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Estimation of site response functions for the central seismic gap of Himalaya, India

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Abstract

In the analysis of seismic hazards of a particular region, the site response functions play a significant role. Site response functions for the central seismic gap become more important as the estimated possibility of manifestation of the earthquake (M ≥ 8) is 31% in a time window of fifty years (Khattri in Proc Indian Academy Sci Earth Planetary Sci 108(2): 87–92). This emphasizes the importance of analysis of seismic hazards in this region. The site effect or response functions have been assessed for the central seismic gap region in the present study using 87 recorded local events recorded at 50 sites located in the central seismic gap region of Himalaya. Among 50 stations, 9 stations are located in Higher Himalaya, 30 stations are situated in Lesser Himalaya, 06 stations are present in Sub-Himalaya, and the remaining 05 stations are situated in Indo-Gangetic plain. Here, the horizontal-to-vertical spectral ratio method has been used for evaluating the site response functions. The site response functions have been evaluated at different frequencies related to various types of structures. The estimated mean site response function value at the principal frequency (predominant) is found to be 6.2 for Higher Himalaya, 6.5 for Lesser Himalaya, 7.03 for Sub-Himalaya, and 9.6 for the stations located in the Indo-Gangetic plain. Further, the estimated site response functions and the station’s broad geology have been correlated with each other. With the help of estimated site response functions at various frequencies corresponding to various storey structures, the seismic hazard in the central seismic gap area has been discussed. The calculated site response functions are further useful for different studies like for simulation in strong ground motions and evaluating the earthquake source parameters.

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Acknowledgements

The authors are grateful to two anonymous reviewers for their constructive comments which helped to improve the manuscript. The authors are thankful to all the organizations for their immense provision. AS is grateful to Wadia Institute of Himalayan Geology (WIHG), Dehradun, for giving the Wadia Fellowship for this research work. The authors are thankful to the Director, WIHG, for granting permission to publish this work. The Ministry of Earth Science (MoES), New Delhi (Government of India), is recognized for funding the seismic network project in Garhwal Himalaya (grant no. MoES/P.O. (Seismo)/1(373A)/2019, dated 02/03/2020). We are also grateful to Prof. C. C. Pant for providing the Kumaun seismic network data. SST and DK acknowledge the support of the grant received from RUSA 2.0. We are also thankful to Prof. C. C. Pant for providing the Kumaun seismic network data. Observed Waveform data have been downloaded from the site http://www.pesmos.in and maintained by D.E.E, IIT, Roorkee.

Funding

This study was funded by the Ministry of Earth Science (MoES), New Delhi (Government of India), which is recognized for funding the seismic network project in Garhwal Himalaya (grant no. MoES /P.O. (Seismo)/1(373A)/2019, dated 02/03/2020). SST and DK acknowledge the support of the grant received from RUSA 2.0.

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  1. Wadia Institute Himalayan Geology, Dehradun, 248001, India

    Anjali Sharma & Ajay Paul

  2. Department of Geophysics, Kurukshetra University, Kurukshetra, 136119, India

    Anjali Sharma, Renu Yadav, Dinesh Kumar & S. S. Teotia

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  1. Anjali Sharma
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Sharma, A., Yadav, R., Kumar, D. et al. Estimation of site response functions for the central seismic gap of Himalaya, India. Nat Hazards 109, 1899–1933 (2021). https://doi.org/10.1007/s11069-021-04903-6

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