INsights into rupture DIrectivity patterns from microseismicity to weak events: implications on induced seismicity by fluid injection processes (INDI)

• Applicant: Professor Dr. Torsten Dahm, since 10/2021
• Subject Area: Geophysics
• Term: from 2018 to 2023
• Project identifier: Deutsche Forschungsgemeinschaft (DFG) - Project number 407141557

• Final Report Year: 2023

Final Report Abstract

INDI project aims to assess the physical processes which drive nucleation and growth of seismic sources, stimulated by fluid injection operations, in order to understand what controls the direction the rupture front propagates. Our results have shed light on why uni- or bilateral rupture modes are observed and why earthquake ruptures propagate dominantly along a certain direction. This project has developed efficient tools for rupture directivity analysis at different spatial and magnitude scales, aiming to provide detailed and robust information about the seismic source properties of induced seismicity. Datasets at different magnitude scales, at which induced (micro) seismicity has been observed were compiled in order to image complex rupture processes over a broad range of scales, from moderate induced earthquakes to cm-scale hydraulic fractures. The processes of nucleation and rupture growth of fluid injection induced (micro) seismicity were assessed and interpreted in order to understand why a preferred direction of earthquake rupture propagation is chosen in the target scenarios. The most relevant project’s findings were: We extended the directivity analysis to 3D modeling at mine-scale, beyond the usual range of magnitudes (microseismicity). These results reveal a general alignment of the rupture directivity with the orientation of the minimum horizontal stress, implying that not only the slip direction but also the fracture growth produced by the fluid injections is controlled by the local stress conditions. - The first 3D high-resolution spontaneous dynamic rupture simulations of an induced earthquake were conducted for the 2017 Mw 5.5 Pohang, South Korea, earthquake. - Our results have also shed light on the origin of the 2013 seismic sequence at the Castor platform in Spain. Moreover, we described a detailed seismological procedure to discriminate between induced, triggered, and natural earthquakes, which were applied in Iran and the Val d’Agri oilfield (Italy). - Our analysis was extended using seismic indicators of magma intrusion and volcanic activity in both Mt. Etna and the Reykjanes Peninsula, thereby underscoring the importance of integrated seismic monitoring for hazard assessment and eruption forecasting. - The 2023 southeastern Türkiye earthquakes were comprehensively analyzed, yielding crucial insights into their rupture mechanisms, fault behavior, and seismic hazards for the region.

Publications

• Dynamic rupture modeling for the largest induced event linked to an Enhanced Geothermal System: the 2017 Mw 5.5 Pohang earthquake. American Geophysical Union Fall Meeting 2019. San Francisco (USA). Participation: poster
  Palgunadi, K. H.; Ulrich, T.; Gabriel, A.-A.; López-Comino, J. A. & Mai, P.M.
  
• Dynamic Fault Interaction during a Fluid-Injection-Induced Earthquake: The 2017 Mw5.5 Pohang Event. Bulletin of the Seismological Society of America, 110(5), 2328-2349.
  Palgunadi, Kadek Hendrawan; Gabriel, Alice-Agnes; Ulrich, Thomas; López-Comino, José Ángel & Mai, Paul Martin
  
• Lateral migration patterns toward or away from injection wells for earthquake clusters in Oklahoma. Geophysical Research Abstracts, EGU2020-2649, EGU General Assembly 2020, Vienna, Austria. Participation: poster
  López-Comino, J. A.; Galis, M.; Mai, P. M.; Chen, X. & Stich, D.
  
• Slip Partitioning in the 2016 Alboran Sea Earthquake Sequence (Western Mediterranean). Frontiers in Earth Science, 8.
  Stich, Daniel; Martín, Rosa; Morales, Jose; López-Comino, José Ángel & Mancilla, Flor de Lis
  
• Deciphering the source parameters and genesis of the 2017, Mw 4 Montesano earthquake close to the Val d’Agri Oilfield (Italy), Geophysical Research Abstracts, EGU21-1076, EGU General Assembly 2021, Vienna, Austria. Participation: Vpico
  López-Comino, J. A.; Braun, T.; Dahm, T.; Cesca, S. & Danesi, S.
  
• On the Source Parameters and Genesis of the 2017, Mw 4 Montesano Earthquake in the Outer Border of the Val d’Agri Oilfield (Italy). Frontiers in Earth Science, 8.
  López-Comino, José Ángel; Braun, Thomas; Dahm, Torsten; Cesca, Simone & Danesi, Stefania
  
• Rupture directivity in 3D inferred from acoustic emissions events in a mine-scale hydraulic fracturing experiment, 37th General Assembly of the European Seismological Commission, Virtual. Participation: eposter
  López-Comino, J. A.; Cesca, S.; Niemz, P.; Dahm, T. & Zang, A.
  
• Rupture Directivity in 3D Inferred From Acoustic Emissions Events in a Mine-Scale Hydraulic Fracturing Experiment. Frontiers in Earth Science, 9.
  López-Comino, José Ángel; Cesca, Simone; Niemz, Peter; Dahm, Torsten & Zang, Arno
  
• Seismic doublets and a complex seismic sequence controlled by the rotation of the Juan Fernández microplate. Geophysical Research Abstracts, EGU21-1119, EGU General Assembly 2021, Vienna, Austria. Participation: Vpico
  Cesca, S.; Valenzuela-Malebrán, C.; López-Comino, J. A.; Davis, T.; Tassara, C.; Oncken, O. & Dahm, T.
  
• Seismicity at the Castor gas reservoir driven by pore pressure diffusion and asperities loading. Nature Communications, 12(1).
  Cesca, Simone; Stich, Daniel; Grigoli, Francesco; Vuan, Alessandro; López-Comino, José Ángel; Niemz, Peter; Blanch, Estefanía; Dahm, Torsten & Ellsworth, William L.
  
• The 2014 Juan Fernández microplate earthquake doublet: Evidence for large thrust faulting driven by microplate rotation. Tectonophysics, 801, 228720.
  Cesca, Simone; Valenzuela, Malebrán Carla; López-Comino, José Ángel; Davis, Timothy; Tassara, Carlos; Oncken, Onno & Dahm, Torsten
  
• The 2019–2020 Khalili (Iran) Earthquake Sequence—Anthropogenic Seismicity in the Zagros Simply Folded Belt?. Journal of Geophysical Research: Solid Earth, 126(12).
  Jamalreyhani, Mohammadreza; Pousse‐Beltran, Léa; Büyükakpınar, Pınar; Cesca, Simone; Nissen, Edwin; Ghods, Abdolreza; López‐Comino, José Ángel; Rezapour, Mehdi & Najafi, Mahdi
  
• Waveform-based probabilistic moment tensor inversion of shallow small magnitude earthquakes (M<3.2) in North German gas fields. IAGA-IASPEI 2021, Virtual conference. Participation: eposter
  Kühn, D.; Rosskopf, M.; Richter, G.; López-Comino, J. A.; Petersen, G. & Dahm, T.
  
• Chronicle of Processes Leading to the 2018 Eruption at Mt. Etna As Inferred by Seismic Ambient Noise Along With Geophysical and Geochemical Observables. Journal of Geophysical Research: Solid Earth, 127(10).
  Büyükakpınar, Pınar; Cannata, Andrea; Cannavò, Flavio; Carbone, Daniele; De Plaen Raphael, S. M.; Di Grazia, Giuseppe; King, Thomas; Lecocq, Thomas; Liuzzo, Marco & Salerno, Giuseppe
  
• Multidisciplinary analyses of the rupture characteristic of the June 14, 2020, Mw 5.9 Kaynarpınar (Karlıova, Bingöl) earthquake reveal N70E-striking active faults along the Yedisu Seismic Gap of the North Anatolian Fault Zone. International Journal of Earth Sciences, 112(2), 489-509.
  Akbayram, Kenan; Kıranşan, Kemal; Varolgüneş, Sadık; Büyükakpınar, Pınar; Karasözen, Ezgi & Bayık, Çağlar
  
• Reply to: Multiple induced seismicity mechanisms at Castor underground gas storage illustrate the need for thorough monitoring. Nature Communications, 13(1).
  Cesca, Simone; Stich, Daniel; Grigoli, Francesco; Vuan, Alessandro; López-Comino, José Ángel; Niemz, Peter; Blanch, Estefanía; Dahm, Torsten & Ellsworth, William L.
  
• Seismic source analysis of two anomalous earthquakes in Northern Chile. Journal of South American Earth Sciences, 119, 103948.
  Tassara, Carlos; Cesca, Simone; Miller, Matthew; López-Comino, José Ángel; Sippl, Christian; Cortés-Aranda, Joaquín & Schurr, Bernd
  
• Seismic velocity variation at Mt. Etna calculated by seismic ambient noise interferometry (EtnadVv) (Version 1.0). Istituto Nazionale di Geofisica e Vulcanologia (INGV).
  Buyukakpinar P.; Cannata A.; Cannavò F.; De Plaen R. & Lecocq T.
  
• Source mechanisms and rupture processes of the Jujuy seismic nest, Chile-Argentina border. Journal of South American Earth Sciences, 117, 103887.
  Valenzuela-Malebrán, C.; Cesca, S.; López-Comino, J.A.; Zeckra, M.; Krüger, F. & Dahm, T.
  
• A call from early‑career Turkish scientists: seismic resilience is only feasible with “earthquake culture”. Seismica, 2(3).
  Karasözen, Ezgi; Büyükakpınar, Pınar; Ertuncay, Deniz; Havazlı, Emre & Oral, Elif
  
• An atypical swarm at the North Mid-Atlantic ridge indicating spreading events. Copernicus GmbH.
  Cesca, Simone; Metz, Malte; Büyükakpınar, Pınar & Dahm, Torsten
  
• Chronicle of processes leading to the 2018 eruption at Mt. Etna as inferred by seismic ambient noise along with geophysical and geochemical observables. 49. Sitzung der AG Seismologie in Freiburg im Breisgau, 2023
  Buyukakpinar, P.; Cannata, A.; Cannavò, F.; Carbone, D.; De Plaen, R. S. M.; Di Grazia, G. & et al.
  
• Dataset of backprojection and MT inversion results for 2023 Türkiye earthquake sequence (Version 1)
  Petersen, G.; Buyukakpinar, P.; Vera, F.; Metz, M.; Cesca, S.; Akbayram, K.; Saul, J. & Dahm, T.
  
• Isotropic source terms during the 2020 volcano-tectonic unrest on the Reykjanes Peninsula revealed by probabilistic moment tensor inversion. 83. Jahrestagung der Deutschen Geophysikalischen Gesellschaft (DGG) (Bremen 2023)
  Buyukakpinar, P.; Cesca, S.; Heimann, S.; Kühn, D.; Lopez-Comino, J. A. & Dahm, T.
  
• July-December 2022 earthquake sequence in the southeastern Fars arc of Zagros mountains, Iran. Seismica, 2(2).
  Metz, Malte; Maleki, Asayesh Behnam; Mohseni, Aref Mohammad; Jamalreyhani, Mohammadreza; Büyükakpınar, Pınar & Dahm, Torsten
  
• Normal and thrust faulting earthquakes triggered by magma intrusion at the Mid-Atlantic ridge, XXVIII General Assembly of the International Union of Geodesy and Geophysics (IUGG) (Berlin 2023).
  Cesca, S., Metz, M., Buyukakpinar, P. & Dahm, T.
  
• Rupture processes of the 2023 Türkiye earthquake sequence: Main- and aftershocks, XXVIII General Assembly of the International Union of Geodesy and Geophysics (IUGG) (Berlin 2023).
  Buyukakpinar, P., Petersen, G., Vera, F., Metz, M., Saul, J., Cesca, S., Dahm, T. & Tilmann, F.
  
• Rupture processes of the 2023 Türkiye earthquake sequence: Main-and aftershocks. Copernicus GmbH.
  Petersen, Gesa; Büyükakpinar, Pinar; Vera, Felipe; Metz, Malte; Saul, Joachim; Cesca, Simone; Dahm, Torsten & Tilmann, Frederik
  
• Source mechanisms of the 2020 volcano-tectonic swarm on the Reykjanes Peninsula (Iceland) by probabilistic moment tensor inversion. XXVIII General Assembly of the International Union of Geodesy and Geophysics (IUGG) (Berlin 2023).
  Buyukakpinar, P., Cesca, S., Heimann, S., Kühn, D., López-Comino, J. A. & Dahm, T.
  
• The 2023 Southeast Türkiye Seismic Sequence: Rupture of a Complex Fault Network. The Seismic Record, 3(2), 134-143.
  Petersen, Gesa Maria; Büyükakpinar, Pinar; Vera, Sanhueza Felipe Orlando; Metz, Malte; Cesca, Simone; Akbayram, Kenan; Saul, Joachim & Dahm, Torsten
  
• The Energetic 2022 Seismic Unrest Related to Magma Intrusion at the North Mid‐Atlantic Ridge. Geophysical Research Letters, 50(13).
  Cesca, S.; Metz, M.; Büyükakpınar, P. & Dahm, T.
  
• “The 2023 Southeast Türkiye Seismic Sequence: Rupture of a Complex Fault Network - 49. Sitzung der AG Seismologie in Freiburg im Breisgau, 2023
  Petersen, G.; Buyukakpinar, P.; Vera, F.; Metz, M.; Saul, J.; Cesca, S.; Dahm, T. & Tilmann, F.