Structure of the Los Angeles Basin from ambient noise and receiver functions

Robert W. Clayton, & Yiran Ma

Published July 14, 2016, SCEC Contribution #7096

A velocity (Vs) and structure model is derived for the Los Angeles Basin, California based on ambient-noise surface wave and receiver-function analysis, using data from a low-cost, short-duration, dense broad-band survey (LASSIE) deployed across the basin. The shear wave velocities show lateral variations at the Compton-Los Alamitos and the Whittier Faults. The basement beneath the Puente Hills–San Gabriel Valley shows an unusually high velocity (∼4.0 km s−1) and indicates the presence of schist. The structure of the model shows that the basin is a maximum of 8 km deep along the profile and that the Moho rises to a depth of 17 km under the basin. The basin has a stretch factor of 2.6 in the centre grading to 1.3 at the edges and is in approximate isostatic equilibrium.

Key Words
Interferometry; Interface waves; Seismic tomography

Citation
Clayton, R. W., & Ma, Y. (2016). Structure of the Los Angeles Basin from ambient noise and receiver functions. Geophysical Journal International, 206(3), 1645-1651. doi: 10.1093/gji/ggw236.

Related Projects & Working Groups
Seismology