Master-event correlation of weak local earthquakes by dynamic waveform matching

Abstract

Dynamic waveform matching (DWM) performs a non-linear correlation between two seismograms that are similar in shape but may be squeezed or stretched relative to each other. It extends the application of master-event comparisons to seismograms of greater spatial distance and retains the high-timing resolution of correlation techniques that act on the original time series. The DWM approach is applied to data recorded by a small array being part of the BOCHUM UNIVERSITY GERMANY (BUG) network which monitors the mining-induced seismicity in the Ruhr basin of NW Germany. The observed epicentres occur in clusters and therefore display only a limited number of seismogram waveform types. In one application an automatized cluster association with DWM obtains a resolution of about 100 metres at an epicentral distance of 200 to 40 km, using 10-20 defined master events for each region. These results are confirmed both by seismograms from a near-site station for mining-induced events from the Hamm region and by blast reports for a quarry region near Wuppertal. In another application of DWM, array traces from the BUG array are correlated to yield azimuth and slowness for epicentre location. as for the master event application, this approach is tuned for high performance on weak local events using a priori information about the approximate epicentral region. The implemented processes are shown to be capable of locating events with a rate of success equal to the performance of an experienced seismologist when processing all seismogrmas of four years BUG registration.