Coupling Between Seismic Activity and Hydrogeochemistry at the Shillong Plateau, Northeastern India

Transient hydrogeochemical anomalies were detected in a granite-hosted aquifer, which is located at a depth of 110 m, north of the Shillong Plateau, Assam, India, where groundwater chemistry is mainly buffered by feldspar alteration to kaolinite. Their onsets preceded moderate earthquakes on December 9, 2004 (M_W = 5.3) and February 15, 2005 (M_W = 5.0), respectively, 206 and 213 km from the aquifer. The ratios [Na+K]/Si, Na/K and [Na+K]/Ca, conductivity, alkalinity and chloride concentration began increasing 3–5 weeks before the M_W = 5.3 earthquake. By comparison with field, experimental and theoretical studies, we interpret a transient switchover between source aquifers, which induced an influx of groundwater from a second aquifer, where groundwater chemistry was dominantly buffered by the alteration of feldspar to smectite. This could have occurred in response to fracturing of a hydrological barrier. The ratio Ba/Sr began decreasing 3–6 days before the M_W = 5.0 earthquake. We interpret a transient switchover to anorthite dissolution caused by exposure of fresh plagioclase to groundwater interaction. This could have been induced by microfracturing, locally within the main aquifer. By comparison with experimental studies of feldspar dissolution, we interpret that hydrogeochemical recovery was facilitated by groundwater interaction and clay mineralization, which could have been coupled with fracture sealing. The coincidence in timing of these two hydrogeochemical events with the only two M_W ≥ 5 earthquakes in the study area argues in favor of cause-and-effect seismic-hydrogeochemical coupling. However, reasons for ambiguity include the lack of similar hydrogeochemical anomalies coupled with smaller seismic events near the monitoring station, the >200 km length scale of inferred seismic-hydrogeochemical coupling, and the potential for far-field effects related to the Great Sumatra–Andaman Islands Earthquake of December 26, 2004.     

State of tectonic stress in Shillong Plateau of northeast India

Tectonic stress regime in the Shillong plateau, northeast region of India, is examined by stress tensor inversion. Some 97 reliable fault plane solutions are used for stress inversion by the Michael and Gauss methods. Although an overall NNW-SSE compressional stress is observed in the area, the stress regime varies from western part to eastern part of the plateau. The eastern part of the plateau is dominated by NNE-SSW compression and the western part by NNW-SSE compression. The NNW-SSE compression in the western part may be due to the tectonic loading induced by the Himalayan orogeny in the north, and the NNE-SSW compression in the eastern part may be attributed to the influence of oblique convergence of the Indian plate beneath the Indo-Burma ranges. Further, Gravitational Potential Energy (GPE) derived stress also indicates a variation from west to east.     

The Effects of Attenuation and Site on the Spectra of Microearthquakes in the Shillong Region of Northeast India

Microearthquake spectra from the Shillong region are analyzed to observe the effect of attenuation and site on these spectra. The spectral ratio method is utilized to estimate the Q values for both P- and S-waves in the subsurface layer, wherein the ratio of spectral amplitudes at lower and higher frequencies are taken into consideration for three stations at varying epicentral distances. Average estimates of Q _P and Q _S are 178 and 195. The ratio of Q _S to Q _P is estimated to be greater than 1 in major parts of the Shillong area, which can be related to the dry crust prevailing in the Shillong region. Typically, the variation in corner frequencies for these spectra is inferred to be characteristic of the site. Simultaneously, observations from spectral content of local earthquakes recorded at two different stations with respect to the reference site yield greater amplification of incoming seismic signals in the frequency range of 2–5 Hz, which is found to be well supported by the existing local lithology pertinent to that region.     

Ground-motion predictions in Shillong region, northeast India

We deliver ground-motion prediction equations for Shillong region, northeast India, based on a database generated by finite-fault stochastic simulations. An examination of the regional seismic source characteristics is carried out beforehand. Micro/minor earthquakes (M _W?<?5.0) nucleating at hypocentral depth <21?km in the region recorded at broadband seismic stations are observed to have Brune stress-drop ranging between 2.8 and 99.9?bars. Likewise, macroseismic intensity data for the 1897 Shillong Earthquake that nucleated at a hypocentral depth of ~35?km places the associated stress-drop at 100?200?bars. The apparent variation of the stress-drop parameter with depth is considered with two source zones namely lower-crust and upper-crust. Equations for the lower-crust predict higher ground-motion levels and exhibit affinity to those developed for stable continental region of Eastern North America. The ground-motion levels predicted by the equations for the upper-crust are relatively lower but are still higher compared with those predicted for tectonically active regions, viz., the Himalayas and Western North America.     

青藏高原东北缘地壳地震各向异性研究进展

青藏高原东北缘是青藏块体与华北块体的接触前缘部位,是研究青藏高原隆升扩张和深部动力学问题的重要区域。本文收集了青藏高原东北缘及其邻区由不同方法和不同资料获得的地壳地震各向异性结果,介绍了中上地壳和全地壳各向异性特征;结合区域地质构造、地表运动、构造应力和深部结构,分析了研究区域地壳各向异性的区域分布特征及其与地质构造的关系。结果表明,青藏高原东北缘地震各向异性存在明显的横向区域差异性,体现区域深部构造和地壳介质变形的复杂性;上地壳与全地壳的垂向差异性,反映出该区域可能存在各向异性分层现象。由于青藏高原隆升在其东北缘的伸展边界、物质运移及深部动力模式等尚处在探讨之中,结合多种数据并综合多种方法分析,有助于获得精细、准确的地震各向异性信息,为研究青藏高原隆升演化机制和深部动力模式提供有效的约束。     

Seismotectonic zones demarcation in the Shillong Plateau using the microearthquakes and radon emanation rate

The Shillong Plateau signifies the intense tectonic processes that the region has experienced during the Tertiary Indo-Tibetan and Indo-Burman collisions. An attempt has been made to study the microearthquake and radon emanation rate to understand and identify the seismotectonic zones.     

Earthquake Source Zones in Northeast India: Seismic Tomography, Fractal Dimension and b Value Mapping

We have imaged earthquake source zones beneath the northeast India region by seismic tomography, fractal dimension and b value mapping. 3D P-wave velocity (Vp) structure is imaged by the Local Earthquake Tomography (LET) method. High precision P-wave (3,494) and S-wave (3,064) travel times of 980 selected earthquakes, m _d ≥ 2.5, are used. The events were recorded by 77 temporary/permanent seismic stations in the region during 1993–1999. By the LET method simultaneous inversion is made for precise location of the events as well as for 3D seismic imaging of the velocity structure. Fractal dimension and seismic b value has been estimated using the 980 LET relocated epicenters. A prominent northwest–southeast low Vp structure is imaged between the Shillong Plateau and Mikir hills; that reflects the Kopili fault. At the fault end, a high-Vp structure is imaged at a depth of 40 km; this is inferred to be the source zone for high seismic activity along this fault. A similar high Vp seismic source zone is imaged beneath the Shillong Plateau at 30 km depth. Both of the source zones have high fractal dimension, from 1.80 to 1.90, indicating that most of the earthquake associated fractures are approaching a 2D space. The spatial fractal dimension variation map has revealed the seismogenic structures and the crustal heterogeneities in the region. The seismic b value in northeast India is found to vary from 0.6 to 1.0. Higher b value contours are obtained along the Kopili fault (~1.0), and in the Shillong Plateau (~0.9) The correlation coefficient between the fractal dimension and b value is found to be 0.79, indicating that the correlation is positive and significant. To the south of Shillong Plateau, a low Vp structure is interpreted as thick (~20 km) sediments in the Bengal basin, with almost no seismic activity in the basin.     

Seismic source zonation for NE India on the basis of past EQs and spatial distribution of seismicity parameters

Journal of Seismology - The North East (NE) of India is an earthquake (EQ) prone zone and has experienced considerable damages in the past due to high intensity EQs. With rapidly growing...     

Assessment of Seismic Site Conditions: a Case Study from Guwahati City,Northeast India

The 1897 Great Shillong earthquake revealed considerable seismic susceptibility in Guwahati City, such as soil liquefaction, landslides, and surface fissures. In an attempt to quantify the seismic vulnerability of the city based on geological, seismological, and geotechnical aspects concerning seismic site characterization, in-depth analysis was performed using a microtremor survey with recordings of five small to moderate magnitude (4.8 ≤ m_b ≤ 5.4) earthquakes that occurred in 2006 and geotechnical investigations using the Standard Penetration Test (SPT). Additionally, the basement topography was established using vertical electrical resistivity sounding and selected drill-hole information. Region-specific relationships are derived by correlating the estimated values of predominant frequency, shear-wave velocity, and basement depth indicating conformity with the predominant frequency distribution and the basin topography underlain by a hard granitic basement. Most parts of the city adhere to the predominant frequency range of 0.5–3.5 Hz, setting aside areas of deep sediment fills or hilly tracts, suggesting that the existing moderate-rise RC buildings in the territory are seismically vulnerable. Furthermore, the geotechnical assessment of the soil liquefaction potential reveals widespread susceptibility across the terrain. Eventually, a site classification map of the city is prepared following the National Earthquake Hazard Program (NEHRP) provision. The average site amplification factor from geotechnical modeling for site class D is about 3 in the frequency range of 2–4 Hz. In addition, earthquake data yield an average site amplification factor of 4–6 in the frequency range of 1.2–5.0 Hz at the seismic stations located in site class E and F. High site amplifications of around 5.5 and 7.5 at 2 Hz, respectively, are observed at AMTRON and IRRIG seismic stations, which are located in the proximity of Precambrian rocks, indicating probable basin edge effects—scattering and diffraction of incident energy. Interplay of dispersed valleys surrounded by small hillocks in the study region is likely to induce micro-basin effects where the sediment thickness/depth vis-à-vis predominant frequency and basin geometry in conjunction play pivotal roles in the augmentation of site response.     

Algal Dynamics in Relation to Physico-Chemical Factors in a High Altitude Pond of Shillong,India

A one year phycological study of a high altitude pond has been made with a view to studying the algal dynamics as affected by physico-chemical characteristics of the water. This has revealed the presence of 34 genera of algae belonging to Chlorophyta, Bacillariophyta, Cyanophyta, and Euglenophyta. Chlorophytes were the most dominant and diatoms the most frequent representatives of algae. The community diversity along with water chemistry are indicative of the oligotrophic nature of this pond.     

Estimation of Maximum Earthquakes in Northeast India

We attempt to estimate possible maximum earthquakes in the northeast Indian region for four seismic source zones, namely EHZ, MBZ, EBZ, and SHZ, which encapsulates the various seismogenic structures of the region and also for combined source zones taken as a single seismic source regime. The latter case exhibits a high maximum earthquake estimate of M_W 9.4 (±0.85) through Bayesian interpretation of frequency magnitude distribution with Gamma function implicating a moderate deviation from the standard Gutenberg Richter model at the higher magnitudes. However, tapering Gutenberg Richter models with corner magnitudes at M_W 8.01, 8.7 and 9.1, respectively indicated maximum values corresponding to M_W 8.4, 9.0, and 9.3. The former approach was applied to each of the source zones wherein the data are presented in parts according to the data completeness, thereof. EHZ, MBZ, EBZ and SHZ are seen with maximum earthquakes of M_W 8.35 (±0.59), 8.79 (±0.31), 8.20 (±0.50), and 8.73 (±0.70), respectively. The maximum possible earthquakes estimated for each individual zone are seen to be lower than that estimated for the single regime. However, the pertaining return periods estimated for the combined zone are far less than those estimated for the demarcated ones.     

Seismic recurrence parameters for India and adjoined regions

Journal of Seismology - This article focuses on estimating the seismic recurrence parameters of India and adjoining regions based on a comprehensive catalogue assimilated from various sources. The...     

青藏高原地震活动特征及当前地震活动形势

青藏高原是我国现代构造活动和地震活动最强烈的地区,自有地震记录以来,在高原内记录到多达18次8级以上巨大地震和100余次7~7.9级地震,它们均发生在喜马拉雅板块边界构造带和板内断块区及其次级断块的边界活动构造带上.自1900年有地震仪器记录以来,青藏高原曾经历了3次地震活动丛集高潮,即1920-1937年,1947-1976年和1995-现在.在每次地震活动丛集期都形成以8级地震为核心的7级以上地震活动系列,它们分别是20世纪20-30年代的海原-古浪地震系列、50-70年代察隅-当雄地震系列和20世纪末期以来昆仑-汶川地震系列.每一个地震系列都有自己的主体活动区,最新的昆仑-汶川地震系列的主体活动区为巴颜喀喇断块.青藏高原地震活动高潮与全球Mw≥8.0巨大地震活动高潮紧密相关,昆仑-汶川地震系列与自2001年至今的全球最新地震活动高潮相对应,它们反映了两者的动力学联系.经过详细对比研究认为,它们至今均仍在延续之中,全球板块边界构造带8~9级地震和板内大陆断块区的7~8级地震都仍在连续发生.研究了全球和区域地震活动的相关关系及青藏高原地震活动的时空分布特征,指出了该区当前地震活动的总体形势,评价了其近期地震危险性,提出了加强地震监测的建议.     

Ground motion parameters of Shillong plateau: One of the most seismically active zones of northeastern India

Strong ground motion parameters for Shillong plateau of northeastern India are examined. Empirical relations are obtained for main parameters of ground motions as a function of earthquake magnitude, fault type, source depth, velocity characterization of medium and distance. Correlation between ground motion parameters and characteristics of seismogenic zones are established. A new attenuation relation for peak ground acceleration is developed, which predicts higher expected PGA in the region. Parameters of ...     

Observations on the Abiotic Factors and Planktonic Periodicity in a Shallow Pond of the Highlands of Shillong (India)

The pond, situated at an altitude of 4862 m, shows an annual variation of temperature between 15 and 27 °C in a close correlation with the air temperature. In the case of a weakly acidic reaction of water an inverse relation exists between pH and conductivity and between free CO₂ and alkalinity. The nutrient content of 0.05 mg/l PO₄-P and NO₃-N each is low, the phosphorus concentration being maintained by re-solution from the sediment. Chlorophyceae and diatoms are dominant in the phytoplankton alternately, and rotatoria and copepoda are dominant in the zoo-plankton in winter and in summer, respectively. The pronounced changes in the composition of plankton do not show any definite dependence on the physico-chemical factors, particularly since a significant share of the nutrient metabolism and the oxygen balance in the pond investigated is determined by macrophytes.     

Research on the 3—D Seismic Structures in Qinghai—Xizang Plateau

Based on the recording data from the analogue and broadband digital seismic stations in and around Qinghai-Xizang (Tibet)Platean,the three dimensiomal 3-D) seismic velocity stroctures in Qinghai-Xizang Plateau were obtained by using the regional body wave tomography and surface wave tomography.The results from these two tomography methods have similar characteristics for P-and S-wave velocity structures in crust and upper mantle.They show that there are remarkahle low velocity zones in the upper crust of L hasa block in the southern Qinghai-Xizang Plateau and the lower crust and upper mantle of Qiangtang block in the northern Qinghai-Xizang Plateau.These phenomena may be related to the different steps of collision process in southern and northern Qinghai-Xizang Plateau.     

青藏高原西北地区与南北地震带地震活动性研究

通过研究青藏高原地区地震的发震时间和空间分布规律，发现青藏高原西北地区70%的6级以上地震发生在青藏高原地震活动高潮时期，以青藏高原西北地区地震的发震时间为基准，以一年的时间窗口去检测南北地震带发生的地震，发现青藏高原西北地区与南北地震带中强震发震时间接近，具有很强的关联。青藏高原西北地区发生的地震与南北地震带南、北、中段的地震活动相关性各不相同，地震活动频次上呈现出与南北地震带北段相关性最弱，与南段相关性最强，但在震级上表现出与南北地震带北段和中段强震活动关系密切，与滇缅构造转换区的中震联系紧密，图像信息方法为两个地区地震活动相关性提供了证据。研究同时发现以海原地震为起始地震时南北地震带的强震具有由北向南往复迁移的特征，南北地震带中段和滇缅构造转换区的地震迁移次数更多，表明两个地区地震活动确实联系紧密。这项研究对于南北地震带的地震危险性评价和"源线模式"地震预测方法具有重要的意义。     

Homogenization of Earthquake Catalog for Northeast India and Adjoining Region

A catalog for northeast India and the adjoining region for the period 1897–2009 with 4,497 earthquakes events is compiled for homogenization to moment magnitude M _w,GCMT in the magnitude range 3–8.7. Relations for conversion of m _b and M _s magnitudes to M _w,GCMT are derived using three different methods, namely, linear standard regression, inverted standard regression (ISR) and orthogonal standard regression (OSR), for different magnitude ranges based on events data for the catalog period 1976–2006. The OSR relations for M _s to M _w,GCMT conversion derived in this paper have significantly lower errors in regression parameters compared to the relations reported in other studies. Since the number of events with magnitude ≥7 for this region is scanty, we, therefore, considered whole India region to obtain the regression relationships between M _w,GCMT and M _s,ISC. A relationship between M _w,GCMT and M _w,NEIC is also obtained based on 17 events for the range 5.2 ≤ magnitude ≤ 6.6. A unified homogeneous catalog prepared using the conversion relations derived in this paper can serve as a reference catalog for seismic hazard assessment studies in northeast India and the adjoining region.     

Calibration of the Tibetan Plateau Using Regional Seismic Waveforms

We use the recordings from 51 earthquakes produced by a PASSCAL deployment in Tibet to develop a two-layer crustal model for the region. Starting with their ISC locations, we iteratively fit the P-arrival times to relocate the earthquakes and estimate mantle and crustal seismic parameters. An average crustal P velocity of 6.2–6.3 km/s is obtained for a crustal thickness of 65 km while the P velocity of the uppermost mantle is 8.1 km/s. The upper layer of the model is further fine-tuned by obtaining the best synthetic SH waveform match to an observed waveform for a well-located event. Green's functions from this model are then used to estimate the source parameters for those events using a grid search procedure. Average event relocation relative to the ISC locations, excluding two poorly located earthquakes, is 16 km. All but one earthquake are determined by the waveform inversion to be at depths between 5 and 15 km. This is 15 km shallower, on average, than depths reported by the ISC. The shallow seismicity cut-off depth and low crustal velocities suggest high temperatures in the lower crust. Thrust faulting source mechanisms dominate at the margins of the plateau. Within the plateau, at locations with surface elevations less than 5 km, source mechanisms are a mixture of strike-slip and thrust. Most events occurring in the high plateau where elevations are above 5 km show normal faulting. This indicates that a large portion of the plateau is under EW extension.