Monitoring Spatial–temporal Seismic Velocity Changes and Microstructural Changes on Rock Slope Associated with the M 6.8 Luding Earthquake

It is essentially important for monitoring spatial–temporal changes in subsurface material’s physical properties and evaluating earthquake-induced rock slope damage in a geological disaster-prone region. In the article, we track earthquake-induced changes in both seismic velocity changes (dv/v) and microstructural changes (kd) on the slope based on the recorded continuous seismic ambient noise data from sixteen sensors deployed on the rock slope at a distance of ~ 370 km away from the epicenter of the 2022 M 6.8 Luding earthquake in Southwest China. With the passive seismic ambient interferometry and the corresponding diffuse wave sensitivity kernel based inversion procedures, we observe ~ 0.2% localized dv/v decrease region together with a localized microstructural changes characterized by the scattering cross-section of ~ 0.064 m2/m3 on the crest of the slope. This pilot application bridges the gap between seismology and subsurface geological disasters and shows the promise of applying both seismic velocity changes and microstructural changes to provide a better understanding through space–time characterizations of rock slope damage evolution and other near-surface geological risks in southwest China.