Directivity analysis of the 2017 December Kerman earthquakes in Eastern Iran

Abstract

Using an empirical Green’s function (EGF) approach and data from local to regional distances we analyzed rupture propagation directivity in the three mainshocks (ML 6.0–6.1) and in six of the largest aftershocks (ML 5.0 – 5.5) of the 2017 Kerman, Iran, seismic sequence. The EGF procedure was based on data from smaller events (ML 4.0 – 4.8). Deconvolution was applied separately to P and S phases. Using the P-wave data, we calculated relative source-time functions and examined azimuthal variations in rupture duration. In the S-wave analysis, we investigated along strike rupture directivity of the mainshocks and the largest aftershocks by evaluating azimuthal variation of the amplitude spectra. Two of the mainshocks and four of the aftershocks clearly showed rupture propagation from the south-east toward the north-west. The third mainshock and one of the aftershocks suggested almost bilateral rupture propagation, and one aftershock showed rupture directivity to the southeast. It seems that the rupture propagation direction in the area is generally to the north-west and the events which have different propagation directions are located within the NW and SE ends of the faulting area. We suggest that the general rupture propagation direction in the area is steered by regional tectonic stress field regarding the faulting orientations which have been affected by stress redistribution around a restraining bend.