Heliogeodynamics and seismicity in Pribaikalie

Abstract

The field of earthquake epicentres of Pribaikalie (Russia) is reconstructed from the data of historical and instrumental monitoring of earthquakes. The analysis shows that seismic events in the study area are distributed irregularly in space and time. The seismic process in Pribaikalie is investigated through the prism of seismic structures in the lithosphere; the irregular occurrence of seismic events in time is considered with reference to seismic weather and climate; and the causes of periodic activations of the seismic process are discovered in relation to the external effects on the Earth's physical fields from cosmic and solar processes. It is proposed to classify the seismic structures as specific geometric objects located in the lithosphere. Such objects are viewed as abstract structural elements. Some regular features are noted in the occurrence of seismic events. It is revealed that the seismic process in time shows a similarity with the course of hydrometeorological processes, which is reflected in the periodicity of elastic energy release, if only the change in the number of earthquakes (of different energy classes) in time is analysed by years. An evidently regular time pattern of seismically active periods suggests that the seismic process is influenced by some external factors. In this study, we apply the concepts of heliogeodynamics, space climate and weather to investigate such factors.