Retrieving Seismic Source Characteristics Using Seismic and Infrasound Data: The 2020 ML 4.1 Kiruna Minequake, Sweden

Abstract A minequake of magnitude ML 4.1 occurred on 18 May 2020 early in the morning at the LKAB underground iron ore mine in Kiruna, Sweden. This is the largest mining‐induced earthquake in Scandinavia. It generated acoustic signals observed at three infrasound arrays at 9.3 (KRIS, Sweden), 155 (I...

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Bibliographic Details
Published in:Geophysical Research Letters
Main Authors: Antoine Turquet, Quentin Brissaud, Celso Alvizuri, Sven Peter Näsholm, Alexis Le Pichon, Johan Kero
Format: Article in Journal/Newspaper
Language:English
Published: Wiley 2024
Subjects:
infrasound
earthquake
seismo‐acoustic
source inversion
simulations
Geophysics. Cosmic physics
QC801-809
Kiruna
Online Access:https://doi.org/10.1029/2024GL109276
https://doaj.org/article/70b81d338ea047b085e4a8158d4b3728
Description
Summary:Abstract A minequake of magnitude ML 4.1 occurred on 18 May 2020 early in the morning at the LKAB underground iron ore mine in Kiruna, Sweden. This is the largest mining‐induced earthquake in Scandinavia. It generated acoustic signals observed at three infrasound arrays at 9.3 (KRIS, Sweden), 155 (IS37, Norway), and 286 km (ARCI, Norway) distance. We perform full‐waveform focal mechanism inversion based on regional seismic data and local infrasound data. These independently highlight that this event was dominated by a shallow‐depth collapse in agreement with in‐mine seismic station data. However, regional infrasound data cannot inform the inversion process without an accurate model of atmospheric winds and temperatures. Yet, our numerical simulations demonstrate a potential of using local and regional infrasound data to constrain an event's focal mechanism and depth.

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