Open AccessIntermittent criticality on a regional scale in Bhuj
Author(s) -
Padhy Simanchal
Publication year - 2004
Publication title -
geophysical journal international
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 1.302
H-Index - 168
eISSN - 1365-246X
pISSN - 0956-540X
DOI - 10.1111/j.1365-246x.2004.02335.x
Subject(s) - criticality , statistical physics , induced seismicity , entropy (arrow of time) , statistical mechanics , geology , boltzmann constant , population , degenerate energy levels , physics , seismology , thermodynamics , quantum mechanics , sociology , nuclear physics , demography
SUMMARY The statistics of the Bhuj earthquake population are examined to investigate the proximity of the system to the critical state, defined through an entropy–energy relationship based on the tools of statistical mechanics. The results are compared with a theoretical model corresponding to a Boltzmann probability density distribution of degenerate microscopic energy states of the form p ( E ) ∝ E − B −1 e − E /θ . The data exhibit fluctuations in characteristic energy θ at a constant B ‐value of the form S ∼ B 〈ln E 〉 . Features such as (1) time‐dependent variations in seismicity during the period of presumably uncorrelated stress field following a major event, and (2) ±12 per cent fluctuations in the macroscopic thermodynamic variable (entropy) support the intermittent criticality of Bhuj crust.