Focal mechanisms

Plotting beach balls

In this synthetic example we will use the Aki-Richards convention and pass the data via a GMTdataset

using GMT

# Right lateral Strike Slip
D = mat2ds([0.0 5.0 0.0 0 90 0 5 0 0],["Right Strike Slip"]);
meca(D, region=(-1,4,1,6), proj=:Mercator, aki=2.5, fill=:black)

# Left lateral Strike Slip
D = mat2ds([2.0 5.0 0.0 0 90 180 5 0 0],["Left Strike Slip"]);
meca!(D, aki=2.5, fill=:black)

# Thrust (two fault orientations)
D = mat2ds([0.0 3.5 0.0 0 45 90 5 0 0; 2.0 3.5 0.0 45 45 90 5 0 0],["Thrust", "Thrust"]);
meca!(D, aki=2.5, fill=:black)

# Normal (two fault orientations)
D = mat2ds([0.0 2.0 0.0 0 45 -90 5 0 0; 2.0 2.0 0.0 45 45 -90 5 0 0],["Normal", "Normal"]);
meca!(D, aki=2.5, fill=:black)

# Mixed
D = mat2ds([3.4 2.0 0.0 10 35 129 5 0 0],["Mixed"]);
meca!(D, aki=2.5, fill=:black)

showfig()

Some Venezuela beach balls

This example was presented by Leonardo Alvarado in the Showcase section of GMT forum under the title Map of focal mechanism with Pygmt. The example was slightly reworked and it now ues the GMT's automatic grid selection service that by using the grid name @earth_relief downloads the best resolution grid for the job.

The "mff_bb.txt" file contains a couple of focal mechanisms for the Venezuela region specified in the CMT convention format.

D = gmtread(getpath4docs("mff_bb.txt"))
lon lat depth str1 dip1 slip1 str2 dip2 slip2 mant exp plon plat Time
-73.069 6.801 161.7 19.0 51.0 -143.5 264.0 62.4 -45.2 5.5 0.0 -73.069 7.801 1.20321e9
-70.96 10.219 4.6 6.0 73.0 13.5 272.0 77.1 162.5 5.0 0.0 -70.96 11.219 1.2039e9
-72.989 6.912 160.9 41.0 37.0 -16.1 144.0 80.4 -125.9 5.2 0.0 -72.489 5.912 1.20666e9
-62.244 11.126 128.2 207.0 87.0 -59.1 302.0 31.0 -174.2 5.2 0.0 -62.244 12.126 1.21452e9
-64.168 10.523 13.7 90.0 86.0 0.0 360.0 90.0 -4.0 5.2 0.0 -65.168 11.123 1.21841e9
-67.03 10.206 1.6 64.0 85.0 180.0 154.0 90.0 5.0 5.6 0.0 -66.73 11.206 1.2414e9
-67.909 10.807 5.8 270.0 83.0 -171.8 179.0 81.9 -7.1 6.4 0.0 -67.909 11.807 1.25271e9
-69.744 10.464 5.0 19.0 51.0 48.1 254.0 54.7 129.5 5.6 0.0 -69.744 11.464 1.25928e9
-63.494 10.505 5.0 267.0 74.0 180.0 357.0 90.0 16.0 5.4 0.0 -63.994 11.305 1.26351e9
-61.92 11.25 137.4 338.0 33.0 -172.9 242.0 86.1 -57.2 5.3 0.0 -61.5 12.5 1.29678e9
-62.4 10.65 62.3 268.0 69.0 171.7 1.0 82.2 21.2 5.0 0.0 -63.0 11.0 1.32106e9
-62.14 10.85 100.5 101.0 80.0 26.7 6.0 63.7 168.8 5.0 0.0 -61.14 11.65 1.36279e9
-62.12 10.82 67.9 15.0 45.0 -155.3 267.0 72.8 -47.7 5.8 0.0 -61.12 10.72 1.38154e9
-69.67 9.705 3.4 248.0 66.0 169.8 342.2 80.7 24.3 5.3 0.0 -69.17 10.505 1.39277e9
-72.13 8.236 5.0 13.0 52.0 90.0 193.0 38.0 90.0 5.2 0.0 -73.13 9.236 1.42301e9
-71.43 8.493 5.0 323.0 63.0 -8.8 57.0 82.2 -152.7 5.1 0.0 -71.43 9.493 1.44685e9
-71.41 8.484 5.0 318.0 77.0 -8.8 50.0 81.4 -166.8 5.1 0.0 -70.41 8.484 1.44815e9
-72.032 7.232 5.0 9.0 65.0 67.1 234.0 33.4 129.9 5.1 0.0 -71.532 7.232 1.50794e9
-73.67 10.227 90.0 81.0 76.0 43.7 338.0 47.9 161.0 5.1 0.0 -73.17 11.227 1.50898e9
-71.93 8.363 5.0 219.0 49.0 95.9 30.0 41.4 83.2 5.0 0.0 -72.43 9.363 1.51096e9
-62.034 10.277 25.1 113.0 75.0 -172.3 21.0 82.6 -15.1 5.1 0.0 -61.534 9.277 1.51692e9
-62.73 10.656 99.6 45.0 35.0 81.8 235.0 55.4 95.7 6.9 0.0 -62.73 9.656 1.53481e9
-62.84 10.624 82.5 225.0 35.0 64.7 75.0 58.8 106.7 5.9 0.0 -63.34 12.224 1.5349e9
using GMT

# Background map
grdimage("@earth_relief", region=[-74,-59,5,15], proj=:guess, figsize=10, shade=true)
coast!(shorelines=true, borders=((type=1, pen=0.8),(type=2, pen=0.1)), map_scale="-68.5/7.0/7.0/200")

# Epicenters
plot!(getpath4docs("mff_bb.txt"), marker=:circ, ms=0.1, fill=:yellow, markerline=:black)
text!(txt="Mar Caribe", x=-68, y=13.5, font=(15, "Helvetica-Bold", :white), justify=:LM)

# Focal mechanisms
meca!(getpath4docs("mff_bb.txt"), CMT=(scale=0.4, font=6), offset=true, fill=:black, show=true)