Quick Search:    advanced search

GSW Home   GeoRef Home   My GSW Alerts   Contact GSW   About GSW   Journals List   Help

This Article Figures Only Full Text Full Text (PDF) Alert me when this article is cited Alert me if a correction is posted Citation Map Services Email this article to a friend Similar articles in this journal Similar articles in Web of Science Alert me to new issues of the journal Download to citation manager Citing Articles Citing Articles via HighWire Citing Articles via Web of Science (7) Citing Articles via Google Scholar Google Scholar Articles by Bakun, W. H. Search for Related Content GeoRef GeoRef Citation

MMI Attenuation and Historical Earthquakes in the Basin and Range Province of Western North America

¹ U.S. Geological Survey
Menlo Park, California 94025

Earthquakes in central Nevada (1932–1959) were used to develop a modified Mercalli intensity (MMI) attenuation model for estimating moment magnitude M for earthquakes in the Basin and Range province of interior western North America. M is 7.4–7.5 for the 26 March 1872 Owens Valley, California, earthquake, in agreement with Beanland and Clark’s (1994) M 7.6 that was estimated from geologic field observations. M is 7.5 for the 3 May 1887 Sonora, Mexico, earthquake, in agreement with Natali and Sbar’s (1982) M 7.4 and Suter’s (2006) M 7.5, both estimated from geologic field observations.

MMI at sites in California for earthquakes in the Nevada Basin and Range apparently are not much affected by the Sierra Nevada except at sites near the Sierra Nevada where MMI is reduced. This reduction in MMI is consistent with a shadow zone produced by the root of the Sierra Nevada. In contrast, MMI assignments for earthquakes located in the eastern Sierra Nevada near the west margin of the Basin and Range are greater than predicted at sites in California. These higher MMI values may result from critical reflections due to layering near the base of the Sierra Nevada.

This article has been cited by other articles:

				D. I. Doser Estimating Magnitude and Location of Alaskan Earthquakes Using Intensity Data Bulletin of the Seismological Society of America, December 1, 2009; 99(6): 3430 - 3453. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]

				W. H. Bakun Comment on "Revisiting the 1872 Owens Valley, California, Earthquake" by Susan E. Hough and Kate Hutton Bulletin of the Seismological Society of America, August 1, 2009; 99(4): 2589 - 2590. [Full Text] [PDF]

				S. E. Hough and K. Hutton Reply to "Comment on 'Revisiting the 1872 Owens Valley, California, Earthquake' by Susan E. Hough and Kate Hutton" by William H. Bakun Bulletin of the Seismological Society of America, August 1, 2009; 99(4): 2591 - 2593. [Full Text] [PDF]

				M. Suter Structural Configuration of the Otates Fault (Southern Basin and Range Province) and Its Rupture in the 3 May 1887 MW 7.5 Sonora, Mexico, Earthquake Bulletin of the Seismological Society of America, December 1, 2008; 98(6): 2879 - 2893. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]

				C. Pasolini, D. Albarello, P. Gasperini, V. D'Amico, and B. Lolli The Attenuation of Seismic Intensity in Italy, Part II: Modeling and Validation Bulletin of the Seismological Society of America, April 1, 2008; 98(2): 692 - 708. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]

				R. R. Castro, C. Condori, O. Romero, C. Jacques, and M. Suter Seismic Attenuation in Northeastern Sonora, Mexico Bulletin of the Seismological Society of America, April 1, 2008; 98(2): 722 - 732. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]

				S. E. Hough and K. Hutton Revisiting the 1872 Owens Valley, California, Earthquake Bulletin of the Seismological Society of America, April 1, 2008; 98(2): 931 - 949. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]