Research Interests

My research primarily focuses on the analysis of strong and weak motion earthquake recordings and the use of ground motion simulation tools (e.g. the empirical Green’s functions approach and the stochastic technique) to gain insights into the earthquake source process as well as propagation path and local site amplification effects. Other interests of mine include recent developments in earthquake early warning, 3D wave propagation simulations to better understand the influence of the underground structure on the wavefield generated by large earthquakes, dynamic source rupture models and the use of macroseismic intensity data for the retrieval of earthquake source parameters.

Currently, I am working on spectral analysis of seismograms from local and regional earthquakes obainted at the K- and KiK-net networks in Japan. Following the devastating Kobe earthquake in 1995, a massive instrumentation program was launched in Japan, leading to an extraordinary wealth of high-quality earthquake records over the last decade and making Japan to the most densily instrumented country in the World. With these datasets at hand and in collaboration with scientists from the GFZ German Research Centre for Geosciences, I work on the inversion of ground motion spectra for separating the different effects (source, path and site response) that contribute to the recorded ground motions from one another. The obtained spectral models enable us to study (amongst others) the scaling characteristics of earthquakes, get insights into attenuation properties, and work towards a better understanding and characterization of site amplification effects. Furthermore, these models can serve as a basis for the prediction of strong ground motions from future large earthquakes.

Further recently published work includes the development of a concept for optimizing the station configuration of seismic networks for earthquake early warning purposes (using the case of the Marmara Sea and the city of Istanbul as a testing area), an empirical Green’s functions study and spectral analysis of intermediate-depth Vrancea earthquakes in Romania, as well as wave propagation simulations for studying waveguiding effects on ground motion prediction equations on the example of the Dead Sea basin structure.

Peer-reviewed journal publications

1. Oth, A. and M. Picozzi (2012). Structural health monitoring using wireless techniques: an ambient vibration test on the Adolphe Bridge, Luxembourg City. Advances in Civil Engineering, in press.
2. Cantore, L., A. Oth, S. Parolai and D. Bindi (2012). Reply to “Comment on ‘Attenuation, source parameters and site effects in the Irpinia-Basilicata region (southern Apennines, Italy)’ by I.B. Morozov”. J. Seismol., 16(1), 91-93, doi: 10.1007/s10950-011-9243-x. [Preprint PDF]
3. Bindi, D., S. Parolai, A. Oth, K. Abdrakhmatov, A. Muraliev and J. Zschau (2011). Intensity prediction equations for Central Asia. Geophys. J. Int., 187(1), 327-337, doi: 10.1111/j.1365-246X.2011.05142.x. [Preprint PDF]
4. Di Giacomo, D., D. Bindi, S. Parolai and A. Oth (2011). Residual analysis of teleseismic P-wave energy magnitude estimates: inter- and intra-station variability. Geophys. J. Int., 185(3), 1444-1454, doi: 10.1111/j.1365-246X.2011.05019.x. [Preprint PDF]
5. Ameri, G., A. Oth, M. Pilz, D. Bindi, S. Parolai, L. Luzi, M. Mucciarelli and G. Cultrera (2011). Separation of source and site effects by generalized inversion technique using the aftershock recordings of the 2009 L’Aquila earthquake. Bull. Earthq. Eng., 9(3), 717-739, doi: 10.1007/s10518-011-9248-4. [Preprint PDF]
6. Oth, A., D. Bindi, S. Parolai and D. Di Giacomo (2011). Spectral analysis of K-NET and KiK-net data in Japan, Part II: On attenuation characteristics, source spectra, and site response of borehole and surface stations. Bull. Seismol. Soc. Am., 101(2), 667-687, doi: 10.1785/0120100135. [Preprint PDF]
7. Oth, A., S. Parolai and D. Bindi (2011). Spectral analysis of K-NET and KiK-net data in Japan, Part I: Database compilation and peculiarities. Bull. Seismol. Soc. Am., 101(2), 652-666, doi: 10.1785/0120100134. [Preprint PDF]
8. Cantore, L., A. Oth, S. Parolai and D. Bindi (2011). Attenuation, source parameters and site effects in the Irpinia-Basilicata region (southern Apennines, Italy). J. Seismol., 15(2), 375-389, doi: 10.1007/s10950-011-9230-2. [Preprint PDF]
9. d’Oreye, N., P. González, A. Shuler, A. Oth, L. Bagalwa, G. Ekström, D. Kavotha, F. Kervyn, C. Lucas, F. Lukaya, E. Osodundu, C. Wauthier and J. Fernández (2011). Source parameters of the 2008 Bukavu-Cyangugu earthquake from InSAR and teleseismic data. Geophys. J. Int., 184(2), 934-948, doi: 10.1111/j.1365-246X.2010.04899.x. [Preprint PDF]
10. Oth, A., M. Böse, F. Wenzel, N. Köhler and M. Erdik (2010). Evaluation and optimization of seismic networks and algorithms for earthquake early warning – the case of Istanbul (Turkey). J. Geophys. Res., 115, B10311, doi:10.1029/2010JB007447. [Preprint PDF]
11. Oth, A., D. Bindi, S. Parolai and D. Di Giacomo (2010). Earthquake scaling characteristics and the scale-(in)dependence of seismic energy-to-moment ratio: insights from KiK-net data in Japan. Geophys. Res. Lett., 37, L19304, doi:10.1029/2010GL044572. [Preprint PDF]
12. Oth, A., S. Parolai, D. Bindi and F. Wenzel (2009). Source spectra and site response from S waves of intermediate-depth Vrancea, Romania, earthquakes. Bull. Seismol. Soc. Am., 99(1), 235-254, doi:10.1785/0120080059. [Preprint PDF]
13. Oth, A., D. Bindi, S. Parolai and F. Wenzel (2008). S-wave attenuation characteristics beneath the Vrancea region in Romania: new insights from the inversion of ground motion spectra. Bull. Seismol. Soc. Am., 98(5), 2482-2497, doi:10.1785/0120080106. [Preprint PDF]
14. Oth, A., F. Wenzel and M. Radulian (2007). Source parameters of intermediate-depth Vrancea (Romania) earthquakes from empirical Green’s functions modeling. Tectonophysics, 438, 33-56, doi:10.1016/j.tecto.2007.02.016. [Preprint PDF]
15. Oth, A., F. Wenzel, H. Wust-Bloch, E. Gottschämmer and Z. Ben-Avraham (2007). Parametrization of a composite attenuation relation for the Dead Sea area based on 3D modeling of elastic wave propagation. Pure Appl. Geophys., 164, 23-37, doi:10.1007/s00024-006-0147-6. [Preprint PDF]

Editor

1. Ritter, J. and A. Oth (edts.) (2010). Proceedings of the workshop Induced Seismicity, Cahiers du Centre Européen de Géodynamique et de Séismologie, Vol. 30, 157 pp., ISBN N° 978-2-91989-709-4.
2. Oth, A. (edt.) (2009). Proceedings of the workshop Seismicity patterns in the Euro-Med region, Cahiers du Centre Européen de Géodynamique et de Séismologie, Vol. 28, 183 pp., ISBN N° 9 782919 89702-5.

Theses

1. Oth, A. (2007). Source Processes and Spectral Ground Motion Models of Intermediate-Depth Vrancea (Romania) Earthquakes, Ph.D. thesis, Universität Karlsruhe (TH). [PDF]
2. Oth, A. (2004). Bodenbewegung bei Starkbeben in Grabenstrukturen, Diplom thesis, Universität Karlsruhe (TH) (in german). [PDF]

Conference proceedings

1. Oth, A., F. Wenzel and M. Radulian (2007). Source scaling for intermediate-depth Vrancea earthquakes with empirical Green’s functions. in: Proceedings of the International Symposium on Strong Vrancea Earthquakes and Risk Mitigation, Oct. 04-06, 103-118. [PDF]
2. Gottschämmer, E., A. Oth, J. Miksat and F. Wenzel (2006). Hybrid modelling of ground motion. in: Proceedings of the 1st ECEES, Geneva, Paper Number 759.

Selected Conference Presentations

Author/Co-author of more than 30 presentations at international meetings

1. Mayeda, K., A. Oth, L. Malagnini, S.-H. Yoo and W.B. Walter (2011). A source scaling comparison for selected Japanese earthquake sequences. Eos Trans. AGU, 92 (52), Fall Meet. Suppl., Abstract S43C-2268 (poster).
2. Oth, A. and D. Bindi (2011). Insights into the sources of variability of ground motion parameters from regression analysis of KiK-net data in Japan. XXV IUGG General Assembly, Melbourne, Australia (invited presentation).
3. Oth, A. (2011). A critical comparison of the source scaling characteristics of individual aftershock sequences in Japan versus nation-wide seismicity. SSA Annual Meeting, Memphis, USA.
4. Oth, A., M. Böse, F. Wenzel, N. Köhler and M. Erdik (2011). Evaluation and optimization of seismic networks for earthquake early warning – the case of Istanbul (Turkey). Geophys. Res. Abs., 13, EGU2011-5077.
5. Oth, A. and M. Picozzi (2011). Structural monitoring of the Adolphe Bridge (Luxembourg City) using ambient vibrations. 71th annual meeting of the DGG, 21 – 24 February, Cologne, Germany.
6. Oth, A., D. Bindi, S. Parolai and D. Di Giacomo (2010). Spectral analysis of K- and KiK-net data in Japan: on the site response of borehole and surface stations. ESC General Assembly, Montpellier, France.
7. Oth, A., S. Parolai, D. Bindi and D. Di Giacomo (2010). Spectral analysis of K- and KiK-net data in Japan: attenuation characteristics and source parameters. ESC General Assembly, Montpellier, France.
8. D’Oreye, N., P.J. Gonzalez, A. Shuler, L.M. Bagalwa, G. Ekström, D. Kavotha, F. Kervyn, C. Lucas, F. Lukaya, E. Osodundu, A. Oth and C. Wauthier (2009). Was the February 2008 Bukavu seismic sequence associated with a magma intrustion? ESA Fringe workshop, Frascati, Italy.
9. Oth, A., S. Parolai, D. Bindi and F. Wenzel (2009). Site amplification from S-waves of intermediate-depth Vrancea (Romania) earthquakes. IASPEI General Assembly, Cape Town, South Africa.
10. Oth, A., D. Bindi, S. Parolai and F. Wenzel (2008). Spectral ground motion models for Vrancea earthquakes: New insights into attenuation characteristics, site effects and source spectra. Geophys. Res Abs, 10, EGU2008-A-02230.
11. Oth, A., F. Wenzel and M. Radulian (2007). Source scaling for intermediate-depth Vrancea (Romania) earthquakes with empirical Green’s functions. Geophys. Res. Abs., 9, 01880 (poster).
12. Oth, A., F. Wenzel, H. Wust-Bloch, E. Gottschämmer and Z. Ben-Avraham (2005). Design of a composite attenuation relation for the Dead Sea area based on 3D modeling of elastic wave propagation. Eos Trans. AGU, 86 (52), Fall Meet. Suppl., Abstract S51D-1044 (poster).