Spatial changes of seismic attenuation and multiscale geological heterogeneity in the Baikal rift and surroundings from analysis of coda waves

• Quality factor and frequency parameter were obtained for Baikal rift, using coda-waves.
• Attenuation coefficient and frequency parameters decrease with the increase in depth.
• Sharp changes of attenuation parameter are confined to velocity discontinuities.
• Attenuation depends primarily on seismic activity and heat flow.
• And, secondarily, on tectonic heterogeneity (fault tectonic) and crustal age

The Baikal rift system is undergoing an active tectonic deformation expressed by a high level of seismic activity. This deformation leads to physical and mechanical changes of crustal properties which can be investigated by the seismic quality factor and its frequency dependence. Using a single backscattering model, a seismic quality-factor (QC), a frequency parameter (n) and an attenuation coefficient (δ) have been estimated by analyzing coda waves of 274 local earthquakes of the Baikal rift system for nineteen lapse time windows (W) from 10 to 100 s every 5 s and for six central frequencies (0.3, 0.75, 1.5, 3, 6 and 12 Hz). The average QC value increases with the frequency and lapse time window from 46 ± 52 (at 0.75 Hz) to 502 ± 109 (at 12 Hz) for W = 10 s and from 114 ± 49 (at 0.3 Hz) to 1865 ± 679 (at 12 Hz) for W = 100 s. The values of QC(f) and δ were estimated for the whole Baikal rift system and for separate tectonic blocks: the stable Siberian Platform, main rift basins, spurs and uplifts. Along the rift system, the Q0-value (QC-factor at the frequency f = 1 Hz) varies within 72–109 and the frequency parameter n ranges from 0.87 to 1.22, whereas Q0 is 134 and n is 0.48 for the stable Siberian Platform. Vertical variations of attenuation reveal that sharp changes of δ and n are confined to the velocity discontinuities. The comparison of lateral variations of seismic wave attenuation and geological and geophysical characteristics of the Baikal rift system shows that attenuation is correlated with both seismic activity and heat flow and in a lesser degree with the surface fault density and the age of the crust. Seismic wave attenuation found across the main shear zones of the south-western Baikal rift (Main Sayan strike-slip fault zone and Tunka, Obruchev and Primorsky normal faults) is increased by more than 25–60% compared to the neighboring areas.