Stress-Induced Apparent Resistivity Variations at the Kalpin Observatory and the Correlation with the 2020 Mw 6.0 Jiashi Earthquake

Abstract

Stress may induce apparent resistivity changes. Clarifying the deformation process of the source media is critical for determining the correlations between resistivity variations and earthquake occurrence. In this study, the stress state of a medium was analyzed by integrating GPS measurements, the spatiotemporal evolution of the load/unload response ratio (LURR), geochemical monitoring, and synchronous apparent resistivity changes preceding the 2020 Mw 6.0 Jiashi earthquake. The medium hosting the Kalpin Observatory underwent elastic deformation before 2019, and the synchronous decreases in the E–W and N–S apparent resistivities from 2015 can be attributed to N–S-dominated compressive stress. The microdamage stage occurred in 2019, with subsequent E–W apparent resistivity variation amplitudes that were ~0.4 Ωm higher than those in previous years. This difference is a result of microdamage to the medium owing to tensile stress during the seismogenic process. The spatiotemporal evolution of the LURR and gas seepage monitoring data also indicate that the medium was damaged prior to the earthquake. Variations in the apparent resistivity measured at the Kalpin Observatory indicate that the medium underwent elastic deformation, followed by microdamage, until stress triggered the earthquake.