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Implications of felt area-magnitude relations for earthquake scaling and the average frequency of perceptible ground motion

U.S. Geological Survey, MS 966, Box 25046Denver Federal Center, Denver, Colorado 80225

Abstract

Observed relations between felt area and moment magnitude M for stable continental regions (SCR) and California earthquakes can be explained by a simple model with geometrical spreading, attenuation (Q^–1), and earthquake stress drops that remain constant from M 4 to 8. Differences in the slopes of the observed felt area-M relations between SCR and California earthquakes are consistent with differences in Q between these tectonic settings. Fitting the felt area-M data to the model yields an estimate of f/Q, where f is the average frequency of minimum perceptible ground motion. Using fits to the data and instrumentally derived values of Q, I find that f is between about 2 and 4 Hz. I present an estimate of the spectral acceleration level associated with the lower limit of perceptibility.

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