Estimation of the orientation of stress in the Earth’s crust without earthquake or borehole data

Journal Article · 09 September 2021 · Communications Earth & Environment

DOI: https://doi.org/10.1038/s43247-021-00244-1 · OSTI ID:1819382

Delorey, Andrew A. ; Bokelmann, Götz H. R.; Johnson, Christopher W.; Johnson, Paul A.

Abstract Mechanical stress acting in the Earth’s crust is a fundamental property that is important for a wide range of scientific and engineering applications. The orientation of maximum horizontal compressive stress can be estimated by inverting earthquake source mechanisms and measured directly from borehole-based measurements, but large regions of the continents have few or no observations. Here we present an approach to determine the orientation of maximum horizontal compressive stress by measuring stress-induced anisotropy of nonlinear susceptibility, which is the derivative of elastic modulus with respect to strain. Laboratory and Earth experiments show that nonlinear susceptibility is azimuthally dependent in an anisotropic stress field and is maximum in the orientation of maximum horizontal compressive stress. We observe this behavior in the Earth—in Oklahoma and New Mexico, U.S.A, where maximum nonlinear susceptibility coincides with the orientation of maximum horizontal compressive stress measured using traditional methods. Our measurements use empirical Green’s functions and solid-earth tides and can be applied at different temporal and spatial scales.

• Sponsoring Organization: USDOE
• OSTI ID: 1819382
• Journal Information: Communications Earth & Environment, Journal Name: Communications Earth & Environment Journal Issue: 1 Vol. 2; ISSN 2662-4435
• Publisher: Nature Publishing GroupCopyright Statement
• Country of Publication: United Kingdom
• Language: English