Intrinsic and scattering attenuation from observed seismic codas in Southeastern Sicily (Italy)

We analyzed about 150 local earthquakes recorded in Southeastern Sicily from 1994 to 2001 and estimated coda- Q, intrinsic and scattering attenuation. We used the single scattering assumption to fit the amplitude envelopes of the coda at different frequency bands, obtaining a Qc varying with frequency as generally observed in tectonically active areas. Lapse time dependence has been also studied for the area, with the coda waves analyzed at window lengths ranging from 15 to 50 s, provided the coda duration permitted it. We found that Q0 ( Qc at 1 Hz) increases with lapse time and we interpreted this as due to increasing Qc with depth. Conversely, the frequency dependence coefficient n is mostly stationary at all the lapse time window lengths.

Finally, using the independent estimates of Qc and the total Q ( QT) previously obtained for the area by other authors from direct S-waves of the same data set, we separated the intrinsic ( ) from the scattering ( ) attenuation factor. The results suggest that in Southeastern Sicily intrinsic dissipation plays a predominant role with respect to scattering phenomena.

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