A consumer's guide to instrumental methods for determination of hypocenters
In nuclear power plant siting, redetermination of hypocenters of instrumentally recorded earthquakes in the site region may be better than relying on routinely determined hypocenter locations listed in standard earthquake catalogues. Routinely determined hypocenters, particularly those of small earthquakes or of earthquakes occurring before the mid-1950s, may be so mislocated that they present a misleading picture of the seismotectonics of the site region. The hypocenters of many pre-1954 earthquakes may be more accurately redetermined by now-standard computerized location techniques that were not available when the earthquakes were initially catalogued. Some important earthquakes are so poorly recorded that they cannot be assigned a hypocenter that is mathematically unique. A well-recorded earthquake whose hypocenter is suspected of being biased by lateral variations of seismic wave velocities can be more accurately located by ray-tracing methods, provided that the lateral variations of velocity are known. In an attempt to infer a fault or seismic zone from a group of hypocenters, a relative-location method--such as the master-event method or joint hypocenter determination--should be used.
- Research Organization:
- U.S. Geological Survey, Denver, CO
- OSTI ID:
- 5976283
- Journal Information:
- Rev. Eng. Geol.; (United States), Journal Name: Rev. Eng. Geol.; (United States) Vol. 4; ISSN RENGD
- Country of Publication:
- United States
- Language:
- English
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Related Subjects
220501* -- Nuclear Reactor Technology-- Environmental Aspects-- Siting
58 GEOSCIENCES
580201 -- Geophysics-- Seismology & Tectonics-- (1980-1989)
EARTHQUAKES
GEOPHYSICS
HYPOCENTERS
MEASURING METHODS
NUCLEAR FACILITIES
NUCLEAR POWER PLANTS
POWER PLANTS
SEISMIC EVENTS
SEISMOLOGY
SITE SELECTION
THERMAL POWER PLANTS