Ground-motion amplification in Cook Inlet region, Alaska from intermediate-depth earthquakes, including the 2018 MW 7.1 Anchorage earthquake

Seismological Research Letters
By: , and 

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Abstract

We measure pseudospectral and peak ground motions from 44 intermediate‐depth Mw4.9 earthquakes in the Cook Inlet region of southern Alaska, including those from the 2018 Mw 7.1 earthquake near Anchorage, to identify regional amplification features (0.15  period). Ground‐motion residuals are computed with respect to an empirical ground‐motion model for intraslab subduction earthquakes, and we compute bias, between‐, and within‐event terms through a linear mixed‐effects regression. Between‐event residuals are analyzed to assess the relative source characteristics of the Cook Inlet earthquakes and suggest a difference in the scaling of the source with depth, relative to global observations. The within‐event residuals are analyzed to investigate regional amplification, and various spatial patterns manifest, including correlations of amplification with depth of the Cook Inlet basin and varying amplifications east and west of the center of the basin. Three earthquake clusters are analyzed separately and indicate spatial amplification patterns that depend on source location and exhibit variations in the depth scaling of long‐period basin amplification. The observations inform future seismic hazard modeling efforts in the Cook Inlet region. More broadly, they suggest a greater complexity of basin and regional amplification than is currently used in seismic hazard analyses.

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Publication type Article
Publication Subtype Journal Article
Title Ground-motion amplification in Cook Inlet region, Alaska from intermediate-depth earthquakes, including the 2018 MW=7.1 Anchorage earthquake
Series title Seismological Research Letters
DOI 10.1785/0220190179
Volume 91
Issue 1
Year Published 2020
Language English
Publisher GeoScienceWorld
Contributing office(s) Geologic Hazards Science Center
Description 11 p.
First page 142
Last page 152
Country United States
State Alaska
Other Geospatial Cook Inlet region
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