Towards a Network Matched Filter Observatory for Alaska/Aleutian Volcano Monitoring and Research.

Abstract:

Network Matched Filtering (NMF, commonly referred to as template matching), is a procedure which utilizes waveforms recorded from a cataloged seismic event (the “template event”) to find additional seismic events by cross-correlating the template event with continuous seismic data over the time period of interest. NMF has been successfully used to populate seismic catalogs for a wide variety of seismic signals which are difficult to identify, such as tectonic low frequency earthquakes, early or triggered aftershocks, and small magnitude induced seismic sequences. NMF provides robust event detection of signals with signal to noise ratios near one, and the output of the filter is largely independent of unrelated seismic noise, making it an ideal technique for identifying events during noisy time periods, such as immediately following a large earthquake or during a volcanic eruption. We also show how NMF can be used over longer time periods, with dynamic seismic network status, to more robustly compare time periods with disparate network geometries.

Here, we present efforts to develop processing infrastructure for semi-automated execution of the NMF technique applied to volcanoes in the state of Alaska. We present a series of case studies involving both monitored and unmonitored volcanoes. Given the large scope of this endeavor, we focus our preliminary efforts on cataloging deep long period (DLP) seismicity, as DLP’s have high scientific interest (as well as providing a reasonable benchmark), have been cataloged at many of Alaska’s volcanoes, and yet are rare enough to speed up code development and testing. At Redoubt, for example, we use NMF to develop a catalog of ~300 DLP’s from 2008 through July 2015. Most cataloged DLP’s and new matches from NMF occurred close in time to the 2009 eruption, but we find that DLP activity has continued through July 2015. At Kasatochi, an unmonitored volcano which erupted in 2008, we show that NMF is more effective at cataloging seismicity utilizing only two regional broadband stations (about 100 km distant) than traditional analysis utilizing the short period network on Great Sitkin (<50 km away). At Trident, we catalog all shallow seismicity in an attempt to determine if there is a seismic expression of the discharge of volcanic gasses (sulfur) in July of 2013.