TY  - JOUR
A1  - Abreu, Rafael
A1  - Durand, Stephanie
T1  - Understanding Micropolar Theory in the Earth Sciences II: The Seismic Moment Tensor
Y1  - 2021-11-05
VL  - 178
IS  - 11
SP  - 4325
EP  - 4343
JF  - Pure and Applied Geophysics
DO  - 10.1007/s00024-021-02894-w
PB  - Springer International Publishing
N2  - Seismic events produced by block rotations about vertical axis occur in many geodynamic contexts. In this study, we show that these rotations can be accounted for using the proper theory, namely micropolar theory, and a new asymmetric moment tensor can be derived. We then apply this new theory to the Kaikōura earthquake (2016/11/14), Mw 7.8, one of the most complex earthquakes ever recorded with modern instrumental techniques. Using advanced numerical techniques, we compute synthetic seismograms including a full asymmetric moment tensor and we show that it induces measurable differences in the waveforms proving that seismic data can record the effects of the block rotations observed in the field. Therefore, the theory developed in this work provides a full framework for future dynamic source inversions of asymmetric moment tensors.
UR  - http://resolver.sub.uni-goettingen.de/purl?gldocs-11858/10632
ER  -