Hello Mariano!

I would suggest coda-normalization method proposed by Aki (1980) for estimation of Q-factor of direct S-waves of local earthquakes. It is a quite simple single station method. It is applicable also to direct P-waves (Yoshimoto et al., 1993). For attenuation in the lithosphere I suggest coda-Q method (single backscattering model) proposed by Aki and Chouet (1975) applied on coda waves - it is also a single station method. These techniques are very common and there are a lot of papers describing their use (I have also used them).

Aki K, Chouet B (1975) Origin of coda waves: source, attenuation, and scattering effects. J Geophys Res 80: 3322–3342. 

Aki K (1980) Attenuation of shear-waves in the lithosphere for frequencies from 0.05 to 25 Hz. Phys Earth Plant Inter 21:50–60.

Yoshimoto K, Sato H, Ohtake M (1993) Frequency-dependent attenuation of P and S waves in the Kanto area, Japan, based on the coda-normalization method. Geophys J Int 114:165–174.

http://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1029/JB080i023p03322/abstract

http://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1111/j.1365-246X.1993.tb01476.x/abstract

http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/0031920180900199

Hello Iva, Thank you for the pointers. Do you happen to have those papers? I do not have access to the data bases in my university. Kind regards

Hi Mariano

Besides the Q-coda method advised by Iva previously. it should be mentioned tho other methods:

The Rise-Time method (Gladwin and Stacey (1974) and Q-spectral Ratio Method (Toksoz et al; 1979).

These methods are also indicated for application to refraction and in general to active seismic data.

In particular the first is single station method (indicated also for shallow seismic refraction data), while the second one is a reference station method. Obviously when we deals with the attenuation we need to distinguish in the interpretation among the part of amplitude perturbations due to local structure (local seismic amplification/deamplification effect), that related to the structure in the wave propagation and source effects (if they are polarized or are different).

I applied both method with good results in both cases you need to have good signal (signal/noise high values) and in my opinion also data acquired preferibly with high sampling rate (even though the signal has low frequency band) in order to have a robust estimation of the rise time and spectral ratio.

The Q-spectral Ratio require a reference station I advice you to perform the calculus the mutual (changing mutually the reference stations) spectral ratio or alternatively you can select as reference spectrum the mean spectrum.

Both methods are implementable in a simple way and not are time-consuming.

Finally it should also make mention of the inversion methods that invert simultaneously , source parameters, strure attenuation, and site transfer functions (i.e. Bonilla et al; 1997). It is an interesting approach but as all the inversion methods it could be smearing effects among the transfer functions that you are estimating

I hope this is useful for you.

You can download many application paper in web quoting the following references

Gladwin M T and Stacey F D 1974 Anelastic degradation of

acoustic pulses in rock Phys. Earth Planet. Inter. 8 332–6

Toksoz M N, Johnston D H and Timur A 1979 Attenuation of

seismic waves in dry and saturated rocks: 1. Laboratory

measurements Geophysics 44 681–90

Bonilla, L. F., J. H. Steidl, G. T. Lindley, A. G. Tumarkin, and R. J. Archuleta (1997). Site amplification in the San Fernando Valley, California: variability of site-effect

estimation using the S-wave, coda and H/V methods. Bull. Seismol. Soc. Am. 87,

710–730.