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Science for the Observation, Analysis and Understanding of Seismological Information


Special Topics



2020 Puerto Rico seismicity

July 2019 M7.1 Ridgecrest (California) earthquake sequence



April 25, 2015 M7.8 Nepal (Gorkha) earthquake


Rapid Earthquake Analysis

California Earthquake of 18 April, 1906

2004 Sumatra-Andaman Islands Earthquake

Bibliography

Recent papers and meeting presentations


Earthquake Location

Non-linear, Global Search Earthquake Location in 3D structures - NonLinLoc

I work on non-linear, global-search algorithms for probablilistic earthquake location in 3D structures. Location in 3D is important both for the development and study of 3D earth models and can lead to more accurate earthquake locations. Non-linear, global-search location gives a relatively complete picture of the location uncertainties; this is particularly important for depth determinations and for event locations outside of a station network. You can see a poster comparing linear and non-linear locations, and we have a book chapter on the global search methods. You may try the Seismicity Viewer applet to examine global-search locations for Vesuvius volcalno and for the 1995 Vintimiglia, Italy earthquake sequence.  You can download a software package called NonLinLoc for Non-linear, Global Search Earthquake Location in 3D structures.

I am additionally working on

The global-search location algorithms and supporting programs are available in the software package NonLinLoc

Path-summation Waveforms

Fast calcualtion of approximate waveforms in 3D

I have been continuing work on a path-summation method for very-fast modeling of acoustic waves in realistic, 3-D earth-structures using an analogue of Feynman path-integrals. The path-summation approach is approximate, but reproduces finite-frequency wave phenomena such as diffractions. It requires insignificant computer memory and, depending on the number of waveforms required, up to one to two orders of magnitude less computing time than finite differences. The speed and accuracy of the path-summation method may be sufficient to allow 3D, waveform inversion using stochastic, non-linear, global search methods.



Other research work

Waveform systhesis, surface wave inversion, global-search optimization, ...

I have completed work on something called the Wavelength-Averaging method for rapid simulation of wave propagation in complicated media. I also have extended my work on genetic algorithm inversion of surface waves to give a better search of the model space and to produce probabilistic results. This has lead to work investigating how to find acceptable solutions for complicated misfit functions and the development of Monte-Carlo importance sampling methods to estimate likelihood functions in the model space. You can see more details in the abstracts for Recent papers and meeting presentations with which I have been invlolved.



Internet based Java software

Powerful, interactive visualisation and analysis tools for the Internet. (see my Software home page)

A Java program (applet) for viewing earthquake locations and other data in 3D. Try this Seismicity Viewer applet to examine grid-search locations for the 1995 Vintimiglia earthquake sequence.

An applet for viewing 3-component seismograms. You can use this Seismogram Viewer applet to examine a 3-component, broadband recording of an earthquake in Southern Italy.

An experimental design applet for a seismic network - a Java applet tool for determining which of a set of potential new receivers are likely to most improve the capability of a local or regional seismic network to monitor given seismic source regions.

I am involved in a project "Sismo des Ecoles" which places seismometers in schools and allows the students to manage and analyze the seismic data using PC's and the web.


Anthony Lomax

Anthony Lomax Scientific Software 

anthony@alomax.net