WITHDRAWN Urban Seismology in Cartago, Costa Rica Using Seismic Nodal Arrays to Uncover Faults
Description:
WITHDRAWN Analyzing seismic signals to find faults in tropical areas presents unique challenges, due to intense weathering, dense vegetation, varying climate, thick soil layers, and extensive human infrastructure. Despite these obstacles, the risks associated with natural disasters, such as earthquakes and volcanic eruptions remain significant. A notable example in Costa Rica is the city of Cartago, where a magnitude 6.2 earthquake destroyed much of the area in 1910. The specific local fault or faults responsible for this and previous events remain unknown.
To address this knowledge gap, we deployed 70 Smart Solo Nodes across a 20 km x 16 km area in Cartago to try to identify and map the faults. These sensors were strategically placed every 2 km next to houses, farms, businesses, and public lands. We aim to better constrain the earthquake hazard by providing detailed insights into the 3-D structures and mechanics of this fault zone. This temporal array will be removed at the end of April 2025.
This project is a collaborative effort between the Observatorio Vulcanológico y Sismológico de Costa Rica, Universidad Nacional (OVSICORI-UNA), and the U.S. Geological Survey, with major support from the U.S. Bureau of Humanitarian Assistance’s Earthquake Disaster Assistance Team (EDAT) program. We conduct monthly service runs to collect data, amounting to 6 GB per day, while employing both hand-picking techniques and machine learning for phase identification and earthquake localization.
Our preliminary results indicate the presence of microseismicity associated with swarm activities in both the western quadrant, and the southeast quadrant, the latter corresponding to the northwest end of the Talamanca mountain range. Our ongoing efforts will continue to refine hazard mitigation strategies, ultimately improving community resilience and knowledge about natural disasters.
Session: Innovative Applications of Seismic Nodal Technology for Hazard Mitigation and Earth System Monitoring [Poster]
Type: Poster
Date: 4/15/2025
Presentation Time: 08:00 AM (local time)
Presenting Author: Sonia
Student Presenter: Yes
Invited Presentation:
Poster Number: 12
Authors
Sonia Hajaji Presenting Author Corresponding Author soniahajaji@gmail.com Volcanological and Seismological Observatory of Costa Rica, National University of Costa Rica |
Marino Protti marino.protti.quesada@una.cr Volcanological and Seismological Observatory of Costa Rica, National University of Costa Rica |
Nahomy Campos nahomy.campos.salas@est.una.ac.cr Volcanological and Seismological Observatory of Costa Rica, National University of Costa Rica |
Paul Bodin bodin@uw.edu University of Washington |
Evelyn Nuñez evelyn.nunez.alpizar@una.cr Volcanological and Seismological Observatory of Costa Rica, National University of Costa Rica |
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WITHDRAWN Urban Seismology in Cartago, Costa Rica Using Seismic Nodal Arrays to Uncover Faults
Category
Innovative Applications of Seismic Nodal Technology for Hazard Mitigation and Earth System Monitoring