Seismic wave attenuation in Israel region estimated from the multiple lapse time window analysis and S-wave coda decay rate

For the first time, a regional seismic attenuation for the Israel region is quantitatively estimated as a combination of intrinsic and scattering attenuations. We use a multiple lapse time windows analysis (MLTWA) to determinate the relative contributions of intrinsic absorption and scattering processes to the total regional attenuation in the crust. A single isotropic scattering model assuming a uniform half-space lithosphere is used to fit MLTWA predicted and measured energies from the records of 232 regional earthquakes recorded at 17 short-period and 5 broad-band local seismic stations. Analysis is performed for a set of 10 frequencies between 0.5 and 10 Hz. The frequency-dependent quality factor Q obtained by MLTWA ranges between Q = 77f0.96 in the Northern Israel and Q = 132f0.96 in Southern Israel. Independent estimates of regional coda Q value based on S-wave coda decay rate obtained by averaging of five broad-band Israel Seismic Network stations are approximated by the relation Qc = 126f1.05. As a whole, our findings indicate that in the Israel region, intrinsic absorption prevails over scattering attenuation. Separate analysis for three tectonically different regions in Israel region—Galilee-Lebanon, Judea-Samaria and Eastern Sinai—shows a regional dependence of attenuation parameters. The variation of attenuation characteristics implies different physical mechanisms of seismic attenuation in the Israel region and is related to the differences of structure in the Earth's crust beneath Israel. Such variation in the attenuation patterns is in agreement with the assumption that Northern Israel is tectonically more active than Southern Israel and that in the northern and central parts of Israel the upper crust is more heterogeneous than in the southern part.