Relocation of Seismic Events and Validation of Moment Tensor Inversion for SENTINELS Local Seismic Network

Seismic activity of Podhale (Poland) and Spis (Slovakia) regions has been recognized for years. The first information about tremors from this area comes from the XVIII century. Four earthquakes, with intensity over VI in the MSK scale, were reported in 1643, 1724, 1840 and 1901. Since 1960's an instrumental measurements have been conducted. However, until 2011 no stronger tremors have been recorded in the area of artificial water reservoir Czorsztyn lake located in extremely complex geotechnical condition, between border zone of Inner and Outer Carpathians separated by Pieniny Klippen Belt. Before Czorsztyn 2D seismic survey, knowledge of tectonic boundaries and velocities was very limited. The seismic survey confirmed assumptions of a flower type faults system and provided the first 3D velocity model for this area. After a series of earthquakes, in 2013 a SENTINELS network started its operation and since that time it recorded almost 200 events. The focal mechanisms were calculated for around 20 of them. Both location and moment tensor are crucial in the investigation of the origins of seismogenic process related to industrial operations. Therefore the relocation of the events and validation of the moment tensor solutions for the SENTINELS network were conducted with the use of a 3D velocity model. The validation of mechanisms was conducted with the use of the synthetic tests based on the 1D velocity model derived from the 3D velocity model, taking into account its lateral velocity anisotropy. It was based on the synthetic amplitudes generated with the assumed normal and strike-slip faulting type, similar to the obtained solutions. The validation proved that focal mechanisms are reliable even in a sparse focal coverage and noise not exceeding 40% of the P-wave amplitude. Most of the events are normal or strike-slip with nodal planes striking NW-SE or NNE-SSW. The latter ones are in agreement with the orientation of the main discontinuities in this area.