Regional variations of higher Rayleigh-mode phase velocities: a spatial-filtering method

Application of both spatial filtering and multiple-frequency filtering techniques allows one to isolate a higher-mode surface wave and to find the regional variation of its dispersion. The method is applied to four sets of long-period records across the United States for intermediate earthquakes located in the New Hebrides. The first and second higher Rayleigh modes show lower phase velocities in the western part of the States than in the eastern part. Furthermore, an oceanic phase-velocity curve is determined between 50 and 130 s for the first higher Rayleigh mode on the full path across the Pacific Ocean.