Tomographic P‐wave velocity images of the Loma Prieta Earthquake asperity

Tomographic inversion is applied to delay times from local earthquakes to image 3-D velocity variations surrounding the main rupture of the 1989 Loma Prieta earthquake. The 55{times}45 square km region is represented by blocks of 1 km per side laterally and by 8 layers of varying thickness to 18 km depth. High quality P-wave arrival times recorded on the USGS CALNET array from 549 crustal earthquakes with depths of 0 to 25 km were used as sources. Preliminary results note several velocity variations (5-12%) that correlate with specific characteristics of the 1989 rupture. These include prominent high-velocity anomalies near the mainshock hypocenter and prominent low-velocity anomalies where the dip of the San Andreas fault appears to change significantly. The termination of prominent low velocity features existing primarily in the hanging wall to depths of 7-9 km, correlates with the top of the rupture zone. High-velocity variations along the fault dominate where aftershock activity is high. The high velocity anomaly located at depth along the fault is interpreted as imaging the asperity on which the Loma Prieta earthquake occurred.