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G. Fuis

Publications and source records attributed to G. Fuis.

5 recordsLinked to original sources
USGS2005

Upper-crustal structure of the inner Continental Borderland near Long Beach, California

A new P-wave velocity/structural model for the inner Continental Borderland (ICB) region was developed for the area near Long Beach, California. It combines controlled-source seismic reflection and refraction data collected during the 1994 Los Angeles Region Seismic Experiment (LARSE), multichannel seismic reflection data collected by the U.S. Geological Survey (1998-2000), and nearshore borehole stratigraphy. Based on lateral velocity contrasts and stratigraphic variation determined from borehole data, we are able to locate major faults such as the Cabrillo, Palos Verdes, THUMS-Huntington Beach, and Newport Inglewood fault zones, along with minor faults such as the slope fault, Avalon knoll, and several other yet unnamed faults. Catalog seismicity (1975-2002) plotted on our preferred velocity/structural model shows recent seismicity is located on 16 out of our 24 faults, providing evidence for continuing concern with respect to the existing seismic-hazard estimates. Forward modeling of P-wave arrival times on the LARSE line 1 resulted in a four-layer model that better resolves the stratigraphy and geologic structures of the ICB and also provides tighter constraints on the upper-crustal velocity structure than previous modeling of the LARSE data. There is a correlation between the structural horizons identified in the reflection data with the velocity interfaces determined from forward modeling of refraction data. The strongest correlation is between the base of velocity layer 1 of the refraction model and the base of the planar sediment beneath the shelf and slope determined by the reflection model. Layers 2 and 3 of the velocity model loosely correlate with the diffractive crust layer, locally interpreted as Catalina Schist.

Bulletin of the Seismological Society of America↗
USGS2002

Separation of site effects and structural focusing in Santa Monica, California: A study of high-frequency weak motions from earthquakes and blasts recorded during the Los Angeles Region Seismic Experiment

Near-surface site factors and the effects of deep structural focusing were estimated in the Santa Monica Mountains and Santa Monica, California, from a portable array of 75 seismic stations deployed during the Los Angeles Region Seismic Experiment, Phase II (LARSE II). The objective was to examine further the origin of seismic wave amplification in the region of intense damage south of the Santa Monica Fault from the Northridge earthquake. The analysis used normalized spectral amplitudes in the 4- to 8- and 8- to 12-Hz range in direct and coda waves from local earthquakes in Santa Paula, Northridge, Redlands, and Hector Mine. Coda waves indicated that site factor amplifications are larger south of the Santa Monica fault relative to the north. Spectral ratios of direct S waves, corrected for site effects, show additional amplificaton south of, and adjacent to, the Santa Monica fault, attributable to focusing by a deeper structure. Gao et al. (1996) concluded that localized focusing effects contributed to anomalous P- and S-wave amplification in the Santa Monica damage zone for Northridge aftershocks within a specified range of azimuths. In an attempt to reproduce the hypothesized focusing from the Northridge earthquake, two shots (4000 and 3750 lb.) were detonated, one at Pyramid Lake, a distance of about 69 km to the north-northwest of central Santa Monica, and the other near Fort Tejon, a distance of 91 km. The azimuth of the shots was chosen to be that expected to give anomalous amplification. At these distance steeply incident seismic energy from Pg/PmP waves are expected to pass through the underground focusing structure and be selectively amplified. After the local site factors are removed, the waveforms from the Fort Tejon shot exhibited localized amplification adjacent to and south of the fault, 2-3 times larger than that of the surrounding area. The effect is less for waves from the Pyramid Lake shot, which could be due to their higher angle of incidence. The observations lend support to the argument that deep structural focusing is an important factor in determining azimuth-dependent amplification of seismic waves along a basin edge.

California↗
USGS1978

Seismic amplitude measurements suggest foreshocks have different focal mechanisms than aftershocks

The ratio of the amplitudes of P and S waves from the foreshocks and aftershocks to three recent California earthquakes show a characteristic change at the time of the main events. As this ratio is extremely sensitive to small changes in the orientation of the fault plane, a small systematic change in stress or fault configuration in the source region may be inferred. These results suggest an approach to the recognition of foreshocks based on simple measurements of the amplitudes of seismic waves.

California↗
USGS1978

Earthquake swarm along the San Andreas fault near Palmdale, Southern California, 1976 to 1977

Between November 1976 and November 1977 a swarm of small earthquakes (local magnitude ≤ 3) occurred on or near the San Andreas fault near Palmdale, California. This swarm was the first observed along this section of the San Andreas since cataloging of instrumental data began in 1932. The activity followed partial subsidence of the 35-centimeter vertical crustal uplift known as the Palmdale bulge along this "locked" section of the San Andreas, which last broke in the great (surface-wave magnitude = 8¼;+) 1857 Fort Tejon earthquake. The swarm events exhibit characteristics previously observed for some foreshock sequences, such as tight clustering of hypocenters and time-dependent rotations of stress axes inferred from focal mechanisms. However, because of our present lack of understanding of the processes that precede earthquake faulting, the implications of the swarm for future large earthquakes on the San Andreas fault are unknown.

California↗