%0 Journal Article %A MA Wen-tao %A XU Chang-peng %A LI Hai-ou %A YUAN Jing-li %A XU Xi-wei %A ZHANG Xin-dong %A ZHANG Lan-feng %T INTENSIVE OBSERVATION OF RESERVOIR-INDUCED EARTHQUAKE AND PRELIMINARY ANALYSIS ON THE CAUSES OF EARTHQUAKES IN THREE GORGES RESERVOIR %D 2010 %R 10.3969/j.issn.0253-4967.2010.04.003 %J SEISMOLOGY AND GEOLOGY %P 552-563 %V 32 %N 4 %X In accordance with the requirements of "Eleventh Five-Year" national scientific and technological support projects,an intensive seismic observation network consisting of 26 seismic stations was established at the Three Gorges Reservoir area in the section of Hubei Province in March 2009(21 short-period seismographs,5 broadband digital seismographs).From March to December,2009,2995 ML-0.8~2.9 earthquakes were observed during the trial impounding of the Three Gorges Reservoir(water level rose from 145m to 172.8m).Using the double difference earthquake location algorithm,2837 earthquakes were relocated precisely.The results show: The pattern of small local earthquake swarms in Three Gorges Reservoir area took on a linear distribution or mass-like cluster distribution,the mass-like clusters of events were generally within the distance of 5km from waterfront,and the linear distribution of the earthquakes could be extended to a distance of 16 kilometers away from waterfront.In Hubei section of Three Gorges Reservoir,earthquakes were mainly concentrated in the northern end of Xiannüfeng and Jiuwanxi Fault in the vicinity of the Xiangxihe river,and along the banks of the Yangtze river at the east of Xietan village and at Shenlongxi area on the northern bank in Badong region;the focal depths were less than 10km,and 4km in average.Earthquake frequency of the reservoir region had a positive correlation with reservoir water level fluctuation,indicating that the seismicity belonged to the reservoir induced earthquakes.Along the Shenlong river in the reservoir area,earthquakes showed three linear distributions in the northern Badong County,which was related to karst distribution.There are underground rivers along carbonate strata.When reservoir was impounded,water permeated into the underground rivers,thus inducing earthquakes.Earthquakes in the areas on the cross-river segment of Xiannüfeng Fault,the Jiuwanxi Fault and at the areas west of Xietan,Shazhen and Xizhen,may be related to the softening of discontinuities,such as the Nukou Fault,the Xiannüfeng Fault or the bedding joints,etc.,which would lead to failure of rock masses,thus,inducing earthquakes.However,convincing conclusions about the triggering mechanism still need further study.In addition,in the areas south of Wenhua and Yanglin of Zigui County and at Rangkou town east of Badong county,there are mining-induced earthquakes at the mines nearby.And on the shores of the reservoir,there are some collapse earthquakes. %U https://www.dzdz.ac.cn/EN/10.3969/j.issn.0253-4967.2010.04.003