Major active faults determine the location of the Tongonan geothermal field: Evidence provided by rock alteration and stable isotope geochemistry

Abstract The influence of major active faults on rock alteration and stable isotope geochemistry is described for the Tongonan geothermal field, Leyte, the Philippines. In the Pliocene, acid alteration with characteristic iron enrichment (3 g/100 g) and calcium depletion (2 g/100 g) occurred along a Riedel shear fault in the Malitbog sector, and initial minor acid alteration also occurred along a similar shear in the Mahiao sector. Later, sodium metasomatism (5 g/100 g) coincided with the highest aquifer chloride (10 000 mg/kg) as a result of dissociation of saline magmatic fluids discharging through the reservoir rocks in the Upper Mahiao. The incursion of magmatic fluids (possibly δD 35‰, δ¹⁸O +7‰) set up a vigorous convection cell of meteoric water, which focused around low‐angle (L) shears centered in the Sambaloran sector. Meteoric water (δD ?35 to ?40‰, δ¹⁸O ?6 ± 1‰) depleted the reservoir in silica (6 g/100 g) and potassium (1–2 g/100 g). It also completely exchanged oxygen isotopes rapidly (within months) at high temperatures (300–400°C), and now does so continuously with fractured isotopically fresh or incompletely altered rock at small scales (centimeters or less) exposed by a 2 cm/year creep around the L shears to form a new component called geothermal water. Geothermal water mixes with meteoric water at lower temperatures (<300°C) to create the characteristic shift in δ¹⁸O of 6‰ at near constant δD (?35 ± 5‰). The 10‰ variation in δD is due to groundwater recharge derived from rain falling on steep terrain (5‰) and to enrichment of deuterium in boiling saline solutions (5‰); it is not due to two‐component mixing of meteoric with magmatic water. The low (～1) isotopic water/rock (W/R) ratios calculated from oxygen isotopes in previously published reports are meaningless, because the water contains four components (predominantly geothermal and meteoric water; <10% magmatic and rock water). W/R ratios of up to 1500 calculated from spring and rock chemistry are more realistic and, with a flow rate of approximately 50 L/s through a 30 km³ reservoir, can account for the estimated 3 My age of the system.     

Overpressure development and oil charging in the central Junggar Basin,Northwest China: Implication for petroleum exploration

The Junggar Basin is one of the largest and most petroliferous superimposed petroleum basins in China. The central depression area has become the frontier field for petroleum exploration. The characteristics of potential source rocks and reservoir sandstones, and the pressure regime in the central Junggar Basin were studied. Permian shales are dominated by hydrogen-rich, oil-prone algal organic matter, and Jurassic mudstones are dominated by hydrogen-poor, higher-plant derived organic matter. These source rocks are widespread and have been mature for hydrocarbon generation, suggesting good to excellent exploration potential, both for crude oils and for natural gases. The deeply buried Jurassic sandstones usually have low porosity and permeability. However, sandstones beneath the Jurassic/Cretaceous unconformity display relatively high porosity and permeability, suggesting that meteoric water leaching had improved the quality of the sandstones. Overpressure developed over much of the central Junggar Basin. The overpressured rocks are characterized by slightly increased interval transit time, low sandstone permeability, increased organic matter maturity, and high relative hydrocarbon-gas contents. Mudstones in the overpressured system have quite the same clay mineral compositions as mudstones in the lower part of the normally pressured system. Overpressure generation in the central Junggar Basin is best to be explained as the result of hydrocarbon generation and fluid retention in low-permeability rocks. Petroleum generated from Permian and Jurassic source rocks could migrate laterally through preferential petroleum migration pathways and accumulated in structural traps or lithological traps in the overpressured system, or migrate vertically through faults/hydraulic fractures into the overlying, normally pressured system and accumulate in structural or lithological traps. Therefore, commercial petroleum reservoirs could be potentially found in both the overpressured system, and in the normally pressured system.     

Groundwater occurrence and flow pattern in the Enugu coal-mine area,Anambra State,Nigeria

Abstract

The distribution of major geological units, static water level data, water chemistry data, and observations of surface features influenced by groundwater seepage were used to ascertain the nature of groundwater occurrence and flow pattern in the Enugu coal field, Nigeria. Considerations of the geological units, the static groundwater levels and groundwater seepages in the mines indicate that the coal sequence is a multiaquifer system in which sandstone and coal aquifers alternate with shale aquitards. Based on the hydraulic head data, the groundwater flow is predominantly downwards. Groundwater velocity calculation across the multiaquifer system using the Darcy equation gave a flow velocity of about 1 m day^?1. For groundwater systems, such a calculated velocity is considered high. The high velocity is most probably due to the high fracture porosity as well as the presence of other stratigraphic and structural features such as alluvial fills that provide high hydraulic conductivity pathways across the aquifer system. The pattern of groundwater inflow into the mines is also influenced by these stratigraphie and structural features.     

Remote sensing-GIS and GPR studies of two active faults,Western Gangetic Plains,India

Northern parts of the Ganga–Yamuna Interfluve in the Gangetic Plains, India have been investigated by remote sensing and Ground Penetrating Radar (GPR) techniques. Digital analysis of remote sensing data and Geographical Information System (GIS) techniques were used to locate a new active transverse Muzaffarnagar Fault and confirmed an earlier described Solani-II Fault in almost flat or gently sloping terrain. The Solani-II and Muzaffarnagar faults are members of two major systems of surficial faults i.e. longitudinal and transverse faults, respectively. Longitudinal faults are curvilinear in nature, trending N–S in the northern regions and veering to E–W in the southern regions of the plains and transverse faults are normal to the longitudinal faults occurring in the Upper Gangetic plains.GPR survey was carried out by common offset method across the Muzaffarnagar and the Solani-II faults, using a 100 MHz antenna. Our GPR data indicate that both regions around the Solani-II Fault and Muzaffarnagar Fault are characterized by 2–3 major steeply dipping normal faults at shallow depth (< 20 m). One of the major faults is always associated with cliffs on the surface. In addition, a number of smaller synthetic and antithetic faults are present, thus forming members of an array covering wide regions. Also, several small folds observed in all the three radargrams which are probably seismites. Both the Solani-II and Muzaffarnagar faults probably developed at about 2.5 ka and almost at the same time fans were deposited on the downthrown block of the Muzaffarnagar Fault.     

Some relationships between lithology,basin form and hydrology: a case study from the Thames basin,UK

The role of lithology in influencing basin form and function is explored empirically by investigating correlations between a range of catchment variables, where the spatial unit of analysis is not surface catchments but lithologically coherent groundwater units. Using the Thames basin, UK, as a case study, nine groundwater units have been identified. Values for 11 hydrological and geomorphological variables, including rainfall, drainage density, Baseflow Index, aquifer porosity, storage coefficient and log‐hydraulic conductivity, aquifer and drainage elevation, river incision, and hypsometric integral have been estimated for each of the groundwater units in the basin, and Pearson correlation coefficients calculated for all pairs of variables. Seven of the correlation coefficients are found to be significant at a confidence level of > 99%. Negative correlations between drainage density and log aquifer hydraulic conductivity, and between drainage density and river incision, and positive correlations between log‐hydraulic conductivity and river incision, log‐hydraulic conductivity and Baseflow Index, and between Baseflow Index and river incision are inferred to have consistent causal explanations. For example, incision of rivers into aquifers leads to relative increases in hydraulic gradients in the vicinity of rivers which, in turn, promotes the development of secondary porosity increasing both aquifer hydraulic conductivity and, hence, Baseflow Index. The implication of this interpretation is that the geomorphological evolution of basins is intimately linked to the evolution of hydraulic conductivity of the underlying aquifers. This is consistent with, and supports the notion of a coupled complexly evolving surface water‐groundwater system. Copyright © 2011 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

阿尔泰山东缘主要活动断裂影像特征分析

文中采用遥感资料,对阿尔泰山东缘的主要活动断裂———科布多(Hovd)断裂与哈尔乌苏湖(Har-Nuur)断裂进行研究,从地貌特征上对断裂进行详细分析,揭示其几何学和运动学特征。初步研究表明阿尔泰山东缘的活动断裂规模、滑动速率和强地震活动并不弱于其西南缘。其中科布多断裂走向NNW,右旋走滑,长约600km,中更新世(Q2p)以来最大水系右旋位错约9.0km,滑动速率可达3.8～12.3mm/a,平均滑动速率约7.8mm/a;哈尔乌苏湖断裂走向NNW,右旋走滑,长约480km,全新世以来活动性明显增强,第四纪洪积扇上发现有最新的断裂迹象。阿尔泰山东缘的新构造运动与强地震活动,除了与印度-欧亚板块碰撞作用有关外,可能还与局部地区的动力学过程有关     

Influence of Degree of Saturation in the Electric Resistivity–Hydraulic Conductivity Relationship

The relationship between aquifer hydraulic conductivity and aquifer resistivity, either measured on the ground surface by vertical electrical sounding (VES) or from resistivity logs, or measured in core samples have been published for different types of aquifers in different locations. Generally, these relationships are empirical and semi-empirical, and confined in few locations. This relation has a positive correlation in some studies and negative in others. So far, there is no potentially physical law controlling this relation, which is not completely understood. Electric current follows the path of least resistance, as does water. Within and around pores, the model of conduction of electricity is ionic and thus the resistivity of the medium is controlled more by porosity and water conductivity than by the resistivity of the rock matrix. Thus, at the pore level, the electrical path is similar to the hydraulic path and the resistivity should reflect hydraulic conductivity. We tried in this paper to study the effect of degree of groundwater saturation in the relation between hydraulic conductivity and bulk resistivity via a simple numerical analysis of Archie’s second law and a simplified Kozeny-Carmen equation. The study reached three characteristic non-linear relations between hydraulic conductivity and resistivity depending on the degree of saturation. These relations are: (1) An inverse power relation in fully saturated aquifers and when porosity equals water saturation, (2) An inverse polynomial relation in unsaturated aquifers, when water saturation is higher than 50%, higher than porosity, and (3) A direct polynomial relation in poorly saturated aquifers, when water saturation is lower than 50%, lower than porosity. These results are supported by some field scale relationships.     

Electrical structure of the tectonically active Kalabsha Fault, Aswan, Egypt

In this work, we use the magnetotelluric (MT) method to detect geoelectrical conductivity anomalies in the Earth's crust and link them to local seismic activity. This application affords the unusual opportunity to study the percolation of water from a lake into a fault system and its effect on the induced seismicity. MT measurements were carried out in the period range 0.0046–420 s at nine sites along a 15 km-long North–South profile crossing the Kalabsha Fault, on the western bank of Lake Aswan. Data were analysed by 2D simultaneous inversion of both polarisations. The resulting model is compared with the local seismicity map and reveals the conductive signature of the fault, as well as geological and tectonic stresses prevailing in the Aswan area. Our MT investigations show the following features:

The measured MT strike aligns with the seismic epicentre axis corresponding to the Kalabsha Fault.

While crossing the Fault, enhanced conductivity is found down to depths of 5 km on a 1–2 km profile segment.

At mid-crustal depths (20 km), a very high conductive body is found to coincide with the main seismic cluster in the Aswan area.

These observations indicate that seismic activity and high electrical conductivity are related. The link between them is the presence of crustal fluids which are presumably the cause of the high conductivity observed. Their presence is also required to trigger the observed seismicity. In addition, we explain the lower conductivity of the local upper crust in terms of stress-modulated rock porosity. We believe that these results are of general significance, as they could explain the mid-crustal seismicity of tectonically active zones.     

Numerical modeling of geothermal groundwater flow in karst aquifer system in eastern Weibei,Shaanxi Province,China

The quantitative assessment of geothermal water resources is important to the exploitation and utilization of geothermal resources. In the geothermal water systems the density of groundwater changes with the temperature, therefore the variations in hydraulic heads and temperatures are very complicated. A three-dimensional density-dependent model coupling the groundwater flow and heat transport is established and used to simulate the geothermal water flow in the karst aquifers in eastern Weibei, Shaanxi Province, China. The multilayered karst aquifer system in the study area is cut by some major faults which control the regional groundwater flow. In order to calibrate and simulate the effect of the major faults, each fault is discretized as a belt of elements with special hydrological parameters in the numerical model. The groundwater dating data are used to be integrated with the groundwater flow pattern and calibrate the model. Simulation results show that the calculated hydraulic heads and temperature fit with the observed data well.

     

Numerical modeling of geothermal groundwater flow in karst aquifer system in eastern Weibei, Shaanxi Province, China

The quantitative assessment of geothermal water resources is important to the exploitation and utilization of geothermal resources. In the geothermal water systems the density of groundwater changes with the temperature, therefore the variations in hydraulic heads and temperatures are very complicated. A three-dimensional density-dependent model coupling the groundwater flow and heat transport is established and used to simulate the geothermal water flow in the karst aquifers in eastern Weibei, Shaanxi Province, China. The multilayered karst aquifer system in the study area is cut by some major faults which control the regional groundwater flow. In order to calibrate and simulate the effect of the major faults, each fault is discretized as a belt of elements with special hydrological parameters in the numerical model. The groundwater dating data are used to be integrated with the groundwater flow pattern and calibrate the model. Simulation results show that the calculated hydraulic heads and temperature fit with the observed data well.     

Numerical modeling of geothermal groundwater flow in karst aquifer system in eastern Weibei,Shaanxi Province,China

The quantitative assessment of geothermal water resources is important to the exploitation and utilization of geothermal resources. In the geothermal water systems the density of groundwater changes with the temperature, therefore the variations in hydraulic heads and temperatures are very complicated. A three-dimensional density-dependent model coupling the groundwater flow and heat transport is established and used to simulate the geothermal water flow in the karst aquifers in eastern Weibei, Shaanxi Province, China. The multilayered karst aquifer system in the study area is cut by some major faults which control the regional groundwater flow. In order to calibrate and simulate the effect of the major faults, each fault is discretized as a belt of elements with special hydrological parameters in the numerical model. The groundwater dating data are used to be integrated with the groundwater flow pattern and calibrate the model. Simulation results show that the calculated hydraulic heads and temperature fit with the observed data well.     

Dissolution in a variably confined carbonate platform: effects of allogenic runoff,hydraulic damming of groundwater inputs,and surface–groundwater exchange at the basin scale

In variably confined carbonate platforms, impermeable confining units collect rainfall over large areas and deliver runoff to rivers or conduits in unconfined portions of platforms. Runoff can increase river stage or conduit heads in unconfined portions of platforms faster than local infiltration of rainfall can increase groundwater heads, causing hydraulic gradients between rivers, conduits and the aquifer to reverse. Gradient reversals cause flood waters to flow from rivers and conduits into the aquifer where they can dissolve limestone. Previous work on impacts of gradient reversals on dissolution has primarily emphasized individual caves and little research has been conducted at basin scales. To address this gap in knowledge, we used legacy data to assess how a gradient of aquifer confinement across the Suwannee River Basin, north‐central Florida affected locations, magnitudes and processes of dissolution during 2005–2007, a period with extreme ranges of discharge. During intense rain events, runoff from the confining unit increased river stage above groundwater heads in unconfined portions of the platform, hydraulically damming inputs of groundwater along a 200 km reach of river. Hydraulic damming allowed allogenic runoff with SI_CAL < ?4 to fill the entire river channel and flow into the aquifer via reversing springs. Storage of runoff in the aquifer decreased peak river discharges downstream and contributed to dissolution within the aquifer. Temporary storage of allogenic runoff in karst aquifers represents hyporheic exchange at a scale that is larger than found in streams flowing over non‐karst aquifers because conduits in karst aquifers extend the area available for exchange beyond river beds deep into aquifers. Post‐depositional porosity in variably confined carbonate platforms should thus be enhanced along rivers that originate on confining units. This distribution should be considered in models of porosity distribution used to manage water and hydrocarbon resources in carbonate rocks. Copyright © 2013 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

Estimation of anisotropic hydraulic conductivity using geophysical data in a coastal aquifer of Karnataka,India

Estimation of hydraulic parameters is essential to understand the interaction between groundwater flow and seawater intrusion. Though several studies have addressed hydraulic parameter estimation, based on pumping tests as well as geophysical methods, not many studies have addressed the problem with clayey formations being present. In this study, a methodology is proposed to estimate anisotropic hydraulic conductivity and porosity values for the coastal aquifer with unconsolidated formations. For this purpose, the one-dimensional resistivity of the aquifer and the groundwater conductivity data are used to estimate porosity at discrete points. The hydraulic conductivity values are estimated by its mutual dependence with porosity and petrophysical parameters. From these estimated values, the bilinear relationship between hydraulic conductivity and aquifer resistivity is established based on the clay content of the sampled formation. The methodology is applied on a coastal aquifer along with the coastal Karnataka, India, which has significant clayey formations embedded in unconsolidated rock. The estimation of hydraulic conductivity values from the established correlations has a correlation coefficient of 0.83 with pumping test data, indicating good reliability of the methodology. The established correlations also enable the estimation of horizontal hydraulic conductivity on two-dimensional resistivity sections, which was not addressed by earlier studies. The inventive approach of using the established bilinear correlations at one-dimensional to two-dimensional resistivity sections is verified by the comparison method. The horizontal hydraulic conductivity agrees with previous findings from inverse modelling. Additionally, this study provides critical insights into the estimation of vertical hydraulic conductivity and an equation is formulated which relates vertical hydraulic conductivity with horizontal. Based on the approach presented, the anisotropic hydraulic conductivity of any type aquifer with embedded clayey formations can be estimated. The anisotropic hydraulic conductivity has the potential to be used as an important input to the groundwater models.     

基于水化学和物理方法的井水位异常分析

针对2008年汶川M_S 8.0地震后江苏地区的地震观测井水位上升现象,选取了苏18井和井周边地表水进行了水化学和物理分析,研究了井水位异常与地表水和大气降水的补给关系,讨论了井水补给来源及其与高邮-宝应M_S 4.9地震的关系。离子含量和氢氧同位素结果表明,苏18井水主要为大气降水成因,存在一定的水岩作用。应用氯离子分析降水对地下水的补给,其结果显示大气降水在井水补给源中占了重要份额,井水位的突然上升与同期降水量增加有一定关系。水库水与苏18井水之间存在水力联系,大气降水增多致使水库水位升高,对该井水位变化有一定的影响。综合分析认为,大气降水的增多致使水库蓄水增加,水库水通过侧向渗透补给造成了2011年苏18井的水位显著升高。苏18井异常不是由构造活动引起的,作为高邮-宝应M_S 4.9地震的前兆依据不充分。水化学和物理结合的方法为今后判别地下水位异常干扰提供了依据。     

Matrix hydrodynamic properties of carbonate rocks from the Betic Cordillera (Spain)

Laboratory tests performed on 181 rock samples from boreholes drilled in different areas of the Betic Cordillera allow us to calculate their hydraulic conductivity and open porosity values. Higher values are generally associated with Miocene calcareous sandstones, although hydraulic conductivity reaches its highest values in some isolated limestone and dolostone samples. Lower values were found in marly limestones and marbles. Specific yield ranged from 0 to 0·0798, with a mean value of 0·00579. A total of 79 samples did not release water during the specific yield test, while another 11 samples released water for more than 30 min. Such wide ranges of variation show the great diversity of behaviour that the matrix of the carbonate rocks can have, referring to water storage and transfer, and its influence on pollutants spread, for example. A weak relation between interconnected porosity and hydraulic conductivity was found. The relation between interconnected porosity and specific yield is slightly stronger, except in the case of the dolomites, where a high correlation was found. No dependence on depth was found for hydraulic conductivity and interconnected porosity. Copyright © 2004 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

Hydrochemical and stable isotope evidence for the extent and nature of the effective Chalk aquifer of north Norfolk, UK

In eastern England the Chalk aquifer is covered by extensive Pleistocene deposits which influence the hydraulic conditions and hydrochemical nature of the underlying aquifer. In this study, the results of geophysical borehole logging of groundwater temperature and electrical conductivity and depth sampling for major ion concentrations and stable isotope compositions (δ¹⁸O and δ²H) are interpreted to reveal the extent and nature of the effective Chalk aquifer of north Norfolk. It is found that the Chalk aquifer can be divided into an upper region of fresh groundwater, with a Cl concentration of typically less than 100 mg l⁻¹, and a lower region of increasingly saline water. The transition between the two regions is approximately 50 m below sea-level, and results in an effective aquifer thickness of 50–60 m in the west of the area, but less than 25 m where the Eocene London Clay boundary is met in the east of the area. Hydrochemical variations in the effective aquifer are related to different hydraulic conditions developed in the Chalk. Where the Chalk is confined by low-permeability Chalky Boulder Clay, isotopically depleted groundwater (δ¹⁸O less than −7.5‰) is present, in contrast to those areas of unconfined Chalk where glacial deposits are thin or absent (δ¹⁸O about −7.0‰). The isotopically depleted groundwater is evidence for groundwater recharge during the late Pleistocene under conditions when mean surface air temperatures are estimated to have been 4.5°C cooler than at the present day, and suggests long groundwater residence times in the confined aquifer. Elevated molar Mg:Ca ratios of more than 0.2 resulting from progressive rock-water interaction in the confined aquifer also indicate long residence times. A conceptual hydrochemical model for the present situation proposes that isotopically depleted groundwater, occupying areas where confined groundwater dates from the late Pleistocene, is being slowly modified by both diffusion and downward infiltration of modem meteoric water and diffusive mixing from below with an old saline water body.     

Geochemistry of geopressured hydrothermal waters in the Niigata Sedimentary Basin, Japan

Abstract   Geothermal waters in the Niigata Sedimentary Basin, central Japan, are divided into four groups based on their chemical composition (i.e. Na-SO₄-type, Na-SO₄-Cl-type, Na-Cl-type and Na-Cl-HCO₃-type). The Na-SO₄-type geothermal water forms as a consequence of water–rock interaction and generally occurs in the outer part of the basin. The Na-Cl-type geothermal water is further subdivided into the original Na-Cl-type geopressured thermal water and the mixed Na-Cl-type geothermal water, in terms of its geochemical and isotopic composition. The original Na-Cl-type geopressured thermal water originates from a geopressured hydrothermal system containing the altered fossil formation waters that are sealed at depth. It moves up to the upper part of the depositional succession or the ground, and generally does not mix with groundwater that is of meteoric origin. This type of water is cooled by heat conduction. The concentration of Cl^– in this type of thermal water is very similar to that in seawater. The δD and δ¹⁸O values are approximately constant and independent of temperature. The original Na-Cl-type geopressured thermal water is distributed mainly along anticlinal axes in folded Neogene formations. The mixed Na-Cl-type geothermal water is related to the expulsion activity of the geopressured hydrothermal system and occurs mostly along active faults. It is formed by shallow groundwater of meteoric origin being mixed with geopressured hydrothermal water when the geopressured hydrothermal system was expulsed along active faults by paroxysmal tectonic events.     

STUDY OF THE INFLUENCE OF STRONG EARTHQUAKE ON THE RECURRENCE BEHAVIOR OF MAJOR EARTHQUAKE ON ACTIVE FAULT-TAKING THE MIDDLE-NORTH SECTION OF XIANSHUIHE FAULT AS AN EXAMPLE

It is of great significance to determine the factors and causes that affect the recurrence of major earthquakes. This paper introduces the influence of strong earthquake on the recurrence of major earthquakes according to elastic rebound theory, and then proposes to calculate the impact time Δt respectively from the effect of strong earthquakes on the same and surrounding faults on the major earthquake recurrence by using seismic moment release rate method and Coulomb stress change. In this paper, we studied the change amount of major earthquake recurrence by taking four earthquakes with magnitude greater than 6.5 occurring at different fracture sections of the Xianshuhe fault zone as an example, they occurred on Daofu, Changcu, Zhuwo Fault, respectively. We used seismic moment rate method to calculate the impact time Δt of strong earthquake on the recurrence of major earthquakes on the Daofu-Qianning Fault. We further discussed the effect of the Coulomb stress change due to the interaction between faults on the recurrence of subsequent major earthquakes. The co-seismic and post-seismic Coulomb stress changes caused by strong earthquake on the surrounding faults on the Ganzi-Luhuo Fault are calculated. With the fault interaction considered, the importance of the interaction between faults in the middle-north section of the Xianshuihe fault zone to change the recurrence of large earthquakes is retested and evaluated. The results indicate that the two strong earthquakes occurring along Xianshuihe Fault in 1904(M=7.0) and 1981(M=6.9) resulted in a delay of 80 years and 45 years of major earthquake recurrence on the Daofu-Qianning Fault respectively, and the M7.3 earthquake in 1923 and the M6.8 earthquake in 1967 resulted in an advance of 35 years of major earthquake recurrence on the Ganzi-Luhuo Fault.     

ELECTRICAL STRUCTURE OF THE 2017 MS7.0 JIUZHAIGOU EARTHQUAKE REGION AND THE EASTERN TERMINUS OF THE EAST KUNLUN FAULT

The East Kunlun Fault is a giant fault in northern Tibetan, extending eastward and a boundary between the Songpan-Ganzi block and the West Qinling orogenic zone. The East Kunlun Fault branches out into a horsetail structure which is formed by several branch faults. The 2017 Jiuzhaigou M_S7.0 earthquake occurred in the horsetail structure of the East Kunlun Fault and caused huge casualties. As one of several major faults that regulate the expansion of the Tibetan plateau, the complexity of the deep extension geometry of the East Kunlun Fault has also attracted a large number of geophysical exploration studies in this area, but only a few are across the Jiuzhaigou earthquake region. Changes in pressure or slip caused by the fluid can cause changes in fault activity. The presence of fluid can cause the conductivity of the rock mass inside the fault zone to increase significantly. MT method is the most sensitive geophysical method to reflect the conductivity of the rock mass. Thus MT is often used to study the segmented structure of active fault zones. In recent years MT exploration has been carried out in several earthquake regions and the results suggest that the location of main shock and aftershocks are controlled by the resistivity structure. In order to study the deep extension characteristics of the East Kunlun Fault and the distribution of the medium properties within the fault zone, we carried out a MT exploration study across the Tazang section of the East Kunlun Fault in 2016. The profile in this study crosses the Jiuzhaigou earthquake region. Other two MT profiles that cross the Maqu section of East Kunlun Fault performed by previous researches are also collected. Phase tensor decomposition is used in this paper to analyze the dimensionality and the change in resistivity with depth. The structure of Songpan-Ganzi block is simple from deep to shallow. The structure of West Qinlin orogenic zone is complex in the east and simple in the west. The structure near the East Kunlun Fault is complex. We use 3D inversion to image the three MT profiles and obtained 3D electrical structure along three profiles. The root-mean-square misfit of inversions is 2.60 and 2.70. Our results reveal that in the tightened northwest part of the horsetail structure, the East Kunlun Fault, the Bailongjiang Fault, and the Guanggaishan-Dieshan Fault are electrical boundaries that dip to the southwest. The three faults combine in the mid-lower crust to form a "flower structure" that expands from south to north. In the southeastward spreading part of the horsetail structure, the north section of the Huya Fault is an electrical boundary that extends deep. The Tazang Fault has obvious smaller scale than the Huya Fault. The Minjiang Fault is an electrical boundary in the upper crust. The Huya Fault and the Tazang Fault form a one-side flower structure. The Bailongjiang and the Guanggaishan-Dieshan Fault form a "flower structure" that expands from south to north too. The two "flower structures" combine in the high conductivity layer of mid-lower crust. In Songpan-Ganzi block, there is a three-layer structure where the second layer is a high conductivity layer. In the West Qinling orogenic zone, there is a similar structure with the Songpan-Ganzi block, but the high conductivity layer in the West Qinling orogenic zone is shallower than the high conductivity layer in the Songpan-Ganzi block. The hypocenter of 2017 M_S7.0 Jiuzhaigou earthquake is between the high and low resistivity bodies at the shallow northeastern boundary of the high conductivity layer. The low resistivity body is prone to move and deform. The high resistivity body blocked the movement of low resistivity body. Such a structure and the movement mode cause the uplift near the East Kunlun Fault. The electrical structure and rheological structure of Jiuzhaigou earthquake region suggest that the focal depth of the earthquake is less than 11km. The Huya Fault extends deeper than the Tazang Fault. The seismogenic fault of the 2017 Jiuzhaigou earthquake is the Huya Fault. The high conductivity layer is deep in the southwest and shallow in the northeast, which indicates that the northeast movement of Tibetan plateau is the cause of the 2017 Jiuzhaigou earthquake.     

Modeling a Large-Scale Historic Aquifer Test: Insight into the Hydrogeology of a Regional Fault Zone

Faults can act as flow barriers or conduits to groundwater flow by introducing heterogeneity in permeability. We examine the hydrogeology of the Sandwich Fault Zone, a 137 km long zone of high-angle faults in northern Illinois, using a large-scale historic aquifer test. The fault zone is poorly understood at depth due to the majority of the faults being buried by glacial deposits and its near-vertical orientation which limits geologic sampling across faults. The aquifer test—perhaps one of the largest in terms of overall withdrawal in North American history—was conducted in 1942 at a facility adjacent to the fault zone. More than 34,000 m³/day was pumped for 37 days from nine multiaquifer wells open to the stratified Cambrian-Ordovician sandstone aquifer system. We modeled the aquifer test using a transient MODFLOW-USG model and simulated pumping wells with the CLN package. We tested numerous fault core/damage zone conceptualizations and calibrated to drawdown values recorded at production and observation wells. Our analysis indicates that the fault zone is a low-permeability feature that inhibits lateral movement of groundwater and that there is at least an order of magnitude decrease in horizontal hydraulic conductivity in the fault core compared to the undeformed sandstone. Large head declines have occurred north of the fault zone (over 300 m since predevelopment conditions) and modifying fault zone parameters significantly affects calibration to regional drawdown on a decadal scale. The flow-barrier behavior of the fault zone has important implications for future groundwater availability in this highly stressed region.