Estimation of source, path and site effects at MASE array stations: a comprehensive study

Abstract

A parameterized source and path effects inversion method based on the use of global optimization techniques is presented. We applied this method on velocity data from various seismic events collected between August, 2005 and April, 2007 in Mexico by the regional MesoAmerican Subduction Experiment (MASE) seismic network and other stations from the permanent Mexican Seismological Survey Network (SSN). The source, path and site parameters corresponding to the S wave amplitude spectra of 219 velocity seismic records (162 from MASE and 57 from SSN) were estimated by means of a generalized inversion approach. The simultaneously inverted parameters from the records of 55 stations shows a significant agreement between the observed and calculated spectra, which supports their realiability. Nakamura’s method was used to compute an initial guess for the generalized inversion. Comparisons between Nakamura’s technique and parameterized source and path effects inversion by using simulated annealing method were also established. Finally, a frecuency dependent attenuation relationship for the study area was computed by using a genetic algorithm inversion approach.