A Method for Seismic Wavefield Separation and Earthquake Localization using Single-station, Six-component Seismic Data

Summary This study presents a method for earthquake localization and wavefield separation using single-station six-component (6C) seismic data, combining both rotational and translational measurements. The method employs polarization analysis and cross-correlation techniques to estimate key seismic parameters, such as back-azimuth, incidence angle, and ellipticity, which are crucial for accurate wavefield separation and source localization. The approach is validated with real data from the 2018 Alaska earthquake, recorded by the ROMY gyroscope in Germany. The results show that the method achieves high accuracy in estimating the epicentral distance and source depth, with localization error within 2.25 degrees compared to ISC results. This demonstrates that single-station 6C data can provide earthquake localization accuracy comparable to traditional array-based methods, making it a promising alternative in environments where deploying seismic arrays is challenging, such as underwater, urban, or extraterrestrial settings. The study underscores the potential of rotational seismology to enhance earthquake monitoring and localization with minimal infrastructure.