River thorium concentrations can record bedrock fracture processes including some triggered by distant seismic events
Fractures are integral to the hydrology and geochemistry of watersheds, but our understanding of fracture dynamics is very limited because of the challenge of monitoring the subsurface. Here we provide evidence that long-term, high-frequency measurements of the river concentration of the ultra-trace element thorium (Th) can provide a signature of bedrock fracture processes spanning neighboring watersheds in Colorado. River Th concentrations show abrupt (subdaily) excursions and biexponential decay with approximately 1-day and 1-week time constants, concentration patterns that are distinct from all other solutes except beryllium and arsenic. The patterns are uncorrelated with daily precipitation records or seasonal trends in atmospheric deposition. Groundwater Th analyses are consistent with bedrock release and dilution upon mixing with river water. Most Th excursions have no seismic signatures that are detectable 50 km from the site, suggesting the Th concentrations can reveal aseismic fracture or fault events. We find, however, a weak statistical correlation between Th and seismic motion caused by distant earthquakes, possibly the first chemical signature of dynamic earthquake triggering, a phenomenon previously identified only through geophysical methods.
| Autores principales: | , , , , , , , |
|---|---|
| Otros Autores: | |
| Formato: | artículo biblioteca |
| Idioma: | English |
| Publicado: |
Nature Publishing Group
2023-04-26
|
| Materias: | Fracture processes, Seismic events, Ensure access to affordable, reliable, sustainable and modern energy for all, |
| Acceso en línea: | http://hdl.handle.net/10261/308505 https://api.elsevier.com/content/abstract/scopus_id/85153924810 |
| Etiquetas: |
Agregar Etiqueta
Sin Etiquetas, Sea el primero en etiquetar este registro!
|