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Insights into water level response to seismic waves: A 24 year high‐fidelity record of global seismicity at Devils Hole
Author(s) -
Weingarten Matthew,
Ge Shemin
Publication year - 2014
Publication title -
geophysical research letters
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 2.007
H-Index - 273
eISSN - 1944-8007
pISSN - 0094-8276
DOI - 10.1002/2013gl058418
Subject(s) - geology , seismology , induced seismicity , pore water pressure , water level , offset (computer science) , geotechnical engineering , cartography , computer science , programming language , geography
We studied the 24 year record of water level responses in Devils Hole, Death Valley National Park, NV, to dynamic crustal stresses from earthquakes. The continuous water level record exhibited 219 responses from earthquakes around the world, displaying hydroseismogram and coseismic offset types of response. We found that the water level in Devils Hole is extremely sensitive to earthquakes, and the seismic energy density required to initiate both hydroseismogram and coseismic offset responses is e ~ 10 −6 J/m 3 , 2 orders of magnitude smaller than previously documented. Multiple mechanisms at Devils Hole may be responsible for observed water level responses to distant earthquakes. The hydroseismogram‐type responses are best explained by poroelastic deformation, while coseismic offset responses are likely the result of localized permeability changes. This study could have implication to studying dynamic triggering of earthquakes, as remote earthquakes can lead to pore pressure changes and consequently effective stress changes in fluid‐filled fault zones.