms and Hum from Ocean Surface Gravity Waves. Journal of Geophysical Research: Solid Earth, 2012, 117(B11): B11307

[40] Wang K, Luo Y H, Zhao K F, . Body Waves Revealed by Spatial Stacking on Long-Term Cross-Correlation of Ambient Noise. Journal of Earth Science, 2014, 25 6 977-984.

[41] Webb S C. Broadband Seismology and Noise under the Ocean. Reviews of Geophysics, 1998, 36(1): 105-142.

[42] Wu L H, Wang D, Lei Z G, . Campus Vibration in Nanwangshan Campus, China University of Geosciences at Wuhan Monitored by Short-Period Seismometers. Journal of Earth Science, 2020, 31(5): 950-956.

[43] Xu X M, Li H Y, Gong M, . Three-Dimensional S-Wave Velocity Structure in Eastern Tibet from Ambient Noise Rayleigh and Love Wave Tomography. Journal of Earth Science, 2011, 22(2): 195-204.