Short-period Lg magnitudes: Instrument, attenuation, and source effects

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Abstract
The applicaton of the Nutli (1973) definition of the mbLg magnitude to instruments and wave periods other than the short-period WWSSN seismograph is examined. The basic conclusion is that the Nuttli (1973) definition is applicable to a wider range of seismic instruments if the log10(A/T) term is replaced by log10A. For consistency and precision, the notation mbLg should be applied only to magnitudes based upon 1.0 Hz observations. The mbLg magnitude definition was constrained to be consistent with teleseismic P-wave mb estimates from four Central United States earthquakes. In general, for measurements made at a frequency f, the notation mLg(f) should be used, where and r is the epicentral distance in kilometers, γ is the coefficient of anelastic attenuation, and A is the reduced ground amplitude in microns. Given its stability when estimated from different instruments, the mLg(f) magnitude is an optimum choice for an easily applied, standard magnitude scale for use in regional seismic studies.