Publication Date:
2013-07-16
Description:
[1] Large earthquakes are known to cause widespread changes in groundwater flow, yet their relation to subsurface transport is unknown. Here we report systematic changes in groundwater temperature after the 1999 M w 7.6 Chi-Chi earthquake in central Taiwan, documented by a dense network of monitoring wells over a large (17,000 km 2 ) alluvial fan near the epicenter. Analysis of the data reveals a hitherto unknown system of earthquake-triggered basin-wide groundwater flow, which scavenges geothermal heat from depths, changing groundwater temperature across the basin. The newly identified earthquake-triggered groundwater flow may have significant implications on post-seismic groundwater supply and quality, contaminant transport, underground repository safety, and hydrocarbon production.
Print ISSN:
0094-8276
Electronic ISSN:
1944-8007
Topics:
Geosciences
,
Physics
Permalink