Miniature array analysis of microtremors

Abstract

We suggest observing microtremors by using a miniature array consisting of vertical-component seismometers that are placed at the center and on the circumference of a circle with a radius of several tens of centimeters, for identifying the phase velocities of Rayleigh waves with wavelengths exceeding several tens or a hundred meters. We present, as tools for the analysis, a set comprised of the analysis methods for the phase velocity and the evaluation method for the analysis limit, which were recently developed by the authors on the basis of a rigorous theory derived by generalizing a spatial autocorrelation method. We conducted miniature-array observations using four or six servo-type seismometers, JU-215 manufactured by Hakusan Corporation, at about 50 observation points throughout a test site and urban areas in Tsukuba City and its surroundings, which have various topographical and geologic environments. The time required from arrival at an observation point to retrieval averaged about 30 min. We could determine the phase velocities of Rayleigh waves with wavelengths of 40 and 100 m at 91% and 51% of all the observation points, respectively. Miniature array analyses can significantly improve the mobility of observation to infer shallow subsurface velocity structures to the depth of several tens of meters.