Comparison of earthquake location parameters determined using grid search and manta ray foraging optimization

Abstract

Earthquake location estimation using grid search (GS) method are compared with manta ray foraging optimization (MRFO) solutions for synthetic and real earthquake data from Van city, Türkiye. Both locating methods worked very well and achieved similar results. While the coordinates (latitude and longitude) of the earthquake were obtained successfully with both methods, from the inversion of the arrival times calculated from the noisy and noise-free synthetic earthquake data, the result was obtained with some deviation in the depth parameter for the noisy data. The location parameters obtained from the inversion of the real earthquake data using GS and MRFO methods were obtained in accordance with the solutions made by other seismology centres. It was not observed that the depth parameter for the Van earthquake was in full match with the solutions of the seismology centres, but the solutions of the seismology centres given for comparison are also not consistent among themselves. The depth parameter obtained for the Van earthquake according the methods performed in this study is self-consistent and was obtained around 24 km. As a result, GS method has some disadvantageous compared with the MRFO method, for reasons such as reaching the solution tardy and needs applying gradual steps to accelerate it. The MRFO method is easy, fast, and advantageous when performed for the kinematic location of earthquake hypocentre.