• Journal of the Korean earth science society
• /
• v.41 no.6
• /
• pp.647-657
• /
• 2020

Infrasound signals associated with the 29 May 2004 offshore Uljin earthquake (Mw 5.1) were recorded at infrasound arrays of CHNAR (epicentral distance of 321 km) and TJNAR (256 km). Back-azimuths, indicating the directions to source locations, varied more than 28° broadly for the long-lasting signals over several minutes. From the analysis of the back-projecting location method and attenuation correction for infrasound propagation, the infrasound waves were to be generated by the interaction (diffraction) between seismic waves and topography in an area of ~4,600 ㎢ connecting the Samcheok-Uljin-Pohang regions. The maximum sound source pressure (BSP) was estimated to be 11.1 Pa. This result was consistent with the peak sound pressure (PSP) calculated by the Rayleigh integral approximation to the peak ground acceleration (PGA) dataset. In addition, the minimum PGA that was detectable at the two arrays was estimated to be ~3.0 cm s-2. Although the earthquake occurred offshore, diffracted infrasound signals were effectively generated by ground motions when seismic surface waves passed through high-topographic regions in the eastern Korean Peninsula. The relationship between infrasound source pressure and PGA can be applicable to characterize the ground motions in areas with insufficient seismological observatories.