Review of Dense Array Backprojections of Earthquake Rupture Process

SUN Heping; ZHANG Yijun; GUO Rumeng; WANG Sixue; LIU Dechuan

doi:10.13203/j.whugis20250286

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Review of Dense Array Backprojections of Earthquake Rupture Process

更新时间：2026-11-05

- Review of Dense Array Backprojections of Earthquake Rupture Process
- Geomatics and Information Science of Wuhan University Vol. 51, Issue 8, Pages: 1528-1536(2026)
- 作者机构：
  
  1.中国科学院精密测量科学与技术创新研究院大地测量与地球动力学国家重点实验室，湖北武汉，430071
  2.中国地质大学（武汉）地球物理与空间信息学院，湖北武汉，430074
- 作者简介：
- 基金信息：
- DOI：10.13203/j.whugis20250286
  CLC： P335
- Received：25 January 2026，
  
  Published：05 August 2026
- 稿件说明：
移动端阅览
孙和平,张一君,郭汝梦，等.密集台阵反投影成像地震破裂过程研究综述[J].武汉大学学报（信息科学版）,2026,51(8):1528-1536.

SUN Heping,ZHANG Yijun,GUO Rumeng,et al.Review of Dense Array Backprojections of Earthquake Rupture Process[J].Geomatics and Information Science of Wuhan University,2026,51(8):1528-1536.
孙和平,张一君,郭汝梦，等.密集台阵反投影成像地震破裂过程研究综述[J].武汉大学学报（信息科学版）,2026,51(8):1528-1536. DOI：10.13203/j.whugis20250286

SUN Heping,ZHANG Yijun,GUO Rumeng,et al.Review of Dense Array Backprojections of Earthquake Rupture Process[J].Geomatics and Information Science of Wuhan University,2026,51(8):1528-1536. DOI：10.13203/j.whugis20250286

摘要

利用密集台阵反投影成像地震破裂过程是认识震源物理性质、理解断层能量释放规律、探究断层结构的重要手段。对密集台阵反投影成像技术近年来的发展及其应用上的进展进行了综述和分析。结合国内外地球物理学者对不同构造环境下地震多尺度时空破裂行为的系列工作，着重介绍了该方法在解析同震破裂过程和探究震源频率特征中的重要作用，并结合该方法的优势对其未来发展方向进行了分析和展望。

Abstract

Backprojection imaging with dense arrays serves as a vital tool for investigating earthquake source physics

characterizing seismic energy release patterns

and constraining fault structures. This technique generates timely

robust rupture images by tracking the spatiotemporal migration of seismic radiation through phase-aligned coherent wavefields recorded by dense networks

with the advantage of least prior constraints. With the deployment of dense seismic networks (Hi-Net array (Japan)

USArray (USA)

Australia array (AU)

etc.） around the globe

this method has been widely applied to earthquakes in diverse tectonic settings

including subduction zones (e.g. 2011 Tohoku earthquake)

continental interiors (e.g. 2021 Maduo earthquake)

and transform boundaries (e.g. 2023 Kahramanmaraş earthquake doublet). These studies provide a unique perspective for unraveling the complex and multi-scale rupture processes of large earthquakes. Furthermore

they reveal a ubiquitous frequency-dependent radiation style among subduction earthquakes

shedding light on seismic radiation patterns in similar tectonic environments.This paper reviews recent methodological developments and applications of this technique. Methodological advances primarily focus on four key areas: the formulation of the waveform contribution term

the correction of seismic phase travel times

the application of array waveform processing techniques

and the design of weighting schemes. Different formulations of the waveform contribution term serve to amplify the signals of interest. For instance

a function based on waveform cross-correlation can enhance the resolution of neighboring weak subevents

which are often obscured by their low amplitudes in raw waveform data. The correction of travel times is necessary due to the difference between the assumed 1D velocity model and the real 3D velocity structure. Various array waveform processing techniques can further improve the spatiotemporal resolution of backprojection results. A weighting term scales the contribution of each station

thereby mitigating biases from uneven station distribution or anomalous waveform amplitudes.By synthesizing studies on earthquake ruptures across diverse tectonic settings

we highlight its critical contributions to resolve coseismic rupture process and seismic radiation characteristics. For example

the backprojection imaging results for the 2012 Sumatra earthquake indicate a complex rupture path

with the rupture propagating on different fault planes within an orthogonal conjugate fault system. Back-projection results for subduction-zone earthquakes

such as the 2011 Mw 9.0 Tohoku event

reveal a ubiquitous frequency-dependent radiation pattern related to depth-varying frictions along subduction plates.Finally

potential future directions are discussed based on the method's unique advantages. Integrating machine learning with the backprojection method allows for the extraction of more subtle features from seismic waveforms

advancing the detection and location of small earthquakes. Furthermore

multi-scale rupture behaviors of earthquakes in diverse tectonic settings are to be investigated using backprojection results across a broad frequency range.

关键词

Keywords

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