Springwater chemical anomalies prior to the Mw=7.2 Van Earthquake (Turkey)

INAN S., BALDERER W. P., LEUENBERGER-WEST F., YAKAN H., Ozvan A., FREUND F. T.

GEOCHEMICAL JOURNAL, cilt.46, sa.6, 2012 (SCI-Expanded) identifier identifier

  • Yayın Türü: Makale / Tam Makale
  • Cilt numarası: 46 Sayı: 6
  • Basım Tarihi: 2012
  • Doi Numarası: 10.2343/geochemj.1.0159
  • Dergi Adı: GEOCHEMICAL JOURNAL
  • Derginin Tarandığı İndeksler: Science Citation Index Expanded (SCI-EXPANDED), Scopus
  • Anahtar Kelimeler: geochemical anomalies, spring water, earthquake precursors, Van, Turkey, KOBE EARTHQUAKE, PLATEAU, WATER
  • Van Yüzüncü Yıl Üniversitesi Adresli: Evet

Özet

We performed chemical analyses of commercially bottled spring water (EREK Spring water) emanating from a location less than 20 kilometer from the epicenter of the Mw = 7.2 Van Earthquake of October 23rd 2011. The available water samples cover the period from September 8th 2011 to January 11th 2012. The pre-earthquake anomaly is characterized by a slight but clear increase in Ca2+, Mg2+, K+ and Cl- contents and decrease in Na+ and SO42- contents compared to the background. Post-seismic samples show decreasing trends in Ca2+, Mg2+, K+ and Cl- and increasing trends in Na+ and SO42-. All ion concentrations reach stability approximately one month after the earthquake. These results indicate that spring water chemical anomalies may be monitored as potential geochemical pre-earthquake indicators.