High-F Project

The SCEC High Frequency (or “High-F”) project will integrate various scientific modeling and simulation efforts within the Southern California Earthquake Center (SCEC) with the objective of reproducing earthquake physics and effects at high frequencies (up to 10 Hz) using deterministic modeling approaches. The High-F project will use current forward wave-propagation simulation capabilities as a point of departure for improving current simulation methods and developing new modeling approaches in order to better reproduce the ground response at higher frequencies. The High-F project will incorporate high-frequency characteristics in the source representation and the structural heterogeneity of the seismic velocity models by considering aspects such as geometrical complexity of the faults, the random distributions of slip, rupture velocity, and rise time, and the stochastic characteristics of the material properties of near-surface layers. One, or more, historic earthquakes in Southern California will be selected as target events, and the results of high-frequency ground motion simulations will be compared with observed data from these earthquakes. The High-F project will help to define a reference framework for the evaluation of alternative simulation methods, such as the stochastic simulation methods developed within the SCEC Broadband Platform, and will seek to identify the threshold frequency at which deterministic and stochastic methods provide a viable tradeoff for hybrid approaches.

Fig 1:Chino Hills earthquake simulation at 4Hz with min Vs=200m/s showing PGA, PGV, and PGD for observed data at ~330 stations compared to simulated ground motions using CVM-S. (Image Credit: J. Bielak/R.Taborda)

Fig 2:The M8 dynamic rupture was reversed so the rupture progressed South to North, to study the impact of the rupture direction on peak ground motions in Southern California. (Image Credit: K. Olsen/Y. Cui)

High-F Coordination

We hold monthly High-F coordination calls on first Thursday of each month. We use the following dial in numbers.

High-F Planning Document

A High-F project planning document is under development by the SCEC CME group. The current draft version of this planning document is posted below.

• High-F Project Plan (*.docx format)