VALIDATION OF PHYSICS-BASED GROUND-MOTION SIMULATIONS FOR MODERATE-MAGNITUDE EARTHQUAKES IN SOUTHERN CALIFORNIA

This data resource contains effective amplitude spectra (EAS) derived from physics-based ground-motion simulations, empirical ground-motion models (GMMs), and observed earthquake recordings for 30 moderate-magnitude events (Mw 4.0–5.5) in southern California. The simulation dataset includes one-dimensional (1D) ground-motion simulations conducted both without and with site adjustment, as well as three-dimensional (3D) simulations generated using the Graves–Pitarka (GP) kinematic rupture method. For comparison with simulations and observations, EAS predictions from the BA19 ground-motion model are provided. Observed EAS are computed from strong-motion recordings obtained from the Ground Motion Database (GMDB), ensuring consistency in spectral representation across simulated, empirical, and recorded datasets. This resource is intended for researchers engaged in the validation and evaluation of physics-based ground-motion simulations, particularly those interested in frequency-dependent model performance, mixed effects partitioning, and comparisons with empirical GMMs and observed data.