Abstract
Earthquakes can trigger various hydrological responses such as changes in groundwater level, tidal response, and aquifer permeability, but the relationship between these changes remains unclear. In this study, the changes in groundwater level and tidal response induced by the 2,008 Ms8.0 Wenchuan earthquake, China, are analyzed for epicenter distances of tens of kilometers to more than 1,000 km. The results show that the water levels in 34 wells changed, including step-like, pulse, oscillation and gradual changes. The water levels of 8 out of 17 wells with tidal responses experienced changes in phase shift based on tidal analysis, and the water levels and phase shifts varied in opposite directions. The changes in phase shift indicate that the earthquake changed the horizontal or vertical permeability of the aquifer, or even the groundwater movement. Several possible mechanisms are proposed to account for these changes: breaching of the aquitard, associated with five of the studied wells in which phase shift increased to different extents but water level decreased; reduction in the fracture aperture, accounting for one well whose phase shift changed from positive to negative but water level increased; clogging/unclogging of the fractures, associated with one well with increasing and then decreasing phase shift; lower aquifer permeability or the occurrence of rapid fluctuations in pore pressure, accounting for another well where phase shift gradually decreased but the water level changed little. Each mechanism may deepen understanding of hydrological responses after earthquakes.
Résumé
Les séismes peuvent déclencher diverses réponses hydrologiques, telles que des changements du niveau des eaux souterraines (ESO), de la réponse tidale et de la perméabilité de l’aquifère, mais la relation entre ces changements reste peu claire. Dans la présente étude, les changements du niveau des ES et de la réponse de la marée induits par le séisme Wenchuan de 2008 de Ms. 8.0, en Chine, sont analysés pour des distances à l’épicentre allant de 10 km à plus de 1,000 km. Les résultats montrent que les niveaux d’eau dans 34 puits ont changé, y compris par des changements progressifs, pulsés, oscillatoires et graduels. Les niveaux d’eau de 8 des 17 puits présentant des réponses tidales ont subi des changements dans le déphasage d’après l’analyse des marées et les niveaux d’eau et les déphasages ont varié dans des sens opposés. Les changements du déphasage indiquent que le séisme a modifié la perméabilité horizontale ou verticale de l’aquifère ou même le mouvement des ESO. Plusieurs mécanismes possibles sont proposés pour expliquer ces changements: une rupture de l’aquitard, associée à cinq des puits étudiés, dans lesquels le déphasage a augmenté à des degrés divers, alors que le niveau d’eau a décru; une réduction de l’ouverture d’une fracture, représentée dans un des puits dont le déphasage est passé de positif à négatif alors que le niveau d’eau a cru; un colmatage-décolmatage des fractures associés à un puits à déphasage croissant puis décroissant; une perméabilité plus faible de l’aquifère ou la survenue de fluctuations rapides de la pression interstitielle, représentée dans un autre puits où le déphasage a diminué graduellement alors que le niveau d’eau a peu changé. Chaque mécanisme peut améliorer la compréhension des réponses hydrologiques à la suite des séismes.
Resumen
Los terremotos pueden desencadenar diversas respuestas hidrológicas, como los cambios en el nivel de las aguas subterráneas, respuesta de las mareas y permeabilidad de los acuíferos, pero la relación entre esos cambios todavía no está bien definida. En este estudio, los cambios en el nivel de las aguas subterráneas y la respuesta de las mareas inducidos por el terremoto de 2008 Ms8.0 Wenchuan, China, se analizan para distancias de epicentro de decenas de kilómetros a más de 1,000 km. Los resultados muestran que los niveles de agua en 34 pozos cambiaron, incluyendo variaciones escalonadas, pulsos, oscilaciones y cambios graduales. Los niveles de agua de 8 de los 17 pozos con respuestas de marea experimentaron variaciones de cambio de fase basadas en el análisis de mareas, y los niveles de agua y los cambios de fase variaron en direcciones opuestas. Las variaciones en el cambio de fase indican que el terremoto cambió la permeabilidad horizontal o vertical del acuífero, o incluso el movimiento de las aguas subterráneas. Se proponen varios mecanismos posibles para explicar esos cambios: la ruptura del acuitardo, asociada a cinco de los pozos estudiados en los que el cambio de fase aumentó en distinta medida pero el nivel del agua disminuyó; la reducción de la apertura de la fractura, que explica un pozo cuyo cambio de fase pasó de positivo a negativo pero el nivel del agua aumentó; el taponamiento o desobstrucción de las fracturas, asociado a un pozo con un cambio de fase creciente y luego decreciente; la menor permeabilidad del acuífero o la aparición de rápidas fluctuaciones en la presión de los poros, que explica otro pozo en el que el cambio de fase disminuyó gradualmente pero el nivel del agua cambió escasamente. Cada mecanismo puede profundizar la comprensión de las respuestas hidrológicas después de los terremotos.
摘要
地震会触发各种水文响应, 例如地下水位, 潮汐响应和含水层渗透率的变化, 但这些变化之间的关系仍不清楚。在这项研究中, 分析了2008年中国汶川Ms8.0地震引起的地下水位变化和潮汐响应, 其震中距离在几十公里到1000多公里之间。结果表明, 34口井的水位发生了阶梯状, 脉动, 振荡和逐渐变化。根据潮汐分析, 在具有潮汐响应的17口井中, 有8口的水位发生了相移变化, 并且水位和相移沿相反的方向变化。相移的变化表明地震改变了含水层的水平或垂直渗透率, 甚至改变了地下水的运动。提出了几种可能的机制来解释这些变化:隔水层破坏, 相应的五眼相关井的井中相移增加到不同程度, 但水位下降; 裂缝开度减小, 一口井的相移从正变负, 但水位增加; 裂缝的堵塞/疏通, 一口井相移增加然后相移降低; 较低的含水层渗透率或发生孔隙压力快速波动, 这是相移逐渐减少但水位变化不大的另一口井的原因。每种机制都可以加深对地震后水文响应的了解。
Resumo
Terremotos podem desencadear várias respostas hidrológicas, como mudanças no nível do lençol freático, resposta das marés e permeabilidade do aquífero, mas a relação entre essas mudanças permanece obscura. Neste estudo, as mudanças no nível do lençol freático e a resposta das marés induzidas pelo terremoto Ms8.0 de 2008 em Wenchuan, na China, são analisadas para distâncias de epicentro de dezenas de quilômetros a mais de 1,000 km. Os resultados mostram que os níveis de água em 34 poços mudaram, incluindo degraus, pulso, oscilação e mudanças graduais. Os níveis de água de 8 dos 17 poços com respostas de maré experimentaram alterações na mudança de fase com base na análise de maré, e os níveis de água e mudanças de fase variaram em direções opostas. As alterações na mudança de fase indicam que o terremoto mudou a permeabilidade horizontal ou vertical do aquífero, ou mesmo o movimento da água subterrânea. Vários mecanismos possíveis são propostos para dar conta dessas mudanças: rompimento do aquitardo, associado a cinco dos poços estudados nos quais a mudança de fase aumentou em diferentes extensões, mas o nível da água diminuiu; redução na abertura de fratura, responsável por um poço cuja mudança de fase mudou de positiva para negativa, mas o nível de água aumentou; obstrução/desobstrução das fraturas, associada a um poço com aumento e, em seguida, diminuição do deslocamento de fase; menor permeabilidade do aquífero ou a ocorrência de flutuações rápidas na pressão dos poros, sendo responsável por outro poço onde a mudança de fase diminuiu gradualmente, mas o nível da água mudou pouco. Cada mecanismo pode aprofundar a compreensão das respostas hidrológicas após terremotos.
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Acknowledgements
The original water level data used in this article were obtained from the National Earthquake Precursory Network Center. We thank the anonymous reviewers for their helpful comments and suggestions.
Funding
This work was supported by the National Natural Science Foundation of China (41807180) and the Earthquake Spark Program Project (XH19070).
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Lan, Ss., Gu, Hb. & Yu-Liu Changes in groundwater level and tidal response caused by the Wenchuan earthquake, China. Hydrogeol J 29, 1329–1341 (2021). https://doi.org/10.1007/s10040-021-02302-6
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DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s10040-021-02302-6