Radon, carbon dioxide and fault displacements in central Europe related to the Tōhoku Earthquake.
Tectonic instability may be measured directly using extensometers installed across active faults or it may be indicated by anomalous natural gas concentrations in the vicinity of active faults. This paper presents the results of fault displacement monitoring at two sites in the Bohemian Massif and Western Carpathians. These data have been supplemented by radon monitoring in the Mladeč Caves and by carbon dioxide monitoring in the Zbrašov Aragonite Caves. A significant period of tectonic instability is indicated by changes in the fault displacement trends and by anomalous radon and carbon dioxide concentrations. This was recorded around the time of the catastrophic MW=9.0 Tōhoku Earthquake, which hit eastern Japan on 11 March 2011. It is tentatively suggested that the Tōhoku Earthquake in the Pacific Ocean and the unusual geodynamic activity recorded in the Bohemian Massif and Western Carpathians both reflect contemporaneous global tectonic changes.
Institute of Rock Structure and Mechanics, v.v.i., Academy of Sciences of the Czech Republic, V Holešovičkách 41, Prague 8 182 09, Czech Republic briestensky@irsm.cas.cz.
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Briestenský
Faculty of Nuclear Sciences and Physical Engineering, Czech Technical University in Prague, Břehová 7, Prague 1 115 19, Czech Republic.
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Thinová
Technical University Ostrava, 17. listopadu 15/2172, Ostrava 708 33, Czech Republic.
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Praksová
Institute of Rock Structure and Mechanics, v.v.i., Academy of Sciences of the Czech Republic, V Holešovičkách 41, Prague 8 182 09, Czech Republic.
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Stemberk
Institute of Rock Structure and Mechanics, v.v.i., Academy of Sciences of the Czech Republic, V Holešovičkách 41, Prague 8 182 09, Czech Republic.
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MD
Rowberry
Faculty of Nuclear Sciences and Physical Engineering, Czech Technical University in Prague, Břehová 7, Prague 1 115 19, Czech Republic.
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Knejflová
D002245:Carbon Dioxide / Q000032:analysis*; D004190:Disasters; D055866:Earthquakes; D005060:Europe; D019015:Geologic Sediments / Q000032:analysis*; D006801:Humans; D007564:Japan; D011834:Radiation Monitoring; D011848:Radioactive Pollutants / Q000032:analysis*; D011886:Radon / Q000032:analysis*; D013051:Spectrometry, Gamma; D018707:Volcanic Eruptions
D011848:Radioactive Pollutants; D002245:Carbon Dioxide; D011886:Radon