Name
Seismic site resonances and shallow subsurface structure near the Teslin Fault, Yukon, from HVSR analysis
Date & Time
Monday, May 25, 2026, 4:00 PM - 5:30 PM
Description
Earthquake ground motions are strongly influenced by site effects, which remain poorly constrained in northern Canada. We investigate seismic site response near the Teslin fault in southern Yukon using HVSR analysis of ambient noise recorded by over 50 geophones. This assessment is important because the fault coincides with the Village of Teslin and critical infrastructure. HVSR resonant frequencies (f_0) are interpreted using established links between sediment rigidity and impedance contrast depth. Stacked HVSR profiles southeast of the Teslin fault show a coherent zone of high-amplitude, low-frequency peaks (<1.5 Hz) near the fault corridor. We interpret these HVSR peaks to result from thick low–velocity sediments and/or the damage zone surrounding the fault. These HVSR profiles suggest low–rigidity near–surface materials that preferentially amplify long–period ground motion compared to sites on competent rock. Intermediate frequency HVSR peaks (3–6 Hz) observed away from the fault are consistent with a thinner layer of low–velocity sediments, while high–frequency responses (>10 Hz) are typically associated with very thin sediments or sites where competent rock is exposed at the surface. These high-frequency responses are confined to higher elevations and indicate minimal amplification. The resonance-frequency pattern reveals a low-frequency site-response zone along and west of the Teslin fault, suggesting hazard control by fault-related near-surface structure. These results emphasize the value of HVSR analysis for characterizing near-surface structure and site response. Ongoing efforts are devoted to inverting HVSR and dispersion profiles to calculate V_s30 and quantitatively characterize hazards for the area.
Location Name
McInnes Room
Full Address
Dalhousie University
Halifax NS
Canada
Session Type
Poster
Abstract ID
250
Speaker Organization
University of Calgary
Session Name
S-3
Co-authors
Pejman Shahsavari - Department of Earth, Energy and Environment, University of Calgary, Alberta, Canada. Hersh Gilbert - Department of Earth, Energy and Environment, University of Calgary, Alberta, Canada. Jeremy M. Gosselin - Natural Resources Canada, Geological Survey of Canada–Pacific, Sidney, British Columbia, Canada. Jan Dettmer - Yukon Geological Survey, Whitehorse, Yukon, Canada.
Presenting Author
Daniel O. Afolabi - Department of Earth, Energy and Environment, University of Calgary, Alberta, Canada