The Culprit in Mexico City—Amplification of Motions

Abstract

Mexico City has repeatedly suffered from the long-distance effects of the earthquakes that originate as far away as the subduction trenches near the Mexican Pacific Coast. The Michoacan, Mexico earthquake of 19 September 1985 was no exception and caused extensive damage to property and numerous loss of lives. The unique subsurface condition resulting from the historical lakebed has distinct resonant low frequencies around 0.5 Hz. The strong earthquake motions from long distances as well as the locally originating weak motions cause large amplifications at resonant low frequencies in the subsurface environment of Mexico City lakebed. In this paper, the resonant frequencies and associated amplification of motions in Mexico City are quantified in terms of spectral ratios using 19 September 1985 strong-motion data and weak motions recorded in January, 1986. These ratios confirm that the amplification of motions at resonant frequencies due to the subsurface conditions is indeed the culprit.