Discrimination of earthquakes and explosions using multi-fractal singularity spectrums properties

A new method of discrimination of seismic records from earthquakes and explosions is proposed which is based on using properties of their multi-fractal singularity spectrums. The efficiency of the method is illustrated by analysing seismic records from the region of Aswan Dam in Egypt. Current pattern of seismicity in the Upper Egypt is composed by three types of records: tectonic earthquakes, reservoir-induced earthquakes and seismic events generated by quarry blasts. To discriminate quarry blasts from earthquakes of both natures, multi-fractal analysis of records were used. Singularity spectrum support width and multi-fractal generalised Hurst exponents were calculated for all seismic events in the selected data set from a given area. The linear Bayesian discriminator using these characteristics of seismic records provides correct classification for 93 % of earthquakes records and for 99 % of quarry blasts records. © 2013 Springer Science+Business Media Dordrecht.