Large-Scale Numerical Analysis of Three-Dimensional Seismic Waves.
Abstract
This report concludes our study of large-scale vectorized numerical analysis applied to time domain seismic wave phenomena in filled basins. Applications include calculations of waves from simple surface or buried sources in a variety of idealized 2-D Basin and Range models (36,000 to 120,000 nodes) described in an interim report, and one large 3-D model (400,000 nodes) from Yucca Flat, Nevada Test Site, described here. Analysis is based on an explicit, finite element, elastic wave solver designed for vectorized execution on the CRAY-1. The primary result of the present 3-D study is that, given the database available from investigations in Yucca Flat, Nevada Test Site, the size of feasible 3-D computational models on the CRAY-1S is adequate to simulate elastic wave fields and interpret arrivals for comparison with existing 3-D ground motion data. Synthetic seismograms from a 400,000 element 3-D simulation of the COALORA event a Yucca Flat indicate that a significant source of transverse motion on radial lines through the source is diffraction from a discontinuity in the Rainier Mesa tuff layer across the Yucca fault. Successful time-domain simulations in 3-D are feasible with pipelined supercomputers but optimal processing requires careful tailoring of the algorithm to vectorize inner code loops and eliminate nonessential arithmetic.
Document Details
- Document Type
- Technical Report
- Publication Date
- May 31, 1984
- Accession Number
- ADA144610
Entities
People
- D. K. Vaughan
- G. L. Wojcik