Role of critical stress in quantifying the magnitude of fluid-injection triggered earthquakes.

ABSTRACT: Here we define and report the relationship between the maximum seismic magnitude (M) and injection volume (ΔV) through fluid-injection fault-reactivation experiments and analysis. This relationship incorporates the in situ shear modulus (G) and fault pre-stress as a fraction of the strength drop (c), expressed as M = c/(1-c) GΔV. Injection response defines a sigmoidal relation in M-ΔV space with unit gradient limbs linked by an intermediate up-step. Both laboratory observations and analysis for a rigid fault with slip limited to the zone of pressurization show trajectories of cumulative M-ΔV that evolve at a gradient of unity, are offset in order of increasing pre-stress and are capable of step changes in moment with shear reactivation at elevated critical-stresses - key features apparent

SUBMITTER: Yu J 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC11387842 | biostudies-literature | 2024 Sep

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature