Observations of Local‐Distance P/S Amplitude Ratios from Deep Mine and Natural Seismic Sources: Implications for Seismic‐Source Discrimination

For this investigation, we exploit local‐distance P‐ and S‐wave observations generated by mining‐related and small‐magnitude events in the Klerksdorp, Orkney, Stilfontein and Harteesfontein (KOSH) mining region of South Africa to explore the robustness and variability of low‐yield P‐to‐S‐wave amplitude ratios. P/S amplitude ratios are traditionally used in discrimination studies between earthquakes and explosions recorded at regional and teleseismic distances ( 200 km) and for relatively large magnitude events. Few studies have explored the variability of P/S amplitude ratios using data recorded at local distances, distances 200 km, where more scrutiny of wave propagation, near‐surface geology, and source and strain release patterns is required. We took advantage of the dense surface accelerometer cluster network, KOSH, for our variability analysis. Final results show that most of the locally recorded low‐magnitude events in the Klerksdorp region have comparable shear wave energy to low‐magnitude earthquakes. Consequently, our time‐domain rms‐based P and S amplitude measurements result in stable event average P/S ratios likely to separate from explosive sources. We demonstrate the expected variability of the ratios with smaller network simulations (three‐, five‐, seven‐station) to show that ratios remain relatively stable between 1 and 30 Hz.