Towards structural imaging using seismic ambient field correlation artefacts

Lise Retailleau, & Gregory C. Beroza

Published January 25, 2021, SCEC Contribution #10008

Correlations of the ambient seismic field recorded by seismic stations carry information about the wave propagation between the stations. They also contain information about the ambient field—both the source of the ambient field, and sources of scattering that contribute to it. The waves that comprise the ambient field are subject to scattering due to the heterogeneous Earth, which can generate supplementary arrivals on the correlation functions. We use these effects to locate sources of signals linked to scattering. For this analysis, we use correlation functions computed from continuous signals recorded between 2013 and 2015 by a line of seismic stations in Central California. We identify spurious arrivals on the Vertical to Vertical and Transverse to Transverse correlation functions and use array analysis to map the source of scattering, which is linked to strong structural variations in the Coast ranges and at the border of the Great Valley.

Citation
Retailleau, L., & Beroza, G. C. (2021). Towards structural imaging using seismic ambient field correlation artefacts. Geophysical Journal International, 225(2), 1453-1465. doi: 10.1093/gji/ggab038.