An application of the time- and magnitude-predictable model to long-term earthquake prediction in eastern Anatolia

In order to estimate the recurrence intervals for large earthquakes occurring in eastern Anatolia, this region enclosed within the coordinates of 36^∘–42^∘N, 35^∘–45^∘E has been separated into nine seismogenic sources on the basis of certain seismological and geomorphological criteria, and a regional time- and magnitude-predictable model has been applied for these sources. This model implies that the magnitude of the preceding main shock which is the largest earthquake during a seismic excitation in a seismogenic source governs the time of occurrence and the magnitude of the expected main shock in this source. The data belonging to both the instrumental period (M_S≥ 5.5) until 2003 and the historical period (I₀≥ 9.0 corresponding to M_S≥ 7.0) before 1900 have been used in the analysis. The interevent time between successive main shocks with magnitude equal to or larger than a certain minimum magnitude threshold were considered in each of the nine source regions within the study area. These interevent times as well as the magnitudes of the main shocks have been used to determine the following relations:

Regression analysis of reported earthquake precursors. I. Presentation of data

Around 700 reported precursors of about 350 earthquakes, including the negative observations, have been compiled in 11 categories with 31 subdivisions. The data base is subjected to an initial sorting and screening by imposing three restrictions on the ranges of main shock magnitude (M≥4.0), precursory time (t≤20 years), and the epicentral distance of observation points (X _m≤4.10^0.3M ). Of the 31 subcategories of precursory phenomena, 18 with 9 data points or more are independently studied by regressing their precursory times against magnitude. The preliminary results tend to classify the precursors into three groups:

1. The precursors which show weak or no correlation between time and the magnitude of the eventual main shock. Examples of this group are foreshocks and precursory tilt.
2. The precursors which show clear scaling with magnitude. These include seismic velocity ratio (V _p/V_s), travel time delay, duration of seismic quiescence, and, to some degree, the variation ofb-value, and anomalous seismicity.
3. The precursors which display clustering of precursory times around a mean value, which differs for different precursors from a few hours to a few years. Examples include the conductivity rate, geoelectric current and potential, strain, water well level, geochemical anomalies, change of focal mechanism, and the enhancement of seismicity reported only for larger earthquakes. Some of the precursors in this category, such as leveling changes and the occurrence of microseismicity, show bimodal patterns of precursory times and may partially be coseismic.

In addition, each category with a sufficient number of reported estimates of distance and signal amplitude is subjected to multiple linear regression. The usefulness of these regressions at this stage appears to be limited to specifying which of the parameters shows a more significant correlation. Standard deviations of residuals of precursory time against magnitude are generally reduced when observation distance enters as a second independent variable. The effect is more pronounced for water well level and conductivity rate changes. While a substantial portion of the data seem to suffer from personal bias, hence should be regarded as noise, the observations of a number of strain sensitive phenomena such as strain, water well level, and conductivity rate changes, appear to be internally more consistent. For instance, their precursory times suggest a scaling relationship with the strain energy surface density associated with the main shock. The scaling is not identical for all three phenomena so that they may constitute the imminent, short- and intermediate-term manifestation of the same process, i.e. strain loading, respectively.     

Statistical features of aftershock distribution size for moderate and large earthquakes in Chinese mainland

Based on data of earthquake sequences with MS≥5.0 in Chinese mainland from 1970 to 2004,for different se-quence types and different rupture modes of the main shock,the relationship between aftershock distribution size Rand the magnitude of the main shock M0 has been studied statistically.Considering the rupture mode of the mainshock,we give the quantitative statistical relationships between R and M0 under 95%confidence level for differentsequence types.Qualitatively,lgR,the logarithm of the aftershock distribution size,is positively correlative to theM0,but the data distribution is dispersed.Viewing from different sequence types,the correlation between R and M0is very weak for isolated earthquake type(IET)sequence,R distributes in the range from 5 to 60 km;For main-shock-aftershock type(MAT),lgR is positively correlative to M0;For multiple main shock type(MMT),the core-lation between lgR and M0 is not very obvious when M0≤6.2 and R distributes in the range from 5 to 70 km,whileit shows a linear correlation when M0≥6.3.The statistical results also show that the occupational ratios of differentsequence types for strike-slip and oblique slip are almost the same.But for dip-slip(mostly are thrust mechanisms),the ratio of MAT is higher than that of IET and MMT.Comparing with previous results,it indicates that,when M0is large enough,R is mainly determined by M0 and there is almost no relationship with the rupture mode of themain shock.     

P-wave spectra of the Füzesgyarmat, eastern Hungary earthquake sequence

On 29–30 September 1996, an earthquake sequence occurred in the Füzesgyarmat region in eastern Hungary. The main shock had a magnitude of M_L = 3.2 and was felt with a maximum intensity 4 MSK. It was preceded by a foreshock with a magnitude of M_L = 2.8 and was followed, within six hours, by five aftershocks with magnitudes 2.1M_L 3.1. The dynamic source parameters of the Füzesgyarmat earthquake sequence have been derived from P-wave spectra of the Hungarian seismograph stations. The average of the obtained values at different stations shows that the main shock occurred on a fault length of 610 m, with relative displacement of 1.13 cm, stress drop of 7 bar and seismic moment of 3.96*10₂₁ dyne.cm. The main shock was small to yield data for a full mechanism solution and no reliable single fault plane solution could be obtained due to the low signal to noise ratio at the recording stations. The parameters of the foreshock are fault length of 560m, seismic moment of 2.09*10₂₁ dyne.cm, stress drop of 5.53 bar and relative displacement of 0.73 cm. The five aftershocks show source parameters similar to the foreshock stress drops (5.26 5.76 bar), fault lengths (415 L 600 m), seismic moments (8.36*10²⁰ M_o 2.31*10₂₁ dyne.cm) and relative displacements (0.52 0.91 cm).     

Strong motion records and synthetic isoseismals of the Pyrgos,Peloponnisos, Southern Greece,Earthquake Sequence of March 26, 1993

In this work, several seismological observations are presented in order to explain characteristic features of the earthquake sequence which occurred in March 1993 in southwestern Greece, very close to the city of Pyrgos.Fault plane solutions of the largest fore- and aftershocks and the main shock, as well as the directions at which the maximum ground accelerations were recorded suggest that this earthquake sequence has been developed by rupturing three distinct focal planes with different focal mechanisms. The first focal plane, located in the off-shore area, strikes NW-SE, dips SE and includes most of the foreshock activity. The foreshock activity migrated to the northeastern part of the city of Pyrgos and took place on planes with a predominant direction NE-SW. The main shock ofM _x =5.5 occurred in a focal plane located between the two above-mentioned areas. Strong motion records of significant shocks of the sequence show peak acceleration values on components consistent with the relevant fault plane solutions.Furthermore, the observed macroseismic field has been compared with synthetic isoseismals computed by using a certain velocity model and the focal mechanism parameters of the main shock.     

2010年玉树地震序列ML≥4.0事件震源机制解特征分析

采用CAP方法反演2010年玉树7.1级地震序列前震、主震及余震19个M_L≥4.0事件的震源机制解,19个结果以走滑类型为主,前震、主震的震源机制解十分接近,反映出前震、主震之间密切的联系;震源深度集中在7~12 km,震源最浅（4.5 km）与最深（34 km）的两个余震事件具有明显的逆冲性质,表现出明显的边界特征;19个事件的震中分布在甘孜-玉树断裂北支玉树-隆宝断裂上,目前已经证明该断裂即为玉树地震的发震构造。自SE-NW沿玉树-隆宝断裂走向拉一剖面,观察震源深度沿剖面的变化情况,可看出玉树-隆宝断裂西北段震源深度要大于东南段,该段主要是余震活动的中后期,因此在地震活动的中后期,余震向地壳深部扩展,断裂累积的应变能得到更进一步的释放;P轴方位角优势分布集中在220°~230°,T轴方位优势分布集中在310°~320°,两个优势分布互相垂直性与单个事件的沙滩球应力轴一样,说明玉树地震的震源机制解类型较为简单;玉树周边地区应力场分布比较均匀,并不像汶川周边地区那么复杂,本次玉树地震为巴颜喀拉地块与羌塘块体边界处甘孜-玉树断裂应变能量的正常释放。     

The Polar Cap (PC) indices: Relations to solar wind parameters and global magnetic activity

The polar geomagnetic activity resulting from solar wind–magnetosphere interactions can be characterized the Polar Cap (PC) indices, PCN and PCS. PC index values are derived from polar magnetic variations calibrated on a statistical basis such that the index approximate values in units of mV/m of the interplanetary “geo-effective” (or “merging”) electric field (E_M) conveyed by the solar wind. The timing and amplitude relations of the PC index to solar wind plasma and magnetic field parameters are reported. The solar wind effects are parameterized in terms of the geo-effective electric field (E_M) and the dynamical pressure (P_DYN). The PC index has a delayed and damped response to E_M variations and display saturation-like effects for E_M values exceeding 10 mV/m. Steady or slowly varying levels of solar wind dynamical pressure have little or no impact on the PC index above the effects related to E_M for which the solar wind velocity is also a factor. Sharp increases in the dynamical pressure generate impulsive variations in the PC index comprising a initial negative impulse of 5–10 min duration followed by a positive impulse lasting 10–20 min. Typical amplitudes of both the negative and the positive impulses are 0.2–0.5 units. A sharp decrease in the pressure produces the inverse sequence of pulses in the PC index. Auroral substorm activity represented by the AL index level has a marked influence on the average PC/E_M level at the transition from very quiet (AL0 nT) to disturbed conditions while more or less disturbed conditions (AL<−100 nT) have no systematic effect on the average PC/E_M values. At distinct substorm events the PC/E_M ratio has a minimum (0.8) in the pre-onset phase at around 20 min before substorm onset. The average ratio gradually increases in the expansion phase to reach a maximum value (1.1) at around 40 min after substorm onset (or 20 min after the largest (negative) peak in AL). At substorm recovery during the next 2 h the PC/E_M ratio decreases. Finally, we report on the application of polar magnetic variations to model the disturbance storm time (Dst) index development during magnetic storms by using the PC index as a source function to quantify the energy input to the ring current representing accumulated storm energy and characterized by the Dst index.     

The 2014 Kefalonia Doublet (<Emphasis Type="Italic">M</Emphasis><Subscript>W</Subscript>6.1 and <Emphasis Type="Italic">M</Emphasis><Subscript>W</Subscript>6.0), Central Ionian Islands,Greece: Seismotectonic Implications along the Kefalonia Transform Fault Zone

The 2014 Kefalonia earthquake sequence started on 26 January with the first main shock (M_W6.1) and aftershock activity extending over 35 km, much longer than expected from the causative fault segment. The second main shock (M_W6.0) occurred on 3 February on an adjacent fault segment, where the aftershock distribution was remarkably sparse, evidently encouraged by stress transfer of the first main shock. The aftershocks from the regional catalog were relocated using a 7-layer velocity model and station residuals, and their distribution evidenced two adjacent fault segments striking almost N-S and dipping to the east, in full agreement with the centroid moment tensor solutions, constituting segments of the Kefalonia Transform Fault (KTF). The KTF is bounded to the north by oblique parallel smaller fault segments, linking KTF with its northward continuation, the Lefkada Fault.     

Surface fault traces,fault plane solution and spatial distribution of the aftershocks of the September 13, 1986 earthquake of Kalamata (Southern Greece)

A shallow earthquake ofM _S=6.2 occurred in the southern part of the Peloponnesus, 12 km north of the port of the city of Kalamata, which caused considerable damage. The fault plane solution of the main shock, geological data and field observations, as well as the distribution of foci of aftershocks, indicate that the seismic fault is a listric normal one trending NNE-SSW and dipping to WNW. The surface ruptures caused by the earthquake coincide with the trace of a neotectonic fault, which is located 2–3 km east of the city of Kalamata and which is related to the formation of Messiniakos gulf during the Pliocene-Quaternary tectonics. Field observations indicate that the earthquake is due to the reactivation of the same fault.A three-days aftershock study in the area, with portable seismographs, recorded many aftershocks of which 39 withM _S1.7 were very well located. The distribution of aftershocks forms two clusters, one near the epicenter of the main shock in the northern part of the seismogenic volume, and the other near the epicenter of the largest aftershock (M _S=5.4) in the southern part of this volume. The central part of the area lacks aftershocks, which probably indicates that this is the part of the fault which slipped smoothly during the earthquake.     

Test of the Empirical Green's Function Deconvolution on Vrancea (Romania) Subcrustal Earthquakes

Vrancea is one of the few singular seismic regions of the world where intermediate-depth earthquakes are permanently generated (around 10 events/month with M _L > 3) within an extremely confined focal volume. This particularity and the relatively large number of short-period waveforms recorded by the Romanian local network provides us the opportunity to test the performance of the empirical Green's function technique in retrieving the source time function and source directivity of the Vrancea earthquakes. Three earthquakes that occurred on March 11, 1983 (M _L = 5.4), April 12, 1983 (M _L = 5.1) and August 7, 1984 (M _L = 5.1) in the lower part of the subducting lithosphere (h 150 km) were analyzed. A set of 28 adjacent events (3.0 < M _L < 4.4) which occurred between 1981 and 1997 were selected as corresponding empirical Green's functions. To test the confidence of the retrieved source time function, we compare the deconvolved pulses using Green's functions of different sizes and recorded simultaneously by short-period and broad-band instruments. Our tests show that the durations of the source time function is well-constrained and is not affected by the limited frequency range of the short-period instruments, or by the relative difference in the focal mechanism between the main event and Green's event. The apparent duration of the source time function outlines source directivity effects, and when these effects are sufficiently strong, they can identify the real fault plane. Relatively short source duration and correspondingly high stress drop values are in agreement with other previous results emphasizing a specific seismic regime in the lower part of the Vrancea subducting lithosphere.     

Seismic risk of circum-Pacific earthquakes: II. Extreme values using Gumbel's third distribution and the relationship with strain energy release

In a previous paper (Makropoulos andBurton, 1983) the seismic risk of the circum-Pacific belt was examined using a whole process technique reduced to three representative parameters related to the physical release of strain energy, these are:M ₁, the annual modal magnitude determined using the Gutenberg-Richter relationship;M ₂, the magnitude equivalent to the total strain energy release rate per annum, andM ₃, the upper bound magnitude equivalent to the maximum strain energy release in a region.The risk analysis is extended here using the part process statistical model of Gumbel's IIIrd asymptotic distribution of extreme values. The circum-Pacific is chosen being a complete earthquake data set, and the stability postulate on which asymptotic distributions of extremes are deduced to give similar results to those obtained from whole process or exact distributions of extremes is successfully checked. Additionally, when Gumbel III asymptotic distribution curve fitting is compared with Gumbel I using reduced chi-squared it is seen to be preferable in all cases and it also allows extensions to an upper-bounded range of magnitude occurrences. Examining the regional seismicity generates several seismic risk results, for example, the annual mode for all regions is greater thanm(1)=7.0, with the maximum being in the Japan, Kurile, Kamchatka region atm(1)=7.6. Overall, the most hazardous areas are situated in this northwestern region and also diagonally opposite in the southeastern circum-Pacific. Relationships are established between the Gumbel III parameters and quantitiesm ₁(1),X ₂ and , quantities notionally similar toM ₁,M ₂ andM ₃ although is shown to be systematically larger thanM; thereby giving a physical link through strain energy release to seismic risk statistics. Inall regions of the circum-Pacific similar results are obtained forM ₁,M ₂ andM ₃ and the notionally corresponding statistical quantitiesm ₁(1),X ₂ and , demonstrating that the relationships obtained are valid over a wide range of seismotectonic enviroments.     

A Preliminary Analysis of the Seismogenic Structure of the Akto MS6.7 Earthquake Sequence on November 25, 2016

In this study,data from the Xinjiang regional network and IRIS shared global stations are used to relocate the Akto M_S6. 7 earthquake sequence on November 25,2016 by using double difference location method. Three earthquakes of M_S4. 8,M_S6. 7 and M_S5. 0 are inverted by using the g CAP method,and the focal mechanism solutions are obtained.According to the results of relocating,the location of the main shock is 39. 22°N,73. 98°E,the distribution of the earthquake sequence is about 70 km in length,and the focal depth is mainly within the range of 5-20 km. The plane and depth profiles of the earthquake sequence show that aftershocks extended in SEE direction after the main shock and the dip angle of fault plane is steep. Focal mechanism results show that the three earthquakes are characterized by strike-slip movement. Based on the results of field geological investigation,it is inferred that the seismogenic fault of the Akto earthquake is Muji fault,which is located at the northernmost end of the Kongur extensional system.The possible cause of this earthquake is that the Indian Plate continues to push northward,and during this compression process,the Indian Plate is affected by the clockwise rotation of the Tarim basin,which causes the accumulation of right-lateral action of the Muji fault,resulting in this earthquake.     

Case 25 application of the concentration parameter of seismoactive faults to Southern California

In this paper we evaluate the present state of the seismic regime in Southern California using the concentration parameter of seismogenic faults (K _sf ,Sobolev andZavyalov, 1981). The purpose of this work is to identify potential sites for large earthquakes during the next five or ten years. The data for this study derived from the California Institute of Technology's catalog of southern California earthquakes, and spanned the period between 1932 to June 1982. We examined events as small asM _L 1.8 but used a magnitude cutoff atM _L =3.3 for a detailed analysis. The size of the target earthquakes (M _M ) was chosen as 5.3 and 5.8.The algorithm for calculatingK _sf used here was improved over the algorithm described bySobolev andZavyalov (1981) in that it considered the seismic history of each elementary seismoactive volume. The dimensions of the elementary seismoactive volumes were 50 km×50 km and 20 km deep. We found that the mean value ofK _sf within 6 months prior to the target events was 6.1±2.0 for target events withM _L 5.3 and 5.41.8 for targets withM _L 5.8. Seventy-three percent of the targets withM _L 5.8 occurred in areas whereK _sf was less than 6.1. The variance of the time between the appearance of areas with lowK _sf values and the following main shocks was quite large (from a few months to ten years) so this parameter cannot be used here for accurate predictions of occurrence time.Regions where the value ofK _sf was below 6.1 at the end of our data set (June, 1982) are proposed as the sites of target earthquakes during the next five to ten years. The most dangerous area is the area east of San Bernardino whereK _sf values are presently between 2.9 and 3.7 and where there has been no earthquake withM _L 5.3 since 1948.     

A catalog of aftershock sequences in Greece (1971–1997): Their spatial and temporal characteristics

A complete catalog of aftershock sequences is provided for main earthquakes with M_L 5.0, which occurred in the area of Greece and surrounding regions the last twenty-seven years. The Monthly Bulletins of the Institute of Geodynamics (National Observatory of Athens) have been used as data source. In order to get a homogeneous catalog, several selection criteria have been applied and hence a catalog of 44 aftershock sequences is compiled. The relations between the duration of the sequence, the number of aftershocks, the magnitude of the largest aftershock and its delay time from the main shock as well as the subsurface rupture length versus the magnitude of the main shock are calculated. The results show that linearity exists between the subsurface rupture length and the magnitude of the main shock independent of the slip type, as well as between the magnitude of the main shock (M) and its largest aftershock (Ma). The mean difference M–Ma is almost one unit. In the 40% of the analyzed sequences, the largest aftershock occurred within one day after the main shock.The fact that the aftershock sequences show the same behavior for earthquakes that occur in the same region supports the theory that the spatial and temporal characteristics are strongly related to the stress distribution of the fault area.     

Statistical assessment of seismicity patterns in Italy: Are they precursors of subsequent events?

The variations of seismicity rate in Central Apenninesprior to the sequence started in September, 1997 (at00:33 UTC, M _L5.6) has been analysedby statistical methods, with the purpose of pointingup eventual periods of quiescence. The analysis wascarried out on the instrumental catalogue of theIstituto Nazionale di Geofisica (ING), covering theperiod from January 1975 to March 1998. In apreliminary phase, the catalogue was declustered usingthe Reasenberg algorithm. After that, eventualmagnitude shifts due to variations in the modalitiesof observation have been individuated and corrected.The subsequent analysis, carried out making use of theZmap software package, has put in evidence thatthe sequence of September 1997 was preceded bya 2.5 year period characterised by absence of eventsof magnitude larger than 3.2, in an area approximately20 × 40 km wide, including the epicentre of themain shock. The statistical methodology shows thatonly 1/10³ of the space-time volumes analysed inthis study, exhibited quiescence of the same level.The study of seismicity rate change correlated toprevious main shocks in a larger area of CentralApennines shows that none of them were preceded by aseismic quiescence, specially close to the epicentreof the main shock, and lasting until the time ofoccurrence of the main shock as in the 1997 case.Actually, we found other patterns of precursoryquiescence with different time or space distribution.We conclude that precursory quiescence is a realfeature of Central Apennines seismicity, but it isdifficult to define a simple hypothesis, which appliesto the generality of cases and can be tested beforeimplementation in a system of earthquake riskmitigation.     

Self-organized Fractal Seismicity of Reservoir Triggered Earthquakes in the Koyna-Warna Seismic Zone,Western India

— Analysis of the Koyna-Warna earthquake catalog (1968–1996) shows that on an average there is a positive correlation between the b value (decrease) and fractal dimensions (decrease in both D₂^s and D₂^t) of earthquake epicenters 0.5 and 2.5 years prior to 1973 (M5.2) and 1980 (M5.5) events, respectively, except a negative correlation for about five years (1988–1993) prior to the 1993/1994 sequence (M5.4). This positive correlation indicates a weaker clustering, or that the epicenters tend to fill the two-dimensional plane. While the origin of the negative correlation seems to be that during periods of large events (low b value), there is strong clustering around the main shock epicenter (high fractal dimension). Interestingly, during the last year (1995–1996) of the studied period both the b value and correlation dimensions rose significantly, suggesting that stress release occurs through increased levels of low magnitude and increasingly scattered seismicity, suggesting an increased risk of larger magnitude events. Incidentally, during 2000 three earthquakes of magnitude M 5.0, one earthquake of M 4.0, 45 earthquakes of magnitude M 3.0–3.9, and several thousand earthquakes of M < 3 have occurred in the region. Thus it can be inferred that at local scales the relationship yields both positive and negative correlation that appears to be controlled by different modes of failure within the active fault complex.Acknowledgement. The authors are grateful to Dr. B.K. Rastogi of NGRI for providing the catalog of Koyna earthquakes and for useful scientific discussions. The comments of Dr. I. G. Main have improved the quality of paper for which we extend to him our sincere thanks. One of the authors (AOM) thanks the Third World Academy of Science and the Council of Scientific and Industrial Research, India for the Postdoctoral Fellowship award under which this work was carried out.     

The reservoir-associated earthquakes of April 1983 in western Thailand: Source modeling and implications for induced seismicity

On 22 April 1983, a very large area of Thailand and part of Burma were strongly shaken by a rare earthquake (m _b=5.8,M _s=5.9). The epicenter was located at the Srinagarind reservoir about 190 km northwest of Bangkok, a relatively stable continental region that experienced little previous seismicity. The main shock was preceded by some foreshocks and followed by numerous aftershocks. The largest foreshock ofm _b=5.2 occurred 1 week before the main shock, and the largest aftershock ofm _b=5.3 took place about 3 hours after the main shock. Focal mechanisms of the three largest events in this earthquake sequence have been studied by other seismologists using firts-motion data. However, the solutions for the main shock and the largest aftershock showed significant inconsistency with known surface geology and regional tectonics. We reexamined the mechanisms of these three events by using teleseismicP-andS-waveforms and through careful readings ofP-wave first motions. The directions of theP axes in our study range from NNW-SSE to NNE-SSW, and nodal planes strike in the NW-SE to about E-W in agreement with regional tectonics and surface geology. The main shock mechanism strikes 255°, dips 48°, and slips 63.5°. The fault motions during the main shock and the foreshock are mainly thrust, while the largest aftershock has a large strike-slip component. The seismic moment and the stress drop of the mainshock are determined to be 3.86×10²⁴ dyne-cm and 180 bars, respectively. The occurrence of these thrust events appears to correlate with the unloading of the Srinagarind reservoir. The focal depths of the largest foreshock, the main shock, and the largest aftershock are determined to be 5.4 km, 8 km, and 22.7 km, respectively, from waveform modeling and relative location showing a downward migration of hypocenters of the three largest events during the earthquake sequence. Other characteristics of this reservoir-induced earthquake sequence are also discussed.     

2020年云南巧家MS5.0地震微震检测及发震构造初步探讨

利用匹配定位方法对2020年5月18日云南巧家Ms5.0地震震后24h震源附近台站.记录的连续波形进行遗漏地震扫描和定位,共识别出327个地震事件,约为台网目录的2.4倍,最小完整震级由最初的ML1.9降至ML1.1.随后,依据最新目录计算了震后震源区的b值,并结合余震展布形态,初步分析此次地震发震构造.研究结果显示,...     

Effect of an earthquake occurrence on the flow intensity of the subsequent events

Aftershocks or swarms indicate increase of the flow intensity in the vicinity of the initial earthquakes. By normalizing their number according to the dynamic range of the standard frequency magnitude distribution the increase or positive aftereffect property of the initial earthquakes can be compared for different magnitude intervals, periods of time or regions. After applying accurate formal algorithm of aftershock identification it is possible to study negative aftereffect of the main events (nonaftershocks) in the catalog.Negative aftereffect means decrease of the probability of successive events in a time-space vicinity of the main event, when the aftershocks are over. The negative effect is the most important part of the seismic cycle and seismic gaps approach. Global statistical test give high confidence level for the relative decrease in intensity of the flow of the events withM7 in the first 20–25 years after the events withM8 in their 1^o-vicinities in the total time period under study of approximately 60 years. The decrease approximates 32% of the undisturbed intensity of the flow ofM>7 events in the vicinities.Self-similar negative aftereffect was observed 3–7 years after 6M<7 events, it totals approximately 18% of the undisturbed intensity. Another type of self-similarity of seismic regime, with respect to the negative aftereffect, is the decrease of probabilities of aftershocks with large magnitudes in aftershock sequences. When we have adequate dynamic range in the catalog for the study of this property, for example, for main events withM7 in the catalog with low cut-off limitM=4, the statistical significance of the negative aftereffect is clear. However, the absolute value of the effect is also rather small, about 10%, which means that in 90% of the cases the aftershock sequences do not experience lack of energy due to the main shock energy release and follow a standard magnitude distribution for earthquakes in the entire catalog.The small values of the negative aftereffect apparently indicate partial stress relase by earthquakes and may explain short recurrence time intervals after major earthquakes observed periodically in different places.     

Mechanics of seismic instabilities induced by the recovery of hydrocarbons

We review earthquake distributions associated with hydrocarbon fields in the context of pore pressure diffusion models, poroelastic stress transfer and isostasy theory. These three mechanisms trigger or induce seismic instabilities at both local scale (D5 km) and at regional scale (D20 km). The modeled changes in stress are small (1 MPa), whatever the tectonic setting. Each mechanism corresponds to different production processes. (1) Local hydraulic fracturing due to fluid injection induces seismic-slip on cracks (M _L3) within the injected reservoir through decreasing the effective stress. (2) Pure fluid withdrawal causes pore pressure to decrease within the reservoir. It triggers adjustments of the geological structure to perturbations related to the reservoir response to depletion. Poroelastic mechanisms transfer this stress change from the reservoir to the surrounding levels whereM _L5 seismic instabilities occur either above or below the reservoir. (3) Massive hydrocarbon recovery induces crustal readjustments due to the removal of load from the upper crust. It can induce larger earthquakes (M _L6) at greater distance from the hydrocarbon fields than the two other mechanisms.Due to the mechanical properties of the shallow rock matrices involved, seismic slip triggered either by mechanism (1) or (2), is a second-order process of the main elastoplastic deformation. for a minimum of 80% of commercially productive basins, most of the local deformation is reported as aseismic, i.e., there is no evidence forM _L3 earthquakes. Nevertheless, the induced stresses vary as a function of time in a manner that depends on the hydraulic diffusivity (i.e., permeability) of the reservoir and surrounding rocks. Because small earthquakes (M _L3) indicate changes in stress and pore pressure, monitoring of seismicity is a means of assessingin situ reservoir behavior.The less constrained seismic response to hydrocarbon recovery is the possible connection between local fluid manipulations, triggered earthquakes and major regional earthquakes. Positive feedback mechanisms suggest that the region of seismic hazard changes is much larger than the area where hydrocarbons are extracted. These observations and models testify that fluid movement and pore pressure changes (increase or decrease) play important roles in the mechanics of earthquakes and in the triggering of natural earthquakes.