Stress-dissipative heat geotemperature precursor mechanism of earthquakes

Abstract

It is a common phenomenon that there exists shallow geotemperature rise precursor around an earthquake region before the event occurs. The existing models on geotemperature precursor mechanism such as the deep thermal ascent model and the model of hothouse effect, all encounter some contradictions although there is a certain evidence supporting them. From the angle of dissipative heat in the present paper, we set forth a new interpretation model named the stress-dissipative heat model with the main points of view as: the dissipative heat transformed from the work of crustal stress to non-elastic deformation of rock and soil, is one important reason for preseismic geotemperature rise. The medium-term regional and tendency geotemperature rise before an earthquake closely relates to the intensification of regional crustal stress field; the short-term and prequake geotemperature bursting rise around an earthquake region closely relates to rapid change of the source stress field. Plastic deformation and dissipative heat is much easier created in soil than rock. Therefore, the pre-earthquake geotemperature precursors mainly appear in soil covered area and mostly concentrate in shallow soil layers.