Precursory Seismic Quiescence before the 1994 Kurile Earthquake (Mw = 8.3) Revealed by Three Independent Seismic Catalogs

Abstract

—We have found that the M _w = 8.3 Kurile earthquake on October 4, 1994 followed an outstanding seismic quiescence starting 5–6 years before the mainshock near the ruptured area. We have analyzed three independent seismic catalogs Institute of Seismology and Volcanology, Hokkaido University (ISV), Japan Meteorological Agency (JMA) and International Seismology Center (ISC). In spite of selecting different magnitude bands and time windows all three catalogs presented the common feature of the seismic quiescence. This fact strongly suggests that the seismic quiescence should not be a man-made change but actually occurred. Moreover we have confirmed that the seismic quiescence was the most significant and the earthquake was the largest in the past twenty-five years in this region. Therefore we confidently interpret this seismic quiescence as an indication of a preparation process for the M _w = 8.3 Kurile earthquake.