Need for Seismic Hydrology Research with a Geomicrobiological Focus

Abstract

Earthquakes cause deformation in previously stable groundwater environments, resulting in changes to the hydrogeological characteristics. The changes to hydrological processes following large-scale earthquakes have been investigated through many physicochemical studies, but understanding of the associated geomicrobiological responses remains limited. To complement the understanding of earthquakes gathered using hydrogeochemical approaches, studies on the effects of the Earth’s deep crustal fluids on microbial community structures can be applied. These studies could help establish the degree of resilience and sustainability of the underground ecosystem following an earthquake. Furthermore, investigations on changes in the microbial community structure of the Earth’s deep crustal fluids before and after an earthquake can be used to predict an earthquake. The results derived from studies that merge hydrogeochemical and geomicrobiological changes in the deep crustal fluids due to the effect of stress on rock characteristics within a fault zone can be used to correlate these factors with earthquake occurrences. In addition, an earthquake risk evaluation method may be developed based on the observable characteristics of fault-zone aquifers.