Rapid Estimation of the Moment Magnitude and Rupture Process of Moderate and Large Earthquakes Using Back-projection——A Case of Morocco MW6.9 Earthquake on September 9, 2023
The back-projection method is a useful tool that allows for the rapid determination of energy distribution in both space and time,without relying heavily on prior experience. In this paper,we utilized vertical components of teleseismic P-wave data recorded by the Alaska array to image the rupture process of the MW6.9 Morocco earthquake that occurred on September 9th,2023. The results indicate that the trend of rupture of earthquake was predominantly in NE-SW,and the energy release occurred within 10km of the epicenter at 10~20 seconds,which is consistent with the focal mechanism and the trend of the Atlas Mountains. Combined with the maximum amplitude of P-wave displacement waveforms recorded by the globally distributed GSN network,the moment magnitude of the earthquake is quickly estimated as 7.0 within 15mins after the origin time,which is basically consistent with the magnitude released by China Earthquake Networks Center and United States Geological Survey.