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Role of S waves and Love waves in coseismic permeability enhancement
Author(s) -
Wang Chiyuen,
Chia Yeeping,
Wang Peiling,
Dreger Douglas
Publication year - 2009
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 - 10.1029/2009gl037330
Subject(s) - seismogram , microseism , geology , epicenter , seismology , rayleigh wave , permeability (electromagnetism) , aquifer , love wave , geophysics , seismic wave , groundwater , surface wave , wave propagation , geotechnical engineering , longitudinal wave , mechanical wave , telecommunications , physics , quantum mechanics , membrane , biology , computer science , genetics
The 2008 M7.9 Wenchuan earthquake in Sichuan, China, caused water level to oscillate and undergo sustained changes in Taiwan, ∼2000 km away from the epicenter. Here we use the responses in three wells recorded at high sampling rate (1 Hz) and the broadband seismograms from a nearby station to document, for the first time, that the major water‐level responses associated with Rayleigh waves were preceded by small oscillations that occurred concurrently with S waves and Love waves. We also show that the groundwater flow associated with these small oscillations may be strong enough to remove blockades from sediment pores to enhance aquifer permeability and to facilitate the later major responses.