SEISMOLOGY AND GEOLOGY ›› 2025, Vol. 47 ›› Issue (5): 1438-1455.DOI: 10.3969/j.issn.0253-4967.2025.05.20240040

• Research paper • Previous Articles     Next Articles

APPARENT RESITIVITY VARIATION AT KEPING SEISMIC STATION BEFORE THE MODERATE EARTHQUAKES IN SOUTH TIANSHAN AREA, XINJIANG

LI Xin-yan1,2)(), ZENG Xian-wei1), LI Meng-ya1), WEI Ding-jun1), CUI Jin1)   

  1. 1)Earthquake Agency of Ningxia Hui Autonomous Region, Yinchuan 750001, China
    2)School of Civil and Hydraulic Engineering, Ningxia University, Yinchuan 750021, China
  • Received:2024-04-03 Revised:2024-07-26 Online:2025-10-20 Published:2025-11-11

柯坪地电阻率在新疆南天山地震带中强地震前的响应

李新艳1,2)(), 曾宪伟1), 李蒙亚1), 卫定军1), 崔瑾1)   

  1. 1)宁夏回族自治区地震局, 银川 750001
    2)宁夏大学, 土木与水利工程学院, 银川 750021
  • 作者简介:

    李新艳, 女, 1986年生, 2025年9月于宁夏大学获水文学及水资源专业博士学位, 高级工程师, 主要从事地电阻率与遥感水文学研究, E-mail:

  • 基金资助:
    地震预测开放基金(XH24007D); 宁夏自然科学基金项目(2025AAC030270); 震情跟踪定向工作任务(2024010409)

Abstract:

The south Tianshan area is one of the main moderate earthquake preparation areas in China. Apparent resistivity monitoring has been demonstrated as an effective approach for intermediate-to short-term earthquake forecasting, as validated by numerous documented seismic cases. To improve regional seismic monitoring networks and observe the spatial and temporal variations in the apparent resistivity of shallow crust caused by the seismic preparation process, the Keping apparent resistivity continuous observation station was built in 2013 at the junction of the Southern Tianshan Mountains and Tarim Basin by the Earthquake Agency of the Xinjiang Uygur Autonomous Region. The observation system at this station has operated stably, with consistent data variations and high accuracy in both measurement channels (the NS channel and EW channel) over the past ten years. According to the sensitivity theory, our analysis demonstrates that the annual variation pattern (summer decrease/winter increase) observed in both measurement channels at Keping station is consistent with negative surface influence coefficients. Eleven earthquakes (MS≥5.0) occurred within 400km of the Keping station after 2018(aftershocks and foreshocks excluded), including two M6 and one M7 events. For qualitative analysis of the relationship between the seismogenic processes of earthquakes and the apparent resistivity variations observed at the Keping station, soil temperature and soil water content at different depths from the ERA5 assimilation datasets (ECMWF Reanalysis v5) were used to analyze the different hydrothermal condition effects on annual variation and to identify the anomalies from the background value by the interquartile range method. Our analysis of the fault virtual fault dislocation model and apparent resistivity anisotropy revealed four apparent resistivity decreases at Keping station, temporally correlated with the nucleation phases of seven M5.0+ earthquakes within a 250km radius during 2018-2024. Specifically, the rock experiment demonstrated that the resistivity of water-bearing rocks exhibits decreased variation under compressive stress. This finding is consistent with the decline changes at Keping Station, located within a compressive stress enhancement zone associated with the seismogenic process of the Wushi MS7.1 earthquake in 2024 and the Jiashi MS6.4 earthquake in 2020, respectively, revealed by the fault virtual fault dislocation model. Moreover, the anisotropic variations in apparent resistivity, as evidenced by experimental results, theoretical modeling, and seismic case studies, demonstrate a consistent pattern: the observed variation amplitude is maximized perpendicular to the direction of maximum principal compressive stress(σ1), minimized parallel to σ1, and exhibits intermediate values at oblique orientations. The focal mechanism solutions reveal that the principal compressive stress axes (P-axes) of all seven earthquakes are approximately N-S oriented, consistent with the deformation characteristics of the Keping thrust tectonic system. Furthermore, the angle between the EW channel and the principal compressive stress direction is consistently larger than that of the NS channel. Correspondingly, apparent resistivity variations in the EW direction at the Kalpin Station were consistently more pronounced than those in the NS direction, exhibiting clear anisotropic behavior. Therefore, based on the fault virtual fault dislocation model, rock physics experiment, and apparent resistivity anisotropic variation, the apparent resistivity anomalies of Keping station were proved to be associated with the seismogenic process of seven moderate earthquakes. Furthermore, simulation was carried out with reference of the electrical structure of the EW direction in Keping station, the underground medium resistivity of the EW direction in Keping station decreases by 10%, the change of apparent resistivity compared with the background value of 1.05%can be recognized, and the upper interface of the apparent resistivity change needs to rise to at least 243m above ground. Based on the electrode spacing configuration(current electrode spacing: 1 000m), this depth can be fully detected by the existing observation devices in the Keping station. This study provides both theoretical and practical support for identifying georesistivity anomalies at the Keping Station and enhancing regional seismic monitoring capabilities.

Key words: Apparent resistivity, soil water, virtual fault dislocation model, anisotropic variation, Wushi MS7.1 earthquake

摘要:

新疆南天山地震带是中国中强地震的主要孕育区之一。 为了增强该区域中强地震监测能力, 2013年在新疆南天山与塔里木盆地交会处建成柯坪地电阻率连续观测台站。 2018年以来, 周边400km共发生11次MS≥5.0地震(不含余震和前震)。 文中利用ERA5同化数据集中的土壤水分含量和土壤温度, 定量拟合了不同水热条件影响下地电阻率背景值, 在此基础上识别了偏离背景值的异常变化。结果显示, 自2018年以来, 柯坪台EW和NS 2个测道共识别到4次显著偏离背景趋势变化的下降变化, 基于断层虚位错模式和地电阻率各向异性变化分析认为, 柯坪台地电阻率变化与7次中强地震的孕震过程存在关联。 以柯坪台EW测道电性结构为参考开展了数值模拟, 结果显示, 当测区介质电阻率下降10%时, 柯坪地电阻率EW测道观测值相较背景值变化1.05%若要被识别, 则电阻率发生变化的上界面需要至少上升至距地表243m深度处, 而这个深度完全可以被柯坪台的现有观测装置所探测。

关键词: 地电阻率, 土壤水分含量, 断层虚位错模式, 各向异性变化, 乌什MS7.1地震