AKEP2018: Alaska 3D Seismic Velocity Model

AKEP2018 is a seismic velocity model that updates the Alaska 3-D model of Eberhart-Phillips et al. (2006) using earthquake travel-time and ambient noise group velocity data. The model, developed for a USGS project, provides Vp and Vp/Vs values at inversion nodes in a 3D grid, with associated resolution metrics. It is based upon work supported by the U.S. Geological Survey under Grant No. G18AP00017.

Use Cases

• Refining earthquake location accuracy based on the updated 3D velocity structure.
• Modeling seismic wave propagation for hazard assessment using Vp and Vp/Vs parameters.
• Assessing model resolution and uncertainty for specific nodes using the diagonal resolution element (DRE) and spread function (SF).
• Comparing subsurface geological structure between the 2006 (AK2006) and 2018 (AKEP2018) models.

Strengths

• Model is an update to a foundational 2006 3-D model (AK2006), incorporating newer data types.
• Includes resolution metrics (DRE and SF) for each model node, which suggests a quantified uncertainty assessment.
• Supported by a specific U.S. Geological Survey grant (G18AP00017), indicating institutional backing.

Limitations

• Key metadata such as row count, file size, and specific column names are unknown across all sources.
• The last update date is unknown, making it difficult to assess the model's current status relative to planned 2019 expansions.
• The description is repeated verbatim across multiple platform entries, suggesting potential metadata duplication rather than independent curation.

Provenance

Source

University of California, Davis (Donna Eberhart‐Phillips), for a USGS project.

Collection Method

Inversion of earthquake travel-time and ambient noise group velocity data.

Time Range

Model year is 2018, with data likely spanning prior years.

Geography

Alaska, United States.