Characterization of seismic b-value around kopili fault and its neighboring region prior to 28th April 2021 earthquake

Abstract

In the present study, the spatio-temporal variation of the seismic b-value in the vicinity of the Kopili fault and its surrounding area has been analysed using the unified and homogenous earthquake catalog of historical and instrumental (1950–2021) earthquake events. The study region is subdivided into 16 equisized square grids of 1° × 1° dimension, and the b-value is computed for each grid using the maximum likelihood method. The spatial distribution of the b-value varies from 0.58 to 1.14. The Kolmogorov–Smirnov (K-S) test has been conducted to check the significance of the spatial-temporal and depth-wise distributions of the b-value. The epicentral location of April 28th, 2021, lies in the low-b-value square grid. Likewise, the temporal b-value curve shows a decreasing trend before the occurrence of the April 28th, 2021 earthquake. The mean return period of the April 28th, 2021earthquake and the most probable maximum annual magnitude earthquake are also computed for this region. Meanwhile, the spatial associations and anomalous patterns between the b-value and factors like seismic moment or energy release and focal depth are assessed, as they contribute to a more comprehensive understanding of the seismicity in this area. The antithetical relationship between the b-value and seismic moment or energy release is established. While variation in b-value with depth provides new insights, low b-values are linked to the top of the crust, which could mean that the crust is uniform and that a lot of stress is building up.