Catherine Alexandrakis | Technische Universität Bergakademie Freiberg (original) (raw)

Papers by Catherine Alexandrakis

Journal of Geodynamics, 2019

The geodynamic activity of the NW-Bohemia / Vogtland region with its earthquake swarm activity is... more The geodynamic activity of the NW-Bohemia / Vogtland region with its earthquake swarm activity is always studied in relation to the local emission of juvenile fluids, in particular of CO2. Based on a 3D interpretation of the geological setting, geophysical results, and new evaluation of existing data, our approach suggests a spatial separation of the upper crust into areas with differing pore fluids. The first area comprises a mixture of juvenile and meteoric pore fluids, where juvenile CO2 diffuses towards the surface. The second area exclusively contains meteoric and no juvenile pore fluids. It is in this area where the earthquake swarm activity occurs.
This separation provides an important constraint which influences shear processes as the contrasting fluid chemistry induces different interaction of wall rock with pore fluids. Long-lasting chemical degradation of the wall-rock with clay as a typical alteration product in crustal volumes with pervasive CO2 discharge reduces the friction coefficients resulting in the weakening of the fault zone and allowing an aseismic slip according to the stress field.
The presented studies suggest that the junction of two regional geological features of crustal scale, the N–S trending seismically active Leipzig-Regensburg-zone and the NW-SE trending fluid emission zone of magmatic volatiles, can be interpreted as a transition from frictional slip in the recent focal zones to aseismic behavior towards the southwest caused by clay coatings on the shear planes induced by a CO2 containing pore fluid.

Geophysical Journal International

Fluid driven seismicity has been observed worldwide. The occurrence of intraplate seismicity trig... more Fluid driven seismicity has been observed worldwide. The occurrence of intraplate seismicity triggered by pore pressure perturbations is a widely accepted process. Past analysis of earthquake swarms in the NW-Bohemia/Vogtland region provided evidence for the diffusion of pore pressure fronts during the migration of earthquakes within each swarm. Here, we test the hypothesis whether the diffusion of hydraulically induced pore pressure perturbations from the surface to the hypocentral depth could be a valid trigger mechanism. We test this hypothesis for the earthquake swarms in the Nový Kostel focal zone based on the analysis of 121 earthquake swarms and micro-swarms which occurred between 1992 and 2016.
During the past 30 years, 90 per cent of the earthquake swarms clustered beneath the village Nový Kostel within a depth range between 6 and 12 km. The spatial distribution of the swarms suggests a main diffusion pathway to the hypocentres, namely conduits along a NW-SE trending fracture zone which can be correlated at the surface with a part of the Libocký creek. A secondary branch of this fault zone exits in the southern part below the Horka reservoir. The filling of this reservoir began in 1969 and might have triggered the first significant earthquake swarm during the last century within the Nový Kostel area in the year 1985/86. Since then, both the number of potentially triggered swarms as well as the number of micro-swarms increased with time.
According to a robust statistical evaluation, hydraulically induced pore pressure perturbations could have triggered at least 19 per cent of the analyzed earthquake swarms assuming effective diffusivities of 0.5 m²/s. Thus, hydroseismicity seems to be a valid option to explain at least a part of the earthquake swarms. The alternate hypothesis that ascending/intruding magmatic fluids trigger the remaining part of the earthquake swarms is another potential but weak option.

ABSTRACT The Novy Kostel region in West Bohemia is an area prone to periodic bursts of natural mi... more ABSTRACT The Novy Kostel region in West Bohemia is an area prone to periodic bursts of natural microseismic activity. In this study, we use 476 events from the October 2008 earthquake swarm recorded on the WEBNET seismic network. The foci occurred on the northern extension of the Marianske-Lazne Fault near the town of Novy Kostel in the Czech Republic. Initial source locations indicated a rupture zone approximately 3 km along the fault with the sources spread over 4 km depth, centered at 9 km. We use the double-difference tomography method to study the fault structure by relocating the sources and inverting for the P and S velocities in the rupture region. Events are first relocated using the HypoDD program (Waldhauser and Ellsworth, 2000) using both catalog and cross-correlated datasets. These datasets, along with the absolute time picks are then used by the TomoDD program (Zhang and Thurber, 2003) to iteratively relocate the sources and invert for the 3D seismic structure. This dataset is ideal for this procedure as the cluster is very condensed and the WEBNET network offers ray coverage in all directions. The relocated events flatten onto a fault plane striking at 169 degrees NE. This fault plane has three sections with distinct dip angles. At the shallowest (up to 8 km) and deepest (10 - 11 km) parts of the fault, the dip is shallow, whereas the middle section has a steep dip angle. Most events occur at the deeper part of the middle section. The inverted velocities correspond well to results from regional seismic refraction surveys (e.g., CELEBRATION 2000). Here, more details of the 3D velocity structure are revealed. As expected, velocities to the east of the fault are overall higher, corresponding to the uplifted northern margin of the Eger Rift. Finer structures surrounding the source region are also resolved.

Egu General Assembly Conference Abstracts, Apr 1, 2012

The Novy Kostel region in West Bohemia is an area prone to periodic bursts of natural microseismi... more The Novy Kostel region in West Bohemia is an area prone to periodic bursts of natural microseismic activity. In this study, we use 476 events from the October 2008 earthquake swarm recorded on the WEBNET seismic network. The foci occurred on the northern extension of the Marianske-Lazne Fault near the town of Novy Kostel in the Czech Republic. Initial source locations indicated a rupture zone approximately 3 km along the fault with the sources spread over 4 km depth, centered at 9 km. We use the double-difference tomography method to study the fault structure by relocating the sources and inverting for the P and S velocities in the rupture region. Events are first relocated using the HypoDD program (Waldhauser and Ellsworth, 2000) using both catalog and cross-correlated datasets. These datasets, along with the absolute time picks are then used by the TomoDD program (Zhang and Thurber, 2003) to iteratively relocate the sources and invert for the 3D seismic structure. This dataset is ideal for this procedure as the cluster is very condensed and the WEBNET network offers ray coverage in all directions. The relocated events flatten onto a fault plane striking at 169 degrees NE. This fault plane has three sections with distinct dip angles. At the shallowest (up to 8 km) and deepest (10 - 11 km) parts of the fault, the dip is shallow, whereas the middle section has a steep dip angle. Most events occur at the deeper part of the middle section. The inverted velocities correspond well to results from regional seismic refraction surveys (e.g., CELEBRATION 2000). Here, more details of the 3D velocity structure are revealed. As expected, velocities to the east of the fault are overall higher, corresponding to the uplifted northern margin of the Eger Rift. Finer structures surrounding the source region are also resolved.

The West Bohemia Seismic Zone is located on the border between Czech Republic and Germany. This r... more The West Bohemia Seismic Zone is located on the border between Czech Republic and Germany. This region has several areas which experience periodic microseismic swarm activity. The installation of the West Bohemia Seismic Network (WEBNET) has allowed constant monitoring of the town Nový Kostel and surrounding area. Nový Kostel is one of the most active areas. Larger swarms, such as those in 1997, 2000, 2007, 2008 and 2011, have been studied in terms of source mechanisms and swarm characteristics. Despite these analyses, questions remain regarding the subsurface structure in and around the focal zone, and the swarm trigger. In this study, we investigate the seismic velocity structures within and around Nový Kostel using double-difference tomography and Weighted Average Model (WAM) post-processing analysis. To do this, we calculate a set of velocity models using a range of reasonable starting parameterizations that are compatible with the experimental information used. The WAM analysis...

Geophysical Prospecting, 2015

This work represents a case study concerning the application of reflection seismic imaging method... more This work represents a case study concerning the application of reflection seismic imaging methods in the context of geothermal exploration. Our goal is to obtain accurate structural images of a geothermal active area in southern Tuscany. These images will be required in subsequent studies as the input for geological model building and numerical simulation of the heat transport and fluid flow. The target region exhibits great geologic complexity, including strong velocity contrasts, lateral near-surface inhomogeneities, fracture zones, and significant topography. Those features are typical for a volcanic hard-rock environment and pose significant challenges to conventional seismic imaging methodology. Therefore, we apply a sophisticated and robust depth imaging workflow to previously acquired surface seismic data. Within our workflow, we focus on estimating the seismic velocities of the predominant rock units and subsequently carry out Kirchhoff pre-stack depth migration and Fresnel volume migration to obtain high-resolution images of the subsurface. Our results demonstrate that the applied methodology provides a valueable tool for imaging in a complex environment such as a volcano-geothermal area. In detail, the resulting reflector images show the main horizons that delineate the Tuscan sedimentary rocks in the target region. The images from standard Kirchhoff migration can be significantly enhanced by utilizing Fresnel volume migration, which eliminates migration artefacts and provides a better result. Moreover, we obtain the migration velocities and depths for an important regional reflector, known as the K-horizon, which is of major interest for geothermal characterization.

This work represents a case study concerning the application of reflection seismic imaging method... more This work represents a case study concerning the application of reflection seismic imaging methods in the context of geothermal exploration. Our goal is to obtain accurate structural images of a geothermal active area in southern Tuscany. These images will be required in subsequent studies as the input for geological model building and numerical simulation of the heat transport and fluid flow. The target region exhibits great geologic complexity, including strong velocity contrasts, lateral near-surface inhomogeneities, fracture zones, and significant topography. Those features are typical for a volcanic hard-rock environment and pose significant challenges to conventional seismic imaging methodology. Therefore, we apply a sophisticated and robust depth imaging workflow to previously acquired surface seismic data. Within our workflow, we focus on estimating the seismic velocities of the predominant rock units and subsequently carry out Kirchhoff pre-stack depth migration and Fresnel volume migration to obtain high-resolution images of the subsurface. Our results demonstrate that the applied methodology provides a valueable tool for imaging in a complex environment such as a volcano-geothermal area. In detail, the resulting reflector images show the main horizons that delineate the Tuscan sedimentary rocks in the target region. The images from standard Kirchhoff migration can be significantly enhanced by utilizing Fresnel volume migration, which eliminates migration artefacts and provides a better result. Moreover, we obtain the migration velocities and depths for an important regional reflector, known as the K-horizon, which is of major interest for geothermal characterization.

In this study, we apply the double-difference tomography to investigate the detailed 3D structure... more In this study, we apply the double-difference tomography to investigate the detailed 3D structure within and around the Nový Kostel seismic zone, an area in the Czech Republic known for frequent occurrences of earthquake swarms. We use data from the 2008 swarm since it has already been analyzed in terms of earthquake focal mechanisms, principal faults, tectonic stress and foci migration. We selected about 500 microearthquakes recorded at 22 local seismic stations of the West Bohemia Network (WEBNET). Applying double-difference tomography, combined with Weighted Average Model post-processing to correct for parameter dependence effects, we produce and interpret 3D models of the Vp-to-Vs ratio (Vp/Vs) in and around the focal zone. The modeled Vp-to-Vs ratio shows several distinct structures, namely an area of high Vp-to-Vs ratio correlating with the foci of the microearthquakes, and a layer of low values directly above it. These structures may reflect changes in lithology and/or fluid concentration. The overlaying low Vp-to-Vs ratio layer coincides with the base of the Fichtelgebirge (Smrčiny) granitic intrusion. It is possible that the base of the layer acts as a fluid trap and an upper limit to the seismicity, resulting in observed periodic swarms.

Seismic travel-time and attenuation tomography were applied to characterize the excavation damage... more Seismic travel-time and attenuation tomography were applied to characterize the excavation damaged zone and the adjacent rock mass in the GFZ-Underground-Lab within the research and education mine Reiche Zeche of the Technical University Bergakademie Freiberg (Germany). The lab is situated in gneiss rocks at 150 m depth and comprises three galleries which enclose an area of approximately 50 m x 100 m. Along these galleries two seismic surveys were performed before and after the excavation of a new ramp and chamber. For both measurements, travel-time and attenuation tomographies for P-waves were performed with the ray-based inversion algorithm SIMULPS14. The seismic velocities were calculated from first-arrival travel times whereas a logarithmic-spectral-ratio approach was used to calculate the corresponding quality factors (Q) for attenuation tomography. A comparison of the tomograms reveals a decrease of average P-wave velocity values from 5.64 km/s to 5.54 km/s and of average Q-values from 29.8 to 26.5 in the whole area after the excavation of the new cavities. The maximum changes are located at already weakened zones either at the conjunction of two galleries or of a major fracture zone with a gallery. The attenuation tomography shows a higher sensitivity to rock mass changes than the travel-time tomography. However, the calculation of the Q-values demands a higher signal quality than the determination of the seismic travel times.

The core mantle boundary (CMB) is an inaccessible and complex region, knowledge of which is vital... more The core mantle boundary (CMB) is an inaccessible and complex region, knowledge of which is vital to our understanding of many Earth processes. Above it is the heterogeneous lower-mantle. Below the boundary is the outer-core, composed of liquid iron, and/or nickel and some lighter elements. Elucidation of how these two distinct layers interact may enable researchers to better understand the geodynamo, global tectonics, and overall Earth history. One parameter that can be used to study structure and limit potential chemical compositions is seismic-wave velocity. Current global-velocity models have significant uncertainties in the 200 km above and below the CMB. In this thesis, these regions are studies using three methods.
The upper outer core is studied using two seismic array methods. First, a modified vespa, or slant-stack method is applied to seismic observations at broadband seismic arrays, and at large, dense groups of broadband seismic stations dubbed 'virtual' arrays. Observations of core-refracted teleseismic waves, such as SmKS, are used to extract relative arrivaltimes. As with previous studies, lower-mantle heterogeneities influence the extracted arrivaltimes, giving significant scatter. To remove raypath effects, a new method was developed, called Empirical Transfer Functions (ETFs). When applied to SmKS waves, this method effectively isolates arrivaltime perturbations caused by outer core velocities. By removing raypath effects, the signals can be stacked further reducing scatter. The results of this work were published as a new 1D outer-core model, called AE09. This model descries a well-mixed outer core.
Two array methods are used to detect lower mantle heterogeneities, in particular Ultra-Low Velocity Zones (ULVZs). The ETF method and beam forming are used to isolate a weak P-wave that diffracts along the CMB. While neither the ETF method nor beam forming could adequately image the low-amplitude phase, beam forms of two events indicate precursors to the SKS and SKKS phase, which may be ULVZ indicators. Finally, cross-correlated observed and modelled beams indicate a tendency towards a ULVZ-like lower mantle in the study region.

Earth's outer core is composed of liquid Fe and Ni alloyed with a 10% fraction of light elements ... more Earth's outer core is composed of liquid Fe and Ni alloyed with a 10% fraction of light elements such as O, S, or Si. Secular cooling and compositional buoyancy drive vigorous convection that sustains the geodynamo, but critical details of light-element composition and thermal regime remain uncertain. Seismic velocities can provide important observational constraints on these parameters, but global reference models such as Preliminary Reference Earth Model (PREM), IASP91 and AK135 exhibit significant discrepancies in the outermost 200 km of the core. Here, we apply an Empirical Transfer Function method to obtain precise arrival times for SmKS waves, a whispering-gallery mode that propagates near the underside of the core–mantle boundary. Models that fit our data are all characterized by seismic velocities and depth gradients in the outermost 200 km of the core that correspond best with PREM. This similarity to PREM, which has a smooth velocity profile that satisfies the adiabatic Adams and Williamson equation, argues against the presence of an anomalous layer of light material near the top of the core as suggested in some previous studies. A new model, AE09, is proposed as a slight modification to PREM for use as a reference model of the outermost core.

SmKS waves provide good resolution of outer-core velocity structure, but are affected by heteroge... more SmKS waves provide good resolution of outer-core velocity structure, but are affected by heterogeneity in the D" region. We have developed an Empirical Transfer Function (ETF) technique that transforms a reference pulse (here, SmKS) into a target waveform (SKKS) by: (1) timewindowing the respective pulses, (2) applying Wiener deconvolution, and (3) convolving the output with a Gaussian waveform. Common source and path effects are implicitly removed by this process. We combine ETFs from 446 broadband seismograms to produce a global stack, from which S3KS-SKKS differential time can be measured accurately. As a result of stacking, the scatter in our measurements (0.43 s) is much less than the 1.29 s scatter in previous compilations. Although our data do not uniquely constrain outermost core velocities, we show that the fit of most standard models can be improved by perturbing the outermost core velocity. Our best-fitting model is formed using IASP91 with PREM-like velocity at the top of the core.
Citation: Alexandrakis, C., and D. W. Eaton (2007), Empirical transfer functions: Application to determination of outermost core velocity structure using SmKS phases, Geophys. Res. Lett., 34, L22317, doi:10.1029/2007GL031932.

Journal of The Marine Biological Association of The United Kingdom, 2005

Journal of Geodynamics, 2019

The geodynamic activity of the NW-Bohemia / Vogtland region with its earthquake swarm activity is... more The geodynamic activity of the NW-Bohemia / Vogtland region with its earthquake swarm activity is always studied in relation to the local emission of juvenile fluids, in particular of CO2. Based on a 3D interpretation of the geological setting, geophysical results, and new evaluation of existing data, our approach suggests a spatial separation of the upper crust into areas with differing pore fluids. The first area comprises a mixture of juvenile and meteoric pore fluids, where juvenile CO2 diffuses towards the surface. The second area exclusively contains meteoric and no juvenile pore fluids. It is in this area where the earthquake swarm activity occurs.
This separation provides an important constraint which influences shear processes as the contrasting fluid chemistry induces different interaction of wall rock with pore fluids. Long-lasting chemical degradation of the wall-rock with clay as a typical alteration product in crustal volumes with pervasive CO2 discharge reduces the friction coefficients resulting in the weakening of the fault zone and allowing an aseismic slip according to the stress field.
The presented studies suggest that the junction of two regional geological features of crustal scale, the N–S trending seismically active Leipzig-Regensburg-zone and the NW-SE trending fluid emission zone of magmatic volatiles, can be interpreted as a transition from frictional slip in the recent focal zones to aseismic behavior towards the southwest caused by clay coatings on the shear planes induced by a CO2 containing pore fluid.

Geophysical Journal International

Fluid driven seismicity has been observed worldwide. The occurrence of intraplate seismicity trig... more Fluid driven seismicity has been observed worldwide. The occurrence of intraplate seismicity triggered by pore pressure perturbations is a widely accepted process. Past analysis of earthquake swarms in the NW-Bohemia/Vogtland region provided evidence for the diffusion of pore pressure fronts during the migration of earthquakes within each swarm. Here, we test the hypothesis whether the diffusion of hydraulically induced pore pressure perturbations from the surface to the hypocentral depth could be a valid trigger mechanism. We test this hypothesis for the earthquake swarms in the Nový Kostel focal zone based on the analysis of 121 earthquake swarms and micro-swarms which occurred between 1992 and 2016.
During the past 30 years, 90 per cent of the earthquake swarms clustered beneath the village Nový Kostel within a depth range between 6 and 12 km. The spatial distribution of the swarms suggests a main diffusion pathway to the hypocentres, namely conduits along a NW-SE trending fracture zone which can be correlated at the surface with a part of the Libocký creek. A secondary branch of this fault zone exits in the southern part below the Horka reservoir. The filling of this reservoir began in 1969 and might have triggered the first significant earthquake swarm during the last century within the Nový Kostel area in the year 1985/86. Since then, both the number of potentially triggered swarms as well as the number of micro-swarms increased with time.
According to a robust statistical evaluation, hydraulically induced pore pressure perturbations could have triggered at least 19 per cent of the analyzed earthquake swarms assuming effective diffusivities of 0.5 m²/s. Thus, hydroseismicity seems to be a valid option to explain at least a part of the earthquake swarms. The alternate hypothesis that ascending/intruding magmatic fluids trigger the remaining part of the earthquake swarms is another potential but weak option.

ABSTRACT The Novy Kostel region in West Bohemia is an area prone to periodic bursts of natural mi... more ABSTRACT The Novy Kostel region in West Bohemia is an area prone to periodic bursts of natural microseismic activity. In this study, we use 476 events from the October 2008 earthquake swarm recorded on the WEBNET seismic network. The foci occurred on the northern extension of the Marianske-Lazne Fault near the town of Novy Kostel in the Czech Republic. Initial source locations indicated a rupture zone approximately 3 km along the fault with the sources spread over 4 km depth, centered at 9 km. We use the double-difference tomography method to study the fault structure by relocating the sources and inverting for the P and S velocities in the rupture region. Events are first relocated using the HypoDD program (Waldhauser and Ellsworth, 2000) using both catalog and cross-correlated datasets. These datasets, along with the absolute time picks are then used by the TomoDD program (Zhang and Thurber, 2003) to iteratively relocate the sources and invert for the 3D seismic structure. This dataset is ideal for this procedure as the cluster is very condensed and the WEBNET network offers ray coverage in all directions. The relocated events flatten onto a fault plane striking at 169 degrees NE. This fault plane has three sections with distinct dip angles. At the shallowest (up to 8 km) and deepest (10 - 11 km) parts of the fault, the dip is shallow, whereas the middle section has a steep dip angle. Most events occur at the deeper part of the middle section. The inverted velocities correspond well to results from regional seismic refraction surveys (e.g., CELEBRATION 2000). Here, more details of the 3D velocity structure are revealed. As expected, velocities to the east of the fault are overall higher, corresponding to the uplifted northern margin of the Eger Rift. Finer structures surrounding the source region are also resolved.

Egu General Assembly Conference Abstracts, Apr 1, 2012

The Novy Kostel region in West Bohemia is an area prone to periodic bursts of natural microseismi... more The Novy Kostel region in West Bohemia is an area prone to periodic bursts of natural microseismic activity. In this study, we use 476 events from the October 2008 earthquake swarm recorded on the WEBNET seismic network. The foci occurred on the northern extension of the Marianske-Lazne Fault near the town of Novy Kostel in the Czech Republic. Initial source locations indicated a rupture zone approximately 3 km along the fault with the sources spread over 4 km depth, centered at 9 km. We use the double-difference tomography method to study the fault structure by relocating the sources and inverting for the P and S velocities in the rupture region. Events are first relocated using the HypoDD program (Waldhauser and Ellsworth, 2000) using both catalog and cross-correlated datasets. These datasets, along with the absolute time picks are then used by the TomoDD program (Zhang and Thurber, 2003) to iteratively relocate the sources and invert for the 3D seismic structure. This dataset is ideal for this procedure as the cluster is very condensed and the WEBNET network offers ray coverage in all directions. The relocated events flatten onto a fault plane striking at 169 degrees NE. This fault plane has three sections with distinct dip angles. At the shallowest (up to 8 km) and deepest (10 - 11 km) parts of the fault, the dip is shallow, whereas the middle section has a steep dip angle. Most events occur at the deeper part of the middle section. The inverted velocities correspond well to results from regional seismic refraction surveys (e.g., CELEBRATION 2000). Here, more details of the 3D velocity structure are revealed. As expected, velocities to the east of the fault are overall higher, corresponding to the uplifted northern margin of the Eger Rift. Finer structures surrounding the source region are also resolved.

The West Bohemia Seismic Zone is located on the border between Czech Republic and Germany. This r... more The West Bohemia Seismic Zone is located on the border between Czech Republic and Germany. This region has several areas which experience periodic microseismic swarm activity. The installation of the West Bohemia Seismic Network (WEBNET) has allowed constant monitoring of the town Nový Kostel and surrounding area. Nový Kostel is one of the most active areas. Larger swarms, such as those in 1997, 2000, 2007, 2008 and 2011, have been studied in terms of source mechanisms and swarm characteristics. Despite these analyses, questions remain regarding the subsurface structure in and around the focal zone, and the swarm trigger. In this study, we investigate the seismic velocity structures within and around Nový Kostel using double-difference tomography and Weighted Average Model (WAM) post-processing analysis. To do this, we calculate a set of velocity models using a range of reasonable starting parameterizations that are compatible with the experimental information used. The WAM analysis...

Geophysical Prospecting, 2015

This work represents a case study concerning the application of reflection seismic imaging method... more This work represents a case study concerning the application of reflection seismic imaging methods in the context of geothermal exploration. Our goal is to obtain accurate structural images of a geothermal active area in southern Tuscany. These images will be required in subsequent studies as the input for geological model building and numerical simulation of the heat transport and fluid flow. The target region exhibits great geologic complexity, including strong velocity contrasts, lateral near-surface inhomogeneities, fracture zones, and significant topography. Those features are typical for a volcanic hard-rock environment and pose significant challenges to conventional seismic imaging methodology. Therefore, we apply a sophisticated and robust depth imaging workflow to previously acquired surface seismic data. Within our workflow, we focus on estimating the seismic velocities of the predominant rock units and subsequently carry out Kirchhoff pre-stack depth migration and Fresnel volume migration to obtain high-resolution images of the subsurface. Our results demonstrate that the applied methodology provides a valueable tool for imaging in a complex environment such as a volcano-geothermal area. In detail, the resulting reflector images show the main horizons that delineate the Tuscan sedimentary rocks in the target region. The images from standard Kirchhoff migration can be significantly enhanced by utilizing Fresnel volume migration, which eliminates migration artefacts and provides a better result. Moreover, we obtain the migration velocities and depths for an important regional reflector, known as the K-horizon, which is of major interest for geothermal characterization.

This work represents a case study concerning the application of reflection seismic imaging method... more This work represents a case study concerning the application of reflection seismic imaging methods in the context of geothermal exploration. Our goal is to obtain accurate structural images of a geothermal active area in southern Tuscany. These images will be required in subsequent studies as the input for geological model building and numerical simulation of the heat transport and fluid flow. The target region exhibits great geologic complexity, including strong velocity contrasts, lateral near-surface inhomogeneities, fracture zones, and significant topography. Those features are typical for a volcanic hard-rock environment and pose significant challenges to conventional seismic imaging methodology. Therefore, we apply a sophisticated and robust depth imaging workflow to previously acquired surface seismic data. Within our workflow, we focus on estimating the seismic velocities of the predominant rock units and subsequently carry out Kirchhoff pre-stack depth migration and Fresnel volume migration to obtain high-resolution images of the subsurface. Our results demonstrate that the applied methodology provides a valueable tool for imaging in a complex environment such as a volcano-geothermal area. In detail, the resulting reflector images show the main horizons that delineate the Tuscan sedimentary rocks in the target region. The images from standard Kirchhoff migration can be significantly enhanced by utilizing Fresnel volume migration, which eliminates migration artefacts and provides a better result. Moreover, we obtain the migration velocities and depths for an important regional reflector, known as the K-horizon, which is of major interest for geothermal characterization.

In this study, we apply the double-difference tomography to investigate the detailed 3D structure... more In this study, we apply the double-difference tomography to investigate the detailed 3D structure within and around the Nový Kostel seismic zone, an area in the Czech Republic known for frequent occurrences of earthquake swarms. We use data from the 2008 swarm since it has already been analyzed in terms of earthquake focal mechanisms, principal faults, tectonic stress and foci migration. We selected about 500 microearthquakes recorded at 22 local seismic stations of the West Bohemia Network (WEBNET). Applying double-difference tomography, combined with Weighted Average Model post-processing to correct for parameter dependence effects, we produce and interpret 3D models of the Vp-to-Vs ratio (Vp/Vs) in and around the focal zone. The modeled Vp-to-Vs ratio shows several distinct structures, namely an area of high Vp-to-Vs ratio correlating with the foci of the microearthquakes, and a layer of low values directly above it. These structures may reflect changes in lithology and/or fluid concentration. The overlaying low Vp-to-Vs ratio layer coincides with the base of the Fichtelgebirge (Smrčiny) granitic intrusion. It is possible that the base of the layer acts as a fluid trap and an upper limit to the seismicity, resulting in observed periodic swarms.

Seismic travel-time and attenuation tomography were applied to characterize the excavation damage... more Seismic travel-time and attenuation tomography were applied to characterize the excavation damaged zone and the adjacent rock mass in the GFZ-Underground-Lab within the research and education mine Reiche Zeche of the Technical University Bergakademie Freiberg (Germany). The lab is situated in gneiss rocks at 150 m depth and comprises three galleries which enclose an area of approximately 50 m x 100 m. Along these galleries two seismic surveys were performed before and after the excavation of a new ramp and chamber. For both measurements, travel-time and attenuation tomographies for P-waves were performed with the ray-based inversion algorithm SIMULPS14. The seismic velocities were calculated from first-arrival travel times whereas a logarithmic-spectral-ratio approach was used to calculate the corresponding quality factors (Q) for attenuation tomography. A comparison of the tomograms reveals a decrease of average P-wave velocity values from 5.64 km/s to 5.54 km/s and of average Q-values from 29.8 to 26.5 in the whole area after the excavation of the new cavities. The maximum changes are located at already weakened zones either at the conjunction of two galleries or of a major fracture zone with a gallery. The attenuation tomography shows a higher sensitivity to rock mass changes than the travel-time tomography. However, the calculation of the Q-values demands a higher signal quality than the determination of the seismic travel times.

The core mantle boundary (CMB) is an inaccessible and complex region, knowledge of which is vital... more The core mantle boundary (CMB) is an inaccessible and complex region, knowledge of which is vital to our understanding of many Earth processes. Above it is the heterogeneous lower-mantle. Below the boundary is the outer-core, composed of liquid iron, and/or nickel and some lighter elements. Elucidation of how these two distinct layers interact may enable researchers to better understand the geodynamo, global tectonics, and overall Earth history. One parameter that can be used to study structure and limit potential chemical compositions is seismic-wave velocity. Current global-velocity models have significant uncertainties in the 200 km above and below the CMB. In this thesis, these regions are studies using three methods.
The upper outer core is studied using two seismic array methods. First, a modified vespa, or slant-stack method is applied to seismic observations at broadband seismic arrays, and at large, dense groups of broadband seismic stations dubbed 'virtual' arrays. Observations of core-refracted teleseismic waves, such as SmKS, are used to extract relative arrivaltimes. As with previous studies, lower-mantle heterogeneities influence the extracted arrivaltimes, giving significant scatter. To remove raypath effects, a new method was developed, called Empirical Transfer Functions (ETFs). When applied to SmKS waves, this method effectively isolates arrivaltime perturbations caused by outer core velocities. By removing raypath effects, the signals can be stacked further reducing scatter. The results of this work were published as a new 1D outer-core model, called AE09. This model descries a well-mixed outer core.
Two array methods are used to detect lower mantle heterogeneities, in particular Ultra-Low Velocity Zones (ULVZs). The ETF method and beam forming are used to isolate a weak P-wave that diffracts along the CMB. While neither the ETF method nor beam forming could adequately image the low-amplitude phase, beam forms of two events indicate precursors to the SKS and SKKS phase, which may be ULVZ indicators. Finally, cross-correlated observed and modelled beams indicate a tendency towards a ULVZ-like lower mantle in the study region.

Earth's outer core is composed of liquid Fe and Ni alloyed with a 10% fraction of light elements ... more Earth's outer core is composed of liquid Fe and Ni alloyed with a 10% fraction of light elements such as O, S, or Si. Secular cooling and compositional buoyancy drive vigorous convection that sustains the geodynamo, but critical details of light-element composition and thermal regime remain uncertain. Seismic velocities can provide important observational constraints on these parameters, but global reference models such as Preliminary Reference Earth Model (PREM), IASP91 and AK135 exhibit significant discrepancies in the outermost 200 km of the core. Here, we apply an Empirical Transfer Function method to obtain precise arrival times for SmKS waves, a whispering-gallery mode that propagates near the underside of the core–mantle boundary. Models that fit our data are all characterized by seismic velocities and depth gradients in the outermost 200 km of the core that correspond best with PREM. This similarity to PREM, which has a smooth velocity profile that satisfies the adiabatic Adams and Williamson equation, argues against the presence of an anomalous layer of light material near the top of the core as suggested in some previous studies. A new model, AE09, is proposed as a slight modification to PREM for use as a reference model of the outermost core.

SmKS waves provide good resolution of outer-core velocity structure, but are affected by heteroge... more SmKS waves provide good resolution of outer-core velocity structure, but are affected by heterogeneity in the D" region. We have developed an Empirical Transfer Function (ETF) technique that transforms a reference pulse (here, SmKS) into a target waveform (SKKS) by: (1) timewindowing the respective pulses, (2) applying Wiener deconvolution, and (3) convolving the output with a Gaussian waveform. Common source and path effects are implicitly removed by this process. We combine ETFs from 446 broadband seismograms to produce a global stack, from which S3KS-SKKS differential time can be measured accurately. As a result of stacking, the scatter in our measurements (0.43 s) is much less than the 1.29 s scatter in previous compilations. Although our data do not uniquely constrain outermost core velocities, we show that the fit of most standard models can be improved by perturbing the outermost core velocity. Our best-fitting model is formed using IASP91 with PREM-like velocity at the top of the core.
Citation: Alexandrakis, C., and D. W. Eaton (2007), Empirical transfer functions: Application to determination of outermost core velocity structure using SmKS phases, Geophys. Res. Lett., 34, L22317, doi:10.1029/2007GL031932.

Journal of The Marine Biological Association of The United Kingdom, 2005