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Estimation of seismic attenuation of the Greenland Ice Sheet using 3-D waveform modeling
  • Genti Toyokuni,
  • Masanao Komatsu,
  • Hiroshi Takenaka
Genti Toyokuni
Tohoku University

Corresponding Author:[email protected]

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Masanao Komatsu
Okayama University
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Hiroshi Takenaka
Okayama University
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Abstract

We estimated the seismic attenuation (Q factor) of the Greenland Ice Sheet (GrIS) by comparing observed and theoretical Rayleigh waveforms. Observed waveforms are obtained by interfering with noise waveforms in vertical-component seismograms between stations, which belong to the latest broadband seismic network distributed throughout Greenland (GLISN network). Theoretical waveforms are calculated by parallel computation with the latest 3-D seismic waveform modeling. Comparing the observed waveforms with the theoretical waveforms at different Q factors reveals that GrIS has a low Q of QP, QS ≤ 50, indicating very high attenuation of seismic waves due to the ice. This study is the first to confirm the low Q factor of ice sheets via ultra-long-distance propagation (~several hundreds to 1,000 km). The Q factors obtained in this study are indispensable for estimating the thermal status of GrIS, as well as for interpreting the characteristics of seismic waveform that propagates through GrIS.