Body-Wave Scattering from Seismic Interferometry: Preliminary Results from the San Andreas Fault near Parkfield, California

Abstract:

High-resolution direct tomographic imaging of subsurface Earth structures is generally limited by the distribution of seismic sources necessary for such studies. However, seismic interferometry has the potential to significantly overcome this issue through the use of ambient seismic noise recordings. Whereas the recovery of virtual surface waves via seismic interferometry techniques are the most abundant results produced by such studies, it has recently been shown that virtual body waves can also be recovered under appropriate conditions. Of particular interest to us is the scattering of body waves produced by velocity discontinuities in the subsurface, which dramatically improves our ability to characterize seismic velocity structures. In this work, using ambient seismic noise recordings across a network of stations near Parkfield, California, we observe both virtual P waves traversing the San Andreas Fault as well as non-fault-traversing P waves on either side. From observed fault-traversing P waves we propose a P wave velocity model of the San Andreas Fault. We further investigate the possibility of recovering body-wave scattering from interactions with velocity discontinuities associated with the fault. From such body-wave scattering interactions we test whether mode-conversions (P to S waves) can be observed using these virtual Green’s functions. Additionally, using non-fault-traversing P waves we explore differences in velocity structure on either side of the San Andreas Fault in the Parkfield region. Finally, we examine the potential of seismic interferometry to produce time-lapse body-wave characterizations of the San Andreas Fault, in which properties of the fault can be seen to change in time