Skip to main content
SpringerLink
Log in

The September 21, 2020, M w = 5.5, Bystraya Earthquake in the Southern Baikal Region: Preliminary Results of Instrumental and Macroseismic Observations

  • Published:
Seismic Instruments Aims and scope Submit manuscript

Abstract

We consider the September 21, 2020, Mw = 5.5 seismic event, which occurred in the eastern part of the Tunka rift basin system and was followed by a relatively strong mb = 4.6 aftershock. The earthquake epicenter is localized within the Bystraya basin in the zone of prolonged seismic quiescence and is possibly confined to the Main Sayan fault zone. The hypocentral depth, according to the solution of the Baikal Branch, United Geophysical Survey, Russian Academy of Sciences (UGS RAS), is estimated as h = 18 km. The focal mechanisms of the main shock and strong aftershock are characterized by almost pure strike-slip movements, which agrees well with modern ideas about the tectonics of the area. The maximum shaking intensity observed in the populated areas closest to the epicenter is estimated at VI–VII on the MSK-64 scale. A shaking intensity of V and IV was observed in populated areas at distances over 180 and 500 km, respectively. This earthquake made it possible to obtain new data on the dynamic ground motion parameters. The maximum peak ground acceleration (PGA) of 187 cm/s2 was recorded at the Talaya seismic station, which is the highest value for the territory of the Southern Baikal Region during the digital period of earthquake detection.

This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.

Access this article

Log in via an institution

Price excludes VAT (USA)
Tax calculation will be finalised during checkout.

Instant access to the full article PDF.

Institutional subscriptions

Fig. 1.
Fig. 2.
Fig. 3.
Fig. 4.
Fig. 5.
Fig. 6.
Fig. 7.

Similar content being viewed by others

Notes

  1. GOST (State Standard) R 57546-2017. Earthquakes. Seismic Intensity Scale, 2017. (Hereinafter, GOST R 57546-2017).

REFERENCES

  1. Aptikaev, F.F. and Shebalin, N.V., Refinement of correlations between the level of macroseismic effect and dynamic parameters of soil motion, Vopr. Inzh. Seismol., 1988, vol. 29, pp. 98–108.

    Google Scholar 

  2. Aref’ev, S.S., Bykova, V.V., Gileva, N.A., Masal’skii, O.K., Matveev, I.V., Matveeva, N.V., Mel’nikova, V.I., and Chechel’nitskii, V.V., The preliminary results of epicentral observations of the August 27, 2008 Kultuk earthquake, Vopr. Inzh. Seismol., 2008, vol. 35, no. 4, pp. 5–15.

    Google Scholar 

  3. Arzhannikova, A.V., Melnikova, V.I., and Radziminovich, N.A., Late Quaternary and current deformation in the western Tunka system of basins: Evidence from structural geomorphology and seismology, Russ. Geol. Geophys., 2007, vol. 48, no. 4, pp. 305–311.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  4. Calais, E., Vergnolle, M., Sankov, V., Lukhnev, A., Miroshnitchenko, A., Amarjagal, S., and Déverchère, J., GPS measurements of crustal deformation in the Baikal-Mongolia area (1994–2002): Implications for current kinematics of Asia, J. Geophys. Res.: Solid Earth, 2003, vol. 108, no. B10, art. no. 2501. https://doi.org/10.1029/2002JB002373

    Article  Google Scholar 

  5. Chipizubov, A.V. and Smekalin, O.P. Paleoseismodislocations and associated paleoearthquakes along the zone of the Main Sayan Fault, Geol. Geofiz., 1999, vol. 40, no. 6, pp. 936–947.

    Google Scholar 

  6. Chipizubov, A.V., Smekalin, O.P., Semenov, R.M., and Imaev, V.S., Paleoseismicity of the Pribaikalie, Seism. Instrum., 2010, vol. 46, no. 2, pp. 107–120.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  7. Gileva, N.A., Mel’nikova, V.I., Radziminovich, N.A., and Déverchère, J., Localization of earthquakes and average characteristics of the Earth’s crust in some areas of the Cis-Baikalian region, Geol. Geofiz., 2000, vol. 41, no. 5, pp. 629–636.

    Google Scholar 

  8. Golenetskii, S.I., Seismicity of the area of Tunka depressions, southwestern flank of the Baikal Rift, in the light of instrumental observations in the second half of the 20th century, Geol. Geofiz., 1998, vol. 39, no. 2, pp. 260–270.

    Google Scholar 

  9. Golenetskii, S.I., The Yelovka earthquake of June 29, 1995 (MS = 5.9), in Zemletryaseniya Severnoi Evrazii v 1995 godu (Earthquakes in Northern Eurasia in 1995), Moscow: Geofiz. Sluzhba Ross. Akad. Nauk, 2001, pp. 183–187.

  10. Klein, F.W., Hypocenter Location Program Hypoinverse, U. S. Geol. Surv. Open-File Rep. 78-694, 1978. https://doi.org/10.3133/ofr78694

  11. Kobeleva, E.A., Gileva, N.A., Khamidulina, O.A., and Tubanov, Ts.A., Results of seismic monitoring in various regions of Russia: Cis-Baikalian and Transbaikalian regions, in Zemletryaseniya Rossii v 2018 godu (Earthquakes in Russia in 2018), Obninsk: Edinaya Geofiz. Sluzhba Ross. Akad. Nauk, 2020, pp. 44–50.

  12. Lander, A.V., A program for calculating and graphical rendering of earthquake focal mechanisms from first motion signs, State Software Registry Certificate no. 2018662004 of September 25, 2018.

  13. Levi, K.G., Babushkin, S.M., Badardinov, A.A., Buddo, V.Yu., Larkin, G.V., Miroshnichenko, A.I., Sankov, V.A., Ruzhich, V.V., Wong, H.K., Delvaux, D., and Colman, S., Active Baikal tectonics, Russ. Geol. Geophys., 1995, vol. 36, no. 10, pp. 143–154. https://elibrary.ru/contents.asp?id=34033368

    Google Scholar 

  14. Lunina, O.V. and Gladkov, A.C., Fault structure of the Tunka Rift as a reflection of oblique extension, Dokl. Earth Sci., 2004, vol. 398, no. 4, pp. 928–930.

    Google Scholar 

  15. Lunina, O.V., Gladkov, A.S., and Sherstyankin, P.P., A new electronic map of active faults for southeastern Siberia, Dokl. Earth Sci., 2010, vol. 433, pt. 2, pp. 1016–1021.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  16. Lukhnev, A.V., San’kov, V.A., Miroshnichenko, A.I., Ashurkov, S.V., and Calais, E., GPS rotation and strain rates in the Baikal–Mongolia region, Russ. Geol. Geophys., 2010, vol. 51, no. 7, pp. 785–793.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  17. Mel’nikova, V.I., Strain parameters of the crust within the Baikal Rift Zone from seismological data, Doctoral (Geol.-Mineral.) Dissertation, Irkutsk: Inst. Earth’s Crust, Sib. Branch Russ. Acad. Sci., 2008.

  18. Mel’nikova, V.I. and Radziminovich, N.A., Parameters of seismotectonic deformations of the Earth’s crust in the Baikal rift zone based on seismological data, Dokl. Earth Sci., 2007, vol. 416, no. 4, pp. 1137–1139.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  19. Mel’nikova, V.I., Gileva, N.A., Radziminovich, N.A., Masal’skii, O.K., and Chechel’nitskii, V.V., Seismicity of the Baikal Rift Zone for the digital recording priod of earthquake observation (2001–2006), Seism. Instrum., 2010, vol. 46, no. 2, pp. 193–206.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  20. Mel’nikova, V.I., Gileva, N.A., Aref’ev, S.S., Bykova, V.V., and Masal’skii, O.K., The 2008 Kultuk earthquake with Mw = 6.3 in the south of Baikal: Spatial-temporal analysis of seismic activation, Izv., Phys. Solid Earth, 2012, vol. 48, nos. 7–8, pp. 594–614.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  21. Melnikova, V.I., Gileva, N.A., Arefyev, S.S., Bykova, V.V., and Seredkina, A.I., The August 27, 2008, M w = 6.3 Kultuk earthquake (South Baikal): The stress-strain state of the source area from the aftershock data, Izv., Phys. Solid Earth, 2013, vol. 49, no. 4, pp. 563–576.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  22. Misharina, L.A., Mel’nikova, V.I., and Balzhinnyam, I., The southwestern boundary of the Baikal Rift Zone from the data on earthquake focal mechanisms, Vulkanol. Seismol., 1983, no. 2, pp. 74–83.

  23. Radziminovich, Ya.B., Imaev, V.S., Radziminovich, N.A., Ruzhich, V.V., Smekalin, O.P., and Chipizubov, A.V., The August 27, 2008, M w = 6.3 Kultuk earthquake effects in the nearepicenter zone: Macroseismic survey results, Seism. Instrum., 2010, vol. 46, no. 2, pp. 107–120.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  24. Radziminovich, Ya.B., Khritova, M.A., and Gileva, N.A., Modern methods for acquisition of macroseismic data and their possible uses for eastern Siberia, J. Volcanol. Seismol., 2014, vol. 8, no. 6, pp. 375–389.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  25. Radziminovich, Ya.B., Seredkina, A.I., Melnikova, V.I., and Gileva, N.A., The March 29, 2019 earthquake in the western part of the Tunka rift basin system: Source parameters and macroseismic effects, Seism. Instrum., 2020, vol. 56, no. 6, pp. 648–661. https://doi.org/10.3103/S0747923920060067

    Article  Google Scholar 

  26. Ritz, J.-F., Arzhannikova, A., Vassallo, R., Arzhannikov, S., Larroque, C., Michelot, J.-L., and Massault, M., Characterizing the present-day activity of the Tunka and Sayan faults within their relay zone (Western Baikal rift system, Russia), Tectonics, 2018, vol. 37, no. 5, pp. 1376–1392. https://doi.org/10.1002/2017TC004691

    Article  Google Scholar 

  27. San’kov, V.A., Chipizubov, A.V., Lukhnev, A.V., Smekalin, O.P., Miroshnichenko, A.I., Calais, E., and Déverchère, J., Assessment of a large earthquake risk in the zone of Main Sayan fault using GPS geodesy and paleoseismology, Russ. Geol. Geophys., 2004, vol. 45, no. 11, pp. 1317–1324.

  28. Shebalin, N.V. and Aptikaev, F.F., Development of scales of the MSK type, in Magnitnoe pole Zemli: Matematicheskie metody opisaniya. Problemy makroseismiki (Earth’s Magnetic Field. Mathematical Methods of Description. Macroseismics Problems), vol. 34 of Vychisl. Seismol., Moscow: GEOS, 2003, pp. 210–253.

  29. Sherman, S.I. and Dneprovskii, Yu.I., Polya napryazhenii zemnoi kory i geologo-strukturnye metody ikh izucheniya (Crustal Stress Fields and Structural Geological Methods of Their Study), Novosibirsk: Nauka, 1989.

  30. Smekalin, O.P., Chipizubov, A.V., and Imaev, V.S., Paleoearthquakes in the Baikal region: Methods and results of timing, Geotectonics, 2010, vol. 44, no. 2, pp. 158–175.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  31. Ulomov, V.I., General seismic zoning of the territory of Russian Federation: GSZ-2012, Seism. Instrum., 2014, vol. 50, no. 4, pp. 290–304.

    Article  Google Scholar 

Download references

ACKNOWLEDGMENTS

The authors express their sincere gratitude to the management and employees of the Buryat, Altai-Sayan, and Yakutsk branches of UGS RAS and the Institute of Astronomy and Geophysics of the Mongolian Academy of Sciences for kindly providing the seismograms of the September 21, 2020 earthquake, which we used to determine the focal mechanisms.

Author information

Authors and Affiliations

  1. Baikal Branch of the United Geophysical Survey, Russian Academy of Sciences, 664033, Irkutsk, Russia

    N. A. Gileva, E. A. Kobeleva, Ya. B. Radziminovich, V. I. Melnikova & V. V. Chechelnitsky

  2. Institute of the Earth’s Crust, Siberian Branch of the Russian Academy of Sciences, 664033, Irkutsk, Russia

    Ya. B. Radziminovich & V. I. Melnikova

Authors
  1. N. A. Gileva
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  2. E. A. Kobeleva
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  3. Ya. B. Radziminovich
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  4. V. I. Melnikova
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  5. V. V. Chechelnitsky
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

Corresponding author

Correspondence to N. A. Gileva.

Ethics declarations

The authors declare they have no conflict of interest.

About this article

Check for updates. Verify currency and authenticity via CrossMark

Cite this article

Gileva, N.A., Kobeleva, E.A., Radziminovich, Y.B. et al. The September 21, 2020, M w = 5.5, Bystraya Earthquake in the Southern Baikal Region: Preliminary Results of Instrumental and Macroseismic Observations. Seism. Instr. 57, 173–186 (2021). https://doi.org/10.3103/S0747923921020237

Download citation

  • Received:

  • Revised:

  • Accepted:

  • Published:

  • Issue Date:

  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.3103/S0747923921020237

Keywords:

Search

Navigation