Manifestations of the Nevelsk and Gornozavodsk earthquakes of 2006–2007 in the dynamics of gryphon activity of the Yuzhno-Sakhalinsk gas-water-lithoclastic (Mud) volcano

Abstract

Mud volcanism is a specific natural phenomenon, which is very interesting for geologists, geophysicists, and people who are fond of nature. It is assumed that mud volcanoes can be indicators of geodynamic processes in the Earth’s interior and serve as forerunners of tectonic earthquakes. In this work, we present the data of field observations of the Yuzhno-Sakhalinsk mud volcano during the preparation period and realization of strong seismic events in the southern part of Sakhalin Island. A possible interpretation of the distinguished anomalies in the volcano activity is suggested. Mud volcanoes are natural fluid dynamics systems, in which intense transport of energy and matter from the Earth’s interior to the surface occurs. At present there is no unambiguous concept about the existence or absence of a correlation between mud volcano activity and natural seismicity. The character of such a possible correlation is also unknown: it is a precursor of a response? This ignorance is due to a lack of the necessary empirical material that can be obtained during long-term observations.