A study of variation in soil gas concentration associated with earthquakes near Indo-Burma Subduction zone

• Published in: Geoenvironmental disasters 2016-11, Vol.3 (1), p.1-8, Article 22
• Main Authors: Singh, Sanjay, Jaishi, Hari Prasad, Tiwari, Raghavendra Prasad, Tiwari, Ramesh Chandra
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Subjects: Anomalies; Detectors; Earth and Environmental Science; Earth Sciences; Earthquake prediction; Earthquakes; Environment; Environmental Science and Engineering; Gases; Geoecology/Natural Processes; Geography; Meteorological parameters; Natural Hazards; Precursors; Radon; Radon levels; Seismic activity; Seismic zones; Soil; Soil gas; Soil gases; Subduction; Subduction (geology); Subduction zones
• ISSN: 2197-8670; 2197-8670
• DOI: 10.1186/s40677-016-0055-8

Background In the recent past, several efforts have been made by a number of researchers to measure anomalous emanations of geo-gases in seismic prone regions of the world and radon has been the most preferred geo-gas as possible earthquake precursor since it is easily detectable. Results In the present investigation, continuous measurements of radon concentration at 80 cm inside the soil has been carried out at Chite Fault (23.73°N, 92.73°E), Aizawl, Mizoram situated in the seismic zone V in North Eastern part of India near Indo-Burma subduction zone, using LR-115 Type-II nuclear track detectors manufactured by Kodak Pathe, France. During the investigation period, the radon concentration varied from 163.27 Bq/m 3 to 2557.82 Bq/m 3 with an average and standard deviation of 1116.15 Bq/m 3 and 591.76 Bq/m 3 respectively. Conclusion Certain anomalies observed in radon concentration have been correlated to the earthquakes within the range of magnitudes 4.7 ≤ M ≤ 5.5, while some other anomalies are due to the influence of meteorological parameters.