Study of particles in the ascending gas of ruptures caused by the 2008 Wenchuan earthquake

Abstract

Ascending gas is a global phenomenon. It can move upwards along faults or fissures from the interior of the Earth to the surface of the Earth. Seismically active regions near continental plate boundaries are active regions of ascending gas. Based on the results of previous research, abnormal concentrations of SO2, CO2, Rn, He, H2, O2, Ar, N2, and CH4 in ascending gas may be applied to earthquake prediction. In our study, particles carried by ascending gas in ruptures caused by the Wenchuan earthquake have been discovered using a transmission electron microscope. It can be seen that there are far more particles in the ascending gas of ruptures caused by the 2008 earthquake than there are in the ascending gas of the non-seismic Fengguanshan fault or the ascending gas of the soil in Wufeng Town of Jintang County or Yuhe Village of Pengshan County (which represent background areas). The abnormal characteristics of the particles carried by the ascending gas of ruptures also include Cu-, Hg-, and Os-enriched particles. The typical elemental associations are Fe-Mn-Ni-Cr and Pb-Cr. SiO2 particles contain abnormally high contents of impure elements in the form of particles that have been encapsulated by SiO2. This is the first study to report the presence of particles carried by ascending gas in earthquake ruptures. This study represents a new method of earthquake prediction. These particles can provide us with abundant and direct information about earthquake activity, which can be applied to earthquake prediction. Characteristics of the particles in the ascending gas, combined with the concentrations of Hg, SO2, CO2, Rn, He, H2, O2, Ar, N2, and CH4, can be used to develop a more efficient method of earthquake prediction.