Geology topics

Art McGarr

Publications and source records attributed to Art McGarr.

22 records · Page 2Linked to original sources

USGS1989

Analysis of exceptionally large tremors in two gold mining districts of South Africa

An investigation of ground motion, recorded using broad-band, wide dynamic-range digital seismographs, of large mine tremors from two South African mining districts with different geologic settings, reveals some essential differences in both seismic source and ground motion parameters. In the Klerksdorp district where the strata are offset by major throughgoing normal faults, the largest tremors, with magnitudes ranging as high as 5.2, tend to be associated with slip on these pre-existing faults. Moreover, the seismic source and ground motion parameters are quite similar to those of natural crustal earthquakes. In the Carletonville district, by contrast, where substantial faults do not exist, the large-magnitude tremors appear to result from the failure of relatively intact rock and cause seismic stress drops and ground motion parameters higher than normally observed for natural shocks. Additionally, there appears to be an upper magnitude limit of about 4 in the Carletonville district. Detailed analyses of an exceptionally large event recorded locally from each of these districts serve to highlight these contrasts. ?? 1989 Birkha??user Verlag.

Pure and Applied Geophysics PAGEOPH↗

USGS1986

Decrease in deformation rate observed by two-color laser ranging in Long Valley caldera

After the January 1983 earthquake swarm, the last period of notable seismicity, the rapid rate of deformation of the south moat and resurgent dome of the Long Valley caldera diminished. Frequently repeated two-color laser ranging measurements made within a geodetic network in the caldera during the interval June 1983 to November 1984 reveal that, although the deformation accumulated smoothly in time, the rate of extension of many of the baselines decreased by factors of 2 to 3 from mid-1983 to mid-1984. Areal dilatation was the dominant signal during this period, with rates of extension of several baselines reaching as high as 5 parts per million per annum during the summer of 1983. Within the south moat, shear deformation also was apparent. The cumulative deformation can be modeled as the result of injection of material into two points located beneath the resurgent dome in addition to shallow right lateral slip on a vertical fault in the south moat.

Science↗

USGS1983

Multiwavelength EDM measurements in southern California

We installed a precise geodetic network along the San Andreas fault near Pearblossom, California in November, 1980. The network is within the region frequently referred to as the "Palmdale Uplift" and consists of 13 lines radiating from a central benchmark. The lines range in length from 3.2 to 8.1 km are generally measured several times each week. The multiwavelength distance measuring (MWDM) instrument is located at the central benchmark and is housed in a small protective shelter. The MWDM instrument has demonstrated a capability to make measurements to a precision of 1 part in 10 million. Using a coordinate system whose x-axis is parallel to the local trace of the San Andreas fault the following strain rates were observed during the first 10 months of this effort: ɛ xx = -0.180 ± 0.025 μ str / yr ɛ yy = -0.031± 0.029 μ str / yr ɛ xx = +0.077 ± 0.024 μ str / yr △ -0.213 ± 0.039 μ str / yr The observed strain rates do not appear to be constant in time, much of the deformation occurs in fairly well defined episodes. These changes in strain rate are particularly obvious in the ɛ yy component.

California↗

USGS1982

Observations of strain accumulation across the San Andreas fault near Palmdale, California, with a two-color geodimeter

Two-color laser ranging measurements during a 15-month period over a geodetic network spanning the San Andreas fault near Palmdale, California, indicate that the crust expands and contracts aseismically in episodes as short as 2 weeks. Shear strain parallel to the fault has accumulated monotonically since November 1980, but at a variable rate. Improvements in measurement precision and temporal resolution over those of previous geodetic studies near Palmdale have resulted in the definition of a time history of crustal deformation that is much more complex than formerly realized.

California↗