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EARTHQUAKE ›› 2021, Vol. 41 ›› Issue (1): 67-77.doi: 10.12196/j.issn.1000-3274.2021.01.006

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Gravity Changes Before the 2019 Xiahe Gansu MS5.7 Earthquake

ZHAO Yun-feng1, ZHU Yi-qing1, LIU Fang1, XU Yun-ma1, ZHANG Guo-qing1, MAO Jing-lun1, ZHU Hui2   

  1. 1. The Second Monitoring and Application Center, China Earthquake Administration, Xi'an 710054, China;
    2. Xi'an Engineering Investigation & Design Research Institute of China National Nonferrous Metals Industry CO., LTD. Xi'an 710054, China
  • Received:2020-02-08 Revised:2020-07-31 Online:2021-01-31 Published:2021-01-28

Abstract: The relative gravity data were calculated by the of classic adjustment from 2017 to 2019 in the North-South seismic belt. We analyzed the precision of gravity value at sites in the study area of south-east of Gansu province, and studied the variation of the regional gravity field before Xiahe Gansu MS5.7 earthquake. The results show that ① Gravity value precision of 90% gravity sites is less than 10×10-8 m·s-2 after adjustment calculation in our study area, and the gravity value at absolute gravity sites is well accordance with absolute gravity observation. ② Between April 2017 and April 2018, gravity variation is positive in the south-west side of the Lintan-Dangchang fault, and it is negative in the north-east side of the fault. It is opposite to the gravity variation before Jiuzhaigou MS7.0 on August 8, 2017. There are violent difference gravity variation in the area near the Hezuo city and Xiahe county. ③ Between April 2018 and April 2019, gravity variation is negative in the south-west side of the Lintan-Dangchang fault, about -10×10-8~-30×10-8 m·s-2, and it is positive in the north-east side of the fault, about +20×10-8~+30×10-8 m·s-2. The gravity variation is not obvious near the epicenter of Xiahe MS5.7 earthquake, which indicated that the area near epicenter was possible to be in locked during the time. While there is a unconspicuous four quadrant distribution of gravity change centered on the junction of Xiahe county, Luqu county and Zeku county. ④ Strong earthquakes are prone to occur in four quadrant distribution center of gravity change of high gradient belt of positive and negative anomalies. We made a medium-term forecast about Xiahe MS5.7 earthquake based on relative gravity changes, especially forecasting localities of potential earthquake.

Key words: 2019 Xiahe MS5.7 earthquake, Gravity changes, Lintan-Dangchang fault, Precursor

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