HOME HELP FEEDBACK SUBSCRIPTIONS ARCHIVE SEARCH TABLE OF CONTENTS		QUICK SEARCH:   [advanced] Author: Keyword(s): Year:  Vol:  Page:

This Article Full Text (PDF) References Citation Map Services Email this article to a friend Similar articles in this journal Alert me to new issues of the journal Download to citation manager Citing Articles Citing Articles via HighWire Citing Articles via Google Scholar Google Scholar Articles by MORRISON, P. W. Articles by UHRHAMMER, R. Search for Related Content GeoRef GeoRef Citation

The Oroville earthquake sequence of August 1975

EARTHQUAKE ENGINEERING DEPARTMENT OF WATER RESOURCES, P.O. Box 388, SACRAMENTO CALIFORNIA 95802
SEISMOGRAPHIC STATION DEPARTMENT OF GEOLOGY AND GEOPHYSICS UNIVERSITY OF CALIFORNIA, BERKELEY, BERKELEY, CALIFORNIA 94720

Abstract

The characteristics of the Oroville, California earthquake sequence of 1975 are presented. Historically, the Oroville area is one of low seismicity; the largest earthquake in the region occurred with a magnitude (M_L) 5.7 in 1940 some 50 km north of Oroville. The first foreshock of the sequence occurred on June 28, 1975. Twnety-one foreshocks (M_L 1.6), the largest of magnitude 4.7, preceded the magnitude 5.7 main shock of August 1. All foreshocks and aftershocks of M_L 3.0 were located using seismographs operated by the University of California at Berkeley, USGS, and the California Department of Water Resources. The aftershock region covers an area approximately 14 by 10 km southeast of the city of Oroville. The depth distribution of the earthquakes indicates a west dipping fault plane. The b value of 0.61 shows the sequence to be rich in larger magnitude aftershocks. Similar b values have been determined for other aftershock sequences in California, such as a sequence near Coalinga in August 1975. The aftershock occurrence rate follows an Omori relation with n(tt^–0.70. Apparent variability in the earthquake mechanisms of the series makes interpretation of composite fault-plane solutions difficult, but the data indicate normal faulting striking NNW and a west dip of about 30°–40°, the Sierra Nevada moving up with respect to the Great Valley.

This article has been cited by other articles:

				J.-H. Wang On the correlation of observed Gutenberg-Richter's b value and Omori's p value for aftershocks Bulletin of the Seismological Society of America, December 1, 1994; 84(6): 2008 - 2011. [Abstract] [PDF]

				H. K. GUPTA Are ris events of M greater double equals 5 preceded by a couple of foreshocks of M greater double equals 4? Bulletin of the Seismological Society of America, February 1, 1992; 82(1): 517 - 520. [PDF]

				D.W. SIMPSON, W.S. LEITH, and C.H. SCHOLZ Two types of reservoir-induced seismicity Bulletin of the Seismological Society of America, December 1, 1988; 78(6): 2025 - 2040. [Abstract] [PDF]

				G. L. PAVLIS Appraising earthquake hypocenter location errors: A complete, practical approach for single-event locations Bulletin of the Seismological Society of America, December 1, 1986; 76(6): 1699 - 1717. [Abstract] [PDF]

				J. FLETCHER, J. BOATWRIGHT, L. HAAR, T. HANKS, and A. MCGARR Source parameters for aftershocks of the Oroville, California, earthquake Bulletin of the Seismological Society of America, August 1, 1984; 74(4): 1101 - 1123. [Abstract] [PDF]

				J. MEZCUA, M. HERRAIZ, and E. BUFORN Study of the 6 June 1977 Lorca (Spain) earthquake and its aftershock sequence Bulletin of the Seismological Society of America, February 1, 1984; 74(1): 167 - 179. [Abstract] [PDF]

				R. B. HERRMANN, C. A. LANGSTON, and J. E. ZOLLWEG The Sharpsburg, Kentucky, earthquake of 27 July 1980 Bulletin of the Seismological Society of America, August 1, 1982; 72(4): 1219 - 1239. [Abstract] [PDF]

				W. H. BAKUN and T. V. MCEVILLY Are foreshocks distinctive? Evidence from the 1966 Parkfield and the 1975 Oroville, California sequences Bulletin of the Seismological Society of America, August 1, 1979; 69(4): 1027 - 1038. [Abstract] [PDF]

				F. W. KLEIN Earthquakes in Lassen Volcanic National Park, California Bulletin of the Seismological Society of America, June 1, 1979; 69(3): 867 - 875. [Abstract] [PDF]

				S. M. MARKS and A. G. LINDH Regional seismicity of the Sierran foothills in the vicinity of Oroville, California Bulletin of the Seismological Society of America, August 1, 1978; 68(4): 1103 - 1115. [Abstract] [PDF]

				L. C. SEEKINS and T. C. HANKS Strong-motion accelerograms of the Oroville aftershocks and peak acceleration data Bulletin of the Seismological Society of America, June 1, 1978; 68(3): 677 - 689. [Abstract] [PDF]

				C. H. CRAMER, C. G. BUFE, and P. W. MORRISON P-wave travel-time variations before the August 1, 1975 Oroville, California earthquake Bulletin of the Seismological Society of America, February 1, 1977; 67(1): 9 - 26. [Abstract] [PDF]

				B. A. BOLT Constancy of P travel times from Nevada explosions to Oroville dam station 1970-1976 Bulletin of the Seismological Society of America, February 1, 1977; 67(1): 27 - 32. [Abstract] [PDF]

				K. M. LAHR, J. C. LAHR, A.G. LINDH, C. G. BUFE, and F. W. LESTER The August 1975 Oroville earthquakes Bulletin of the Seismological Society of America, August 1, 1976; 66(4): 1085 - 1099. [Abstract] [PDF]