A major upgrade of the Global Strain Rate Map, version 2.1, uses far more geodetic data, systematic data processing, more modeled plates and plate boundaries, an improved algorithm, and a finer spatial grid than version 1 (Kreemer et al., 2014). We convert this model to an indefinite-term tectonic forecast of shallow seismicity on a fine global grid, using the assumptions of Bird et al. (2010) ...

We analyzed the historical seismicity in southern California to develop a rational approach for calculating the seismic hazard from background seismicity of magnitude 6.5 or smaller. The basic assumption for the approach is that future earthquakes will be clustered spatially near locations of historical mainshocks of magnitudes equal to or greater than 4. We analyzed the declustered California ...

This paper defines the maximum possible vertical extent of hydrothermal circulation in granitic crust, and thus the maximum depth within which geothermal reservoirs can be encountered. To evaluate prospective geothermal fields we constructed a geothermal database in northern Honshu, Japan that includes 571 points of thermal data of existing wells and hot springs. Depth-temperature curves were n...

The February 21, 2008, Wells earthquake (MW=6.0) occurred in a region of northeastern Nevada where the seismicity has historically been low relative to western Nevada. In a region of area of approximately10 5 km 2 of northeastern Nevada, based rates of smaller earthquakes in the region prior to 2008, earthquakes of MW=6.0 or larger are expected with a rate of about 0.01 per year. The probabilit...

One way to probe earthquake nucleation processes and the relation between stress buildup and seismicity is to analyze the sensitivity of seismicity to stress perturbations. Here, we report evidence for seasonal strain and stress (~2–4 kPa) variations in the Nepal Himalaya, induced by water storage variations which correlate with seasonal variations of seismicity. The seismicity rate is twice as...

In most cases of reservoir-induced seismicity, seismicity follows the impoundment, large lake-level changes, or filling at a later time above the highest water level achieved until then. We classify this as initial seismicity. This ‘‘initial seismicity’’ is ascribable to the coupled poroelastic response of the reservoir to initial filling or water level changes. It is characterized by an increa...

Existing loading protocols for quasi-static cyclic testing of structures are based on recordings from regions of high seismicity. For regions of low to moderate seismicity they overestimate imposed cumulative damage demands. Since structural capacities are a function of demand, existing loading protocols applied to specimens that are representative of structures in low to moderate seismicity re...