Hydrogeologic Controls on Induced Seismicity in Crystalline Basement Rocks Due to Fluid Injection into Basal Reservoirs

A series of M_b 3.8–5.5 induced seismic events in the midcontinent region, United States, resulted from injection of fluid either into a basal sedimentary reservoir with no underlying confining unit or directly into the underlying crystalline basement complex. The earthquakes probably occurred along faults that were likely critically stressed within the crystalline basement. These faults were located at a considerable distance (up to 10 km) from the injection wells and head increases at the hypocenters were likely relatively small (～70–150 m). We present a suite of simulations that use a simple hydrogeologic‐geomechanical model to assess what hydrogeologic conditions promote or deter induced seismic events within the crystalline basement across the midcontinent. The presence of a confining unit beneath the injection reservoir horizon had the single largest effect in preventing induced seismicity within the underlying crystalline basement. For a crystalline basement having a permeability of 2 × 10^?17 m² and specific storage coefficient of 10^?7/m, injection at a rate of 5455 m³/d into the basal aquifer with no underlying basal seal over 10 years resulted in probable brittle failure to depths of about 0.6 km below the injection reservoir. Including a permeable (k_z = 10^?13 m²) Precambrian normal fault, located 20 m from the injection well, increased the depth of the failure region below the reservoir to 3 km. For a large permeability contrast between a Precambrian thrust fault (10^?12 m²) and the surrounding crystalline basement (10^?18 m²), the failure region can extend laterally 10 km away from the injection well.     

Seismicity characteristics of a potentially active Quaternary volcano: The Tatun Volcano Group, northern Taiwan

The Tatun Volcano Group (TVG) is located at the northern tip of Taiwan, near the capital Taipei and close to two nuclear power plants. Because of lack of any activity in historical times it has been classified as an extinct volcano, even though more recent studies suggest that TVG might have been active during the last 20 ka. In May 2003 a seismic monitoring project at the TVG area was initiated by deploying eight three-component seismic stations some of them equipped with both short-period and broadband sensors. During the 18 months observation period local seismicity mainly consisted of high frequency earthquakes either occurring as isolated events, or as a continuous sequence in the form of spasmodic bursts. Mixed and low frequency events were also present during the same period, even though they occurred only rarely. Arrival times from events with clear P-/S-wave phases were inverted in order to obtain a minimum 1D velocity model with station corrections. Probabilistic nonlinear earthquake locations were calculated for all these events using the newly derived velocity model. Most high frequency seismicity appeared to be concentrated near the areas of hydrothermal activity, forming tight clusters at depths shallower than 4 km. Relative locations, calculated using the double-difference method and utilising catalogue and cross-correlation differential traveltimes, showed insignificant differences when compared to the nonlinear probabilistic locations. In general, seismicity in the TVG area seems to be primarily driven by circulation of hydrothermal fluids as indicated by the occurrence of spasmodic bursts, mixed/low frequency events and a b-value (1.17 ± 0.1) higher than in any other part of Taiwan. These observations, that are similar to those reported in other dormant Quaternary volcanoes, indicate that a magma chamber may still exist beneath TVG and that a future eruption or period of unrest should not be considered unlikely.     

Seismicity parameters for important urban agglomerations in India

India’s urban population has increased in the recent times. An earthquake near an urban agglomeration has the potential to cause severe damage. In this article, seismicity parameters for region surrounding important urban agglomerations in India are estimated. A comprehensive earthquake catalogue for the region (6°E–42°E latitude and 60°N–100°N longitude) including historic and pre-historic events has been compiled from various sources. To estimate the parameters, past earthquake data in a control region of radius 300 km has been assembled to quantify the seismicity around each urban agglomeration. The collected earthquake data is first evaluated for its completeness. From combined (historical and instrumental) data, the seismicity parameters b-value, seismic activity rate, λ and maximum expected magnitude (m _max ) have been obtained from the methodology proposed by Kijko and Graham (1998). The obtained activity rates indicate that region surrounding Guwahati urban agglomeration is the most seismically active region followed by Srinagar, Patna, Amritsar and Chandigarh.     

重庆荣昌诱发地震区精细速度结构及2010年ML5.1地震序列精确定位

Based on data collected from a temporal seismic network, and in addition to the data from some nearby permanent stations, we investigate the velocity structure and seismicity in the Rongchang gas field, where significant injection-induced seismicity has been identified. First, we use receiver functions from distant earthquakes to invert detailed 1-D velocity structures beneath typical stations. Then, we use the double-difference hypocenter location method to re-locate earthquakes of the 2010 ML5.1 earthquake sequence that occurred in the region. The re-located hypocenters show that the 2010 ML5.1 earthquake sequence was distributed in a small area surrounding major injection wells and clustered mostly along pre-existing faults. Major earthquakes show a focal depth less than 5km with a dominant depth of ～2km, a depth of major reservoirs and injection wells. We thus conclude that the 2010 ML 5.1 earthquake sequence might have been induced by the deep well injection of unwanted water at a depth ～3km in the Rongchang gas field.     

重庆荣昌诱发地震区精细速度结构及2010年M_L5.1地震序列精确定位

根据重庆市地震台网和流动地震台网记录到的天然地震资料,利用接收函数反演得到荣昌地区的精细一维速度结构。在此基础上用双差定位法对2010年9月10日重庆荣昌M_L5.1地震序列进行了精定位。结果表明,地震定位精度得到极大提高,震中分布与区域地质构造的关系更加清晰。多数地震集中在主要断层附近并呈条带状分布,震源深度集中在2km附近,与主要储藏层及注水井深度吻合,初步认为该地震序列为注水活动所诱发的构造地震活动。文中获得的精准的速度结构及地震空间分布对于进一步深入研究震区深部地质构造特征、注水诱发地震的机理等具有重要意义。     

Seismicity of the southern Siberian platform: Spatiotemporal characteristics and genesis

Analysis of instrumental data on earthquakes of 1960–2005 in the Irkutsk amphitheater shows that the majority of the earthquakes form a wide (150–300 km) band of diffuse seismicity along the marginal suture of the Siberian platform. In accordance with established regular spatiotemporal patterns of the distribution of earthquakes, this band belongs to the Sayan-Baikal seismic belt, associated with the destruction process at the boundary of large lithospheric blocks. The band is located on the northern periphery of the belt and, the deformable substrate being highly monolithic, this sharply weakens the seismicity within the band. Because of the tectonic origin of earthquakes in such a vast platform territory, undoubted evidence for induced seismicity around the Angara cascade reservoirs, and the intense economic development of the region, the problem of seismic hazard in the southern Siberian platform should be regarded as one of the most significant objects of geodynamic research.     

Seismicity of Morocco for the Period 1987–1994

— A seismic data file of 3,740 earthquakes from January 1987 to December 1994 has been elaborated for Morocco and the border regions, with 10 main events registering magnitudes from 5 to 5.6. Such seismicity is particularly important for Morocco as the released seismic energy constitutes a considerable part of the total energy radiated during the 20th century. Relative seismicity maps confirm the persistence of the major features of the seismicity of Morocco. An important seismic activity is observed in the Alboran region continental crust, which absorbs the maximum deformation resulting from the convergence of the African and Iberian plates. However, in the longitude window 3.5°– 6° W at depths of 25 to 50 km, a seismic gap zone seems to take place. An explanation of this phenomenon may be provided by the slab breakoff model. Even if the seismicity of Morocco remains moderate, heavy damage is observed when the magnitude of earthquakes exceeds 4.5, especially in the case of traditional buildings.     

Coal Mining Induced Seismicity in the Ruhr Area, Germany

Over the last 25 years mining-induced seismicity in the Ruhr area has continuously been monitored by the Ruhr-University Bochum. About 1,000 seismic events with local magnitudes between 0.7 ≤ M _L ≤ 3.3 are located every year. For example, 1,336 events were located in 2006. General characteristics of induced seismicity in the entire Ruhr area are spatial and temporal correlation with mining activity and a nearly constant energy release per unit time. This suggests that induced stresses are released rapidly by many small events. The magnitude–frequency distribution follows a Gutenberg–Richter relation which is a result from combining distributions of single longwalls that themselves show large variability. A high b-value of about 2 was found indicating a lack of large magnitude events. Local analyses of single longwalls indicate that various factors such as local geology and mine layout lead to significant differences in seismicity. Stress redistribution acts very locally since differences on a small scale of some hundreds of meters are observed. A regional relation between seismic moment M ₀ and local magnitude M _L was derived. The magnitude–frequency distribution of a single longwall in Hamm was studied in detail and shows a maximum at M _L = 1.4 corresponding to an estimated characteristic source area of about 2,200 m². Sandstone layers in the hanging or foot wall of the active longwall might fail in these characteristic events. Source mechanisms can mostly be explained by shear failure of two different types above and below the longwall. Fault plane solutions of typical events are consistent with steeply dipping fracture planes parallel to the longwall face and nearly vertical dislocation in direction towards the goaf. We also derive an empirical relation for the decay of ground velocity with epicenter distance and compare maximum observed ground velocity to local magnitude. This is of considerable public interest because about 30 events larger than M _L ≥ 1.2 are felt each month by people living in the mining regions. Our relations, for example, indicate that an event in Hamm with a peak ground velocity of 6 mm/s which corresponds to a local magnitude M _L between 1.7 and 2.3 is likely to be felt within about 2.3 km radius from the event.     

Olivine-spinel Phase Boundary Rheology, Strength and Deep Seismicity

In this paper,we discuss (1) whether a significant change in dominant creep mechanism will occur at 400 km discontinuity in some subducting slabs as a result of olivine-spinel phase transition;(2) could the result influence phase boundary strength and deep seismicity? Through this study,we noticed that a transition of creep mechanism from dislocation to diffusion (or superplasticity) could occur at the olivine-spinel phase boundary where temperature effect on phase transition dominates over pressure,which will result in a weakening phase boundary.Triggered by this phase transition weakening,a deep strong earthquake might be generated in the relatively strengthening region above the phase boundary so that the phase boundary is naturally the ceasing boundary of deep seismicity.Contrasting to this,the transition of the creep mechanism from dislocation glide to dislocation climb may be common at the phase boundary where pressure effect on phase transition dominates over temperature.In this case,olivine-spin     

Seismicity at the convergent plate boundary offshore Crete,Greece, observed by an amphibian network

We investigate microseismic activity at the convergent plate boundary of the Hellenic subduction zone on- and offshore south-eastern Crete with unprecedented precision using recordings from an amphibian seismic network. The network configuration consisted of up to eight ocean bottom seismometers as well as five temporary short-period and six permanent broadband stations on Crete and surrounding islands. More than 2,500 local and regional events with magnitudes up to M _L = 4.5 were recorded during the time period July 2003–June 2004. The magnitude of completeness varies between 1.5 on Crete and adjacent areas and increases to 2.5 in the vicinity of the Strabo trench 100 km south of Crete. Tests with different localization schemes and velocity models showed that the best results were obtained from a probabilistic earthquake localization using a 1-D velocity model and corresponding station corrections obtained by simultaneous inversion. Most of the seismic activity is located offshore of central and eastern Crete and interpreted to be associated with the intracrustal graben system (Ptolemy and Pliny trenches). Furthermore, a significant portion of events represents interplate seismicity along the NNE-ward dipping plate interface. The concentration of seismicity along the Ptolemy and Pliny trenches extends from shallow depths down to the plate interface and indicates active movement. We propose that both trenches form transtensional structures within the Aegean plate. The Aegean continental crust between these two trenches is interpreted as a forearc sliver as it exhibits only low microseismic activity during the observation period and little or no internal deformation. Interplate seismicity between the Aegean and African plates forms a 100-km wide zone along dip from the Strabo trench in the south to the southern shore-line of Crete in the north. The seismicity at the plate contact is randomly distributed and no indications for locked zones were observed. The plate contact below and north of Crete shows no microseismic activity and seems to be decoupled. The crustal seismicity of the Aegean plate in this area is generally confined to the upper 20 km in agreement with the idea of a ductile deformation of the lower crust caused by a rapid return flow of metamorphic rocks that spread out below the forearc. In the region of the Messara half-graben at the south coast of central Crete, a southward dipping seismogenic structure is found that coalesces with the seismicity of the Ptolemy trench at a depth of about 20 km. The accretionary prism south of Crete indicated by the Mediterranean Ridge showed no seismic activity during the observation period and seems to be deforming aseismically.     

Seismicity changes related to a water injection experiment in the Nojima Fault Zone

Abstract A water injection experiment was carried out by the scientific drilling program named the 'Nojima Fault Zone Probe' during the two periods 9–13 February and 16–25 March 1997. The pumping pressure at the surface was approximately 4 MPa. The total amount of injected water was 258 m³. The injection was made between depths of 1480 m and 1670 m in the Disaster Prevention Research Institute, Kyoto University (DPRI) 1800 m borehole drilled into the Nojima Fault zone. A seismic observation network was deployed to monitor seismic activity related to the water injections. Seismicity suddenly increased in the region not far from the injection hole 4 or 5 days after the beginning of each water injection. These earthquakes were likely to be induced by the water injections. Most of the earthquakes had magnitudes ranging from −2 to +1. Numerous earthquakes occurred during the first injection, but only one could be reliably located and it was approximately 2 km north of the injection site. Between the two injection periods, earthquakes concentrated in the region approximately 1 km northwest of the injection site. During and after the second injection experiment, earthquakes were located approximately 1.5 km west of the injection site. Those earthquakes were located approximately 3 km or 4 km from the injection point and between 2 km and 4 km in depth. Values of intrinsic permeability of 10⁻¹⁴–10⁻¹⁵ m² were estimated from the time lapse of the induced seismic activity. The coefficient of friction in the area where the induced earthquakes occurred was estimated to be less than 0.3.     

Seismicity and water level variations in the Lake Aswan area in Egypt 1982–1997

The data described here are obtained from the continuous record of earthquakeactivity and lake water-level variation in the Lake Aswan area in Egypt between 1982 and 1997. The seismicity is monitored by a local telemetered seismograph network. The hypocentral parameters of earthquakes have been determined using Hypo71. The earthquake foci are distributed in two seismic zones, shallow and deep in the crust. Shallow events have focal depths of less than 10 km. Deep events extend from 10 to 30 km. The temporal sequence of seismicity iscorrelated with both the water-level variation and the average daily change of the water level in the lake Aswan. The temporal variation of the seismicityindicates that there are only six sequences of increased seismic activity during 1982–1997. The correlation between the seismic activity and the daily variation of the lake water level is poorly observed except with the June 1987 events swarm, which was accompanied by the presence of an anomaly in rate of water level decreasing. It is concluded that the increase in seismic activity in the Aswan reservoir is demonstrating an example of rapid reservoir-triggered seismicity. The deeper seismic sequence in this area, which was associated with the November 14, 1981 mainshock (M_D = 5.7), and the earlier seismicity (1981–82), has been correlated with a deeper high velocity anomaly (Awad and Mizoue, 1995-b).     

Analysis on Double-difference Earthquake Location and the Seismicity Pattern of the Yangjiang Earthquake Sequences

The locations of about 400 earthquakes in Yangjiang, Guangdong Province are determined using the double, difference earthquake location algorithm （DDA）. The seismicity pattern becomes concentrated from discrete grids. The rupture characteristics of the Yangjiang earthquake sequence show a conjugated distribution in NW and NE directions. The major distribution trends NE and dips NE with an angle of 30^o and a length of 30km,and the minor distribution trends NW and dips SE with an angle of 30^o and a length of 20km. The focal depth is 5km - 15km. The distribution of the Enping earthquake sequence,which is not far from Yangjiang,is NW-trending. The relationship between hypocenter distribution and geological structure is discussed.     

Spatial Separation of Large Earthquakes, Aftershocks, and Background Seismicity: Analysis of Interseismic and Coseismic Seismicity Patterns in Southern California

We associate waveform-relocated background seismicity and aftershocks with the 3-D shapes of late Quaternary fault zones in southern California. Major earthquakes that can slip more than several meters, aftershocks, and near-fault background seismicity mostly rupture different surfaces within these fault zones. Major earthquakes rupture along the mapped traces of the late Quaternary faults, called the principal slip zones (PSZs). Aftershocks occur either on or in the immediate vicinity of the PSZs, typically within zones that are ??2-km wide. In contrast, the near-fault background seismicity is mostly accommodated on a secondary heterogeneous network of small slip surfaces, and forms spatially decaying distributions extending out to distances of ??10?km from the PSZs. We call the regions where the enhanced rate of background seismicity occurs, the seismic damage zones. One possible explanation for the presence of the seismic damage zones and associated seismicity is that the damage develops as faults accommodate bends and geometrical irregularities in the PSZs. The seismic damage zones mature and reach their finite width early in the history of a fault, during the first few kilometers of cumulative offset. Alternatively, the similarity in width of seismic damage zones suggests that most fault zones are of almost equal strength, although the amount of cumulative offset varies widely. It may also depend on the strength of the fault zone, the time since the last major earthquake as well as other parameters. In addition, the seismic productivity appears to be influenced by the crustal structure and heat flow, with more extensive fault networks in regions of thin crust and high heat flow.     

Seismicity of Garfagnana-Lunigiana (Tuscany, Italy) as recorded by a network of semi-broad-band instruments

Eight seismic stations equipped with5-second sensors have recently beeninstalled in the Lunigiana-Garfagnana areato monitor activity in this sector of theNorthern Apennines shaken by the 5.0 Mdearthquake of October 1995. The stations(RSLG network) represent an eastern branchof the RSNI (Regional Seismic network ofNorthwestern Italy) managed by Dipteris,Universita' di Genova.The installation of this dense networkallowed the operators to improve themagnitude detection level, providinginformation about the seismicity of thearea down to magnitude 1.0. Severalanalyses have been carried out to evaluatethe performance of the network and thereliability of the computed locations. Itseems that the epicentral location forevents occurring inside the network isalready constrained using 8–10 P+S phases,but usage of more readings ensuresreliability of depth and the reduction oflocation errors.Though not conclusive, as the network hasonly been fully operating for two years, apreliminary study carried out on a selecteddataset of high-quality locations confirmed that the seismicity of theGarfagnana-Lunigiana is characterised by alow-to-medium magnitude level and it issubdivided into two bands, a superficialone about 30–35 km thick and the secondbelow 50 km. This distribution, confirmedby other studies carried out in the past,reflects the complex structure of this areawhere two tectonic plates (European andAdriatic) meet.     

Source Parameters and Scaling Relations for Reservoir Induced Seismicity in the Longtan Reservoir Area

We investigate the relationship between the impoundment and seismicity in the Longtan reservoir, southwestern China and find evidence that the seismicity was reservoir induced. After the reservoir impoundment, a pronounced increase in seismicity was observed in five clusters mainly concentrated in the areas where few earthquakes had occurred before the first filling. The observed induced seismicity shows a strong correlation with the filling cycles. The activity levels in the five clusters are different due to differences in the structures and permeabilities of the faults. Source parameters for 1,616 earthquakes with M _L 0.1–4.2 recorded by 24 fixed and temporary stations deployed around the reservoir were calculated after applying corrections for geometrical spreading, frequency-dependent Q, and site effects. The static stress drop and apparent stress in this area both appear to increase with increasing seismic moment over the entire magnitude range. Our results show that reservoir induced earthquakes have ten times lower average stress drop than natural tectonic earthquakes. These results may indicate that the reservoir induced seismicity can occur with a lower tectonic stress due to the high pore pressures of the underground medium, and that the effect of the water decreases the coefficient of friction.     

Microearthquake analysis for hydraulic frac－turing proces

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Eruptive and earthquake activities related to the 2000 eruption of Mount Cameroon volcano (West Africa)

Mount Cameroon is an active volcano located in the Gulf of Guinea, west of Central Africa. After the March–April 1999 eruption on the SW flank, another eruption of the volcano occurred in 2000. It took place from three sites on the southwest flank and near the summit. The first eruptive site was located 500 m to the southwest of the summit, at 3900 m altitude. Activity on this site was mainly explosive with no lava flow. The second site was located between 3220 and 3470 m altitude. Lava was emitted along NNE–SSE fissures from this site and flew towards Buea, the main city of the area, stopping ~ 4 km from the first houses. The last site was located in the south western flank at 2750 m altitude. The lava ejected from an old cone near the first 1999 eruptive site was divided into two branches, for a total length of around 1 km. The location of active volcanic cones in 1999 and 2000 seems to be linked to the local tectonics. The pre-eruptive period was characterized by a seismic swarm which may be a precursor recorded in March 2000 by an analogue seismic station. The main shock was a magnitude 3.2 event, and was felt by the population in Ekona town located on the eastern flank. It had a Modified Mercalli intensity of III–IV. When the eruption started, a temporary network of short period 3-component seismic stations was set up around the volcano to improve the monitoring of seismic activity. The co-eruptive period from late May to September was characterized by sequences of earthquake swarms, volcanic tremor and a family of earthquakes having similar waveform and appearing regularly in August and early September. Some of the earthquakes were felt by the population in Buea and its environments. The largest seismic event recorded had a magnitude of 4. During the post-eruptive period from mid-September to December, seismicity returned to its background level of 1–3 earthquakes per 3 days. Hypocenter locations reveal a linear narrow structure under the summit zone which could represent the magmatic conduit of the volcano. The frequency/magnitude relationship revealed a b-value of 1.43 higher than those previously determined, but more representative of volcanic media. Seismic energy release was gradual after the 2000 eruption started.     

Seismicity of the Indian Peninsular Shield from Regional Earthquake Data

--In this comprehensive study of seismicity and seismotectonics of the peninsular Indian shield region, seismic data of regional earthquakes spanning two decades (1978-1997), obtained at Gauribidanur seismic array (India) and integrated where necessary with data from other seismological stations in the region, have been analyzed in detail. With a slow rate of stress accumulation, the shield is found to have low to moderate seismicity that takes into account a couple of earthquakes of magnitude slightly larger than 6. The frequency-magnitude analysis of the data set gives a b value of 1.18. The spatio-temporal pattern of occurrences of the earthquakes combined with their magnitude and seismic energy distribution is consistent with the view that the peninsular seismicity is low to moderate and episodic in nature. Regions of moderate seismicity and its low-grade counterpart constituted by microearthquakes (magnitude less than 3), appear correlated to the areas traversed by known geologic faults and subfaults, shear zones, and other such tectonic features. Microearthquakes represent about two-thirds of the total regional seismic events during the past two decades.     

On the seismicity of central Kamchatka before the 1997, M = 7.9 Kronotskii earthquake

We report results from a detailed study of seismicity in central Kamchatka for the period from 1960 to 1997 using a modified traditional approach. The basic elements of this approach include (a) segmentation of the seismic region concerned (the Kronotskii and Shipunskii geoblocks, the continental slope and offshore blocks), (b) studying the variation in the rate of M = 4.5–7.0 earthquakes and in the amount of seismic energy release over time, (c) studying the seismicity variations, (d) separate estimates of earthquake recurrence for depths of 0–50 and 50–100 km. As a result, besides corroborating the fact that a quiescence occurred before the December 5, 1997, M = 7.9 Kronotskii earthquake, we also found a relationship between the start of the quiescence and the position of the seismic zone with respect to the rupture initiation. The earliest date of the quiescence (decreasing seismicity rate and seismic energy release) was due to the M = 4.5–7.0 earthquakes at depths of 0–100 km in the Kronotskii geoblock (8–9 years prior to the earthquake). The intermediate start of the quiescence was due to distant seismic zones of the Shipunskii geoblock and the circular zone using the RTL method, combining the Shipunskii and Kronotskii geoblocks (6 years). Based on the low magnitude seismicity (M≥2.6) at depths of 0–70 km in the southwestern part of the epicentral zone (50–100 km from the mainshock epicenter), the quiescence was inferred to have occurred a little over 3 years (40 months) before the mainshock time and a little over 2 years (25 months) in the immediate vicinity of the epicenter (0–50 km). These results enable a more reliable identification of other types of geophysical precursors during seismic quiescences before disastrous earthquakes.