Variability of site response in the Los Angeles urban area

Bulletin of the Seismological Society of America
By: , and 

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Abstract

This article addresses the variability of site response in the Los Angeles area and possible structural causes for the observations. Aftershock records from 231 sites in the San Fernando and Los Angeles basins and the surrounding mountains are used in this study. Spectral ratios, taken with respect to a low-amplitude reference site, are used to document the variation in site amplification in the frequency range 2 to 6 Hz, both spatially and with backazimuth to the source. At higher frequencies (6 to 10 Hz), spectral ratios are shown to have greater spatial variability. Interstation spectral ratios are used to measure the standard deviation among source as a function of station separation. An increase in the variation in ground motion is shown to take place at a station separation of 1 km. Relative site-response estimates between nearby stations are used to demonstrate that preferred directions of motion can exist even in areas with no surface topographic effects.

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Publication type Article
Publication Subtype Journal Article
Title Variability of site response in the Los Angeles urban area
Series title Bulletin of the Seismological Society of America
DOI 10.1785/BSSA0870061377
Volume 87
Issue 6
Year Published 1997
Language English
Publisher Seismological Society of America
Description 24 p.
First page 1377
Last page 1400
Country United States
State California
City Los Angeles
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