Introduction

AUTOMT/MTV is a package for automatic or interactive inversion for seismic moment tensors in real-time or during post-processing.

Our moment tensor inversion technique uses a combination of several seismic wave types, time windows and frequency bands carefully chosen based on event magnitude and station distance. Wave types include body waves, surface waves, mantle waves as well as the so-called ‘W-Phase’ Kanamori and Rivera [7]. The inversion is performed in the time domain only based on the algorithm set out by Minson and Dreger [10]. An iterative centroid search can be performed independently either in 3D or and in depth. We apply moment tensor decomposition based on Silver and Jordan [12] and Knopoff and Randall [9]. The full methodology including moment-tensor decomposition is described in section Event Processing.

Moment tensors can be computed in an automatic fashion within a few seconds of waveform data becoming available. Prior to publication, solutions can be reviewed by an analyst using the graphical user interfaces. Therefore, the AUTOMT/MTV package consists of two modules:

  • The automatic module scautomt which typically runs as daemon tool computing 3D-centroid moment-tensor solutions. Automatic post-processing can be triggered by command-line options.

  • The interactive module scmtv used by operators to revise and test solutions or to define the best configuration parameters for scautomt.

arrival times

In the main view, events are selected and visualized.

forecast zones

The waveform editor provides full control over moment tensor inversion.

mariograms

Interactive and automatic Centroid search constrain earthquake depth.

SSHmax

Single-station inversions and Monte-Carlo tests confirm final solutions.

Applications

  • Local, national and regional networks for earthquake monitoring

  • Tsunami early warning

  • Fast determination of moment magnitude and focal mechanism

Features

  • Rapid moment tensor inversion in the time domain

  • Real-time module fully integrated into SeisComP

  • Real-time restitution for maximum speed

  • Fits body waves, surface waves, mantle waves and W-phases

  • Configurable profiles for magnitude ranges

  • Fully automatic analysis

  • Interactive analysis

AUTOMT/MTV worldwide

Nowadays AUTOMT/MTV is operational worldwide in many institutions where fast and reliable automatic and user-friendly tsunami early warning is key. Some reference installations are:

Science Publications

scmtv and scautomt have been operational in real time in many data centers world wide where fast and reliable moment tensor determination is key. The results have been used, demonstrated, promoted and discussed with scientists and the SeisComP community in scientific publications and at international science conferences, e.g.:

  1. W. Hanka, J. Saul, B. Weber, J. Becker, P. Harjadi, Fauzi, and GITEWS Seismology Group, Real-time earthquake monitoring for tsunami warning in the Indian Ocean and beyond, 2010, Nat. Haz. Earth Sys. Sci., 10 (2611-2622), doi: 10.5194/nhess-10-2611-2010

  2. J. Saul, J. Becker, W. Hanka, Global moment tensor computation at GFZ Potsdam, 2011. AGU Fall Meeting, Sn Francisco, USA, abstract ID. S51A-2202

  3. D. Roessler, S. Al-Harthy, B. Weber, B. Alrumhi, and the team of gempa, Monitoring of earthquakes and tsunamis at the National Tsunami Warning Center of DGMET, Oman, 2018, 10th Gulf Seismic Forum, Muscat, Oman

Online Resources

You may watch videos on our YouTube channel: