Keywords
seismic stations
intraplate seismicity
monitoring
risk
Mexico
How to Cite
Citas en Dimensions Service
Abstract
Seismic networks are essential for monitoring and understanding the space-time behavior of seismicity, especially in intraplate regions, which have been little studied. In central Mexico, the lack of infrastructure has hindered systematic recording of seismicity. This paper describes the creation and progress of the Queretaro Seismic Network, developed by the Instituto de Geociencias, to record and study seismic phenomena in central Mexico. The network began operation in September 2021. The earthquake catalog from September 2021 to December 2022 shows shallow activity (<20 km), with a NW-SE distribution, parallel to the central axis of the Sierra Madre Oriental. The spatial variation of microseismicity in the region is controlled by the geology of the physiographic provinces of the Trans-Mexican Volcanic Belt, the Mesa Central, and the Sierra Madre Oriental. The Queretaro seismic network will help to identify the main geological active structures. The epicentral locations are already included in the State Risk Atlas, which will facilitate the assessment of some potential risks to the population. It will also allow for the study of local and regional intraplate seismic activity and the creation of an instrumentally documented seismic history for assessing seismic hazard. The new seismic data will allow for the estimation of seismic source parameters, the proposal of crustal velocity models, the calculation of attenuation laws, and the establishment of the foundation for seismotectonic studies. The seismic network will help to study some cavern collapses and induced events, which are common in the region. The seismic network will enable the systematic instrumental monitoring of intraplate seismic activity in Central Mexico.
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