A Study of the Source Mechanism of the Alaska Earthquake and Tsunami of March 27, 1964: Part II. Analysis of Rayleigh Wave

Abstract

The source mechanism of the Alaska earthquake of March 27, 1964 has been investigated by analyzing the Rayleigh wave recorded on the strain seismograph at Kipapa Station, Hawaii. The parameters that give the best fit to the observed data are: rupture length of 800 km, rupture velocity of 3 km/sec, and direction of rupture line of S30oW. The results of this analysis compare favorably with field data of elevation changes, with distribution of epicenters of aftershocks, and with the area of generation of the tsunami as obtained from sea-wave refraction diagrams.