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Large-Scale Explosion and Induced Seismicity: Geological, Structural, and Hydrogeological Impacts

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Abstract

This article presents the results of geological, structural, and hydrogeological investigations carried out before and after a large-scale explosion of an object located within the Semipalatinsk Test Site. The obtained data are compared with published information on aftershock emissions registered in an epicentral area after an explosion. Zones with irreversibly changed mechanical and filtrational parameters of geological media are compared with a spatiotemporal distribution of high-amplitude aftershocks in plan and cross-sectional views. The cone of depression formed in the potentiometric surface coincides with the area of registered microseismic events. The general trend of decreasing microseismicity intensity induced by underground large-scale explosion is synchronic with stabilization of the hydrogeodynamic situation.

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Acknowledgements

The reported study was funded by RFBR according to the research project no 19-05-00809 and carried out within the framework of the Russian State task (project no. AAAA-A17-117112350020-9). The author would like to express her gratitude to A.N. Besedina for her deep involvement in the discussion and comments for this work. Moreover, the author thanks the anonymous reviewers and editor-in-chief for their remarks that helped to substantially improve the article.

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Correspondence to Ella Gorbunova.

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Gorbunova, E. Large-Scale Explosion and Induced Seismicity: Geological, Structural, and Hydrogeological Impacts. Pure Appl. Geophys. 178, 1223–1234 (2021). https://doi.org/10.1007/s00024-021-02714-1

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