Mecanismo focal y sismotectónica: aportación de Agustín Udías

Abstract

In this paper we present the contributions of Agustín Udías in the study of the focal mechanism of earthquakes and the seismotectonics. The first works correspond to the determination of the focal mechanism of the earthquakes from the S wave polarization angle, later to incorporate joint information of the first motion of the wave P and S wave polarization angle. The development of numerical methods is based on this type of information and was used for the calculation of the joint mechanism of a series of earthquakes. Another developed methodology is based in the directivity function of Rayleigh waves. The theoretical and practical basis of these methodologies was presented in large number of papers published in the last 40 years. The seismotectonic studies correspond to the Azores–Gibraltar region and the whole Mediterranean, with specific works for the Ibero-Maghrebian region.