RAPID: Examining the relation between trace gas emissions and seismic activity of the 2019 Searles Valley Earthquake

University Of California-Irvine, Irvine CA

Investigators

Abstract

This project is focused on making measurements of trace gas emissions related to seismic activity from open gas migration pathways and the presence of deep subsurface sources within the Earth. Seismic activity can create extensive hydrocarbon seepage along faults, as the resultant motion creates or re-opens migration pathways. Measurements of carbon dioxide (CO2) and sulfur dioxide (SO2) will be made, along with measurements of other trace gases and related atmospheric data, in Death Valley, Panamint Valley, Searles Valley, and Rose Valley where aftershocks from the Searles Valley earthquake that occurred on July 5, 2019 are leading to elevated emissions of these gases. Trace gas measurements will be made using the AMOG (AutoMObile trace Gas) Surveyor, a mobile atmospheric chemistry, solar spectroscopy, and meteorology lab in a vehicle that collects data at up to highway speed and uses real-time data integration and visualization to enable adaptive surveying, slowing where gradients are strong, and collecting targeted atmospheric samples. The hypotheses that will be addressed through this research are: (1) The recent M7.1 Searles Valley earthquake opened gas migration pathways that led to increased trace geo-gas emissions along activated faults. These emissions will remain elevated during the period of intense and frequent aftershocks, decreasing with time afterwards (2) After a period of time (months), emissions will return to quasi-baseline. (3) Emission source locations correspond to surface expressions of fault damage (that may be displaced from seismic sources). (4) There are thermal signature at areas of fault damage where there is geofluid flows (gas emission) that are detectable in thermal infrared remote sensing data. (5) The source is volcanic in origin. The emission data collected in this research may have air quality implications for nearby parks and urban lands. This project is supported through the Grants for Rapid Response Research (RAPID) program because of the urgent need to measure trace gas emissions as soon as possible after the earthquake (that occurred on July 5, 2019) and during the aftershock period before sources deplete. This award reflects NSF's statutory mission and has been deemed worthy of support through evaluation using the Foundation's intellectual merit and broader impacts review criteria.