Study on energy distributions of strong seismic events in the USCB

Abstract

Abstract The paper presents the statistical analysis of energy distribution of strong seismic shocks (energy E ≥ 105 J) occurred in the Upper Silesian Coal Basin which is one of the most seismically active mining areas in the world. In the USCB tremor epicenters do not occur uniformly throughout the whole basin but group in several regions belonging to different structural units and are separated by regions where strong shocks are not observed. The aim of the studies was to determine the modality of the energy distributions and to compare the modal types in regions of the USCB where the shocks epicenters cluster. An analysis was made for shocks with energies equal to or greater than 105 J recorded by Upper Silesian Regional Seismological Network operated by Central Mining Institute (CMI), which took place between 1987 – 2012. The analysis has proven the bimodality of seismic energy distribution in the three of five studied areas of the Upper Silesian Coal Basin. The Gumbel’s distribution II type best fit the experimental energy distribution for almost all studied tectonic units except the main syncline area, where the Gumbel’s distribution I type matched better the low-energy mode. This is due to too short time window, causing a shortage of the strongest shocks in seismic catalogue.