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Source characteristics of the mainshock and aftershocks of the 2019 Changning earthquake sequence: Implications for fluid effects

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Abstract

The 2019 MS6.0 Changning earthquake occurred in the tectonically stable Sichuan Basin, where the epicenter and its adjacent areas are important shale gas and salt mine production fields, resulting in hot debates on whether the seismogenic mechanism of the 2019 Changning earthquake is related to human activities. As source characteristics and fluid pressure can provide important constraints on whether an earthquake is induced, we investigate the seismogenic mechanisms of the mainshock and 9 MW⩾4.0 aftershocks. In overall, the mainshock and the majority of the aftershocks are characterized by relatively shallow focal depths (1–4 km) and significant non-double-couple (non-DC) components. However, the mainshock and the aftershocks differ in two aspects: (1) the compensated-linear-vector-dipole components dominate the non-DC components of the mainshock, whereas the isotropic components dominate the most aftershocks; (2) the fluid overpressure of the mainshock is over 30 MPa, whereas the fluid overpressure of the most aftershocks is less than 10 MPa. Thus, we propose that the mainshock is triggered by weakened fault strength with long-term fluid injection, and that its large non-DC components are associated with complex rupture processes. Comparatively, the aftershocks may be triggered by postseismic stress transfer by combining the Coulomb failure stress changes in the poroelastic medium. Our results highlight the possible role of fluid in the occurrence of the Changning earthquake sequence.

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Acknowledgements

The authors thank the responsible editor and two anonymous reviewers for their constructive comments and suggestions, which improve the quality of the paper significantly. We also show our respect to Prof. Guixi YI at Sichuan Seismic Bureau for sharing relocation results. Regional waveform data in this study are provided by the Data Management Centre of China National Seismic Network at the Institute of Geophysics (doihttps://doi.org/10.11998/SeisDmc/SN, login required), China National Seismic Network, China Earthquake Administration. Teleseismic waveforms are downloaded from the Incorporated Research Institutions for Seismology (IRIS) Data Management Center (http://ds.iris.edu/wilber3/find_event). This work was supported by the high-performance computing platform TS10000 of the School of Geophysics and Geomatics, China University of Geosciences (Wuhan). This work was supported by the National Natural Science Foundation of China (Grant Nos. 42274082, 42030108, 41874053), and the Fundamental Research Funds for the Central Universities, China University of Geosciences (Wuhan) (Grant No. 162301132637).

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  1. School of Physics, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, Wuhan, 430074, China

    Kun Dai

  2. Innovation Academy for Precision Measurement Science and Technology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Wuhan, 430071, China

    Kun Dai, Rumeng Guo & Jianqiao Xu

  3. State Key Laboratory of Geological Processes and Mineral Resources, School of Geophysics and Geomatics, China University of Geosciences, Wuhan, 430074, China

    Yong Zheng

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Dai, K., Zheng, Y., Guo, R. et al. Source characteristics of the mainshock and aftershocks of the 2019 Changning earthquake sequence: Implications for fluid effects. Sci. China Earth Sci. 66, 1321–1333 (2023). https://doi.org/10.1007/s11430-022-1040-4

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