Abstract
The observations of short-term decreases in helium soil-gas concentrations along the San Andreas Fault in central California have been correlated with subsequent earthquake activity. The area of study is elliptical in shape with radii approximately 160×80 km, centered near San Benito, and with the major axis parallel to the Fault. For 83 percent of theM>4 earthquakes in this area a helium decrease preceded seismic activity by 1.5 to 6.5 weeks. There were several earthquakes without a decrease and several decreases without a corresponding earthquake. Owing to complex and unresolved interaction of many geophysical and geochemical parameters, no suitable model is yet developed to explain the observations.
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Reimer, G.M. Prediction of central California earthquakes from soil-gas helium fluctuations. PAGEOPH 122, 369–375 (1984). https://doi.org/10.1007/BF00874605
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DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/BF00874605