Seismic events in the Vorkuta coal industrial district in 2023

Abstract

In 2023, regional seismic stations recorded 25 seismic events in the Vorkuta coal industrial district of the Komi Republic, with a local magnitude ML from 1.8 to 2.8. A significant contribution to the detection of weak, ML ≤ 2, events was made by data obtained from the temporary seismic station of the IG FRC Komi SC UB RAS, installed as part of expeditionary work in the summer of 2023 in the Polar Urals.
 Among them the seismic event on August 1, 2023, which had a macroseismic effect, is of particular interest. Residents of several districts of Vorkuta felt tremors similar to an earthquake. Seismic records from 5 stations with epicentral distances from 40 to 1070 km were processed. The following parameters of the epicenter were obtained: t0 = 18:39:07, 67.529N, 64.001E, h = 0 km, Rminor = 3.9 km, Rmajor = 6.7 km, AzMajor = 90°, Kp = 9.0, ML = 2.8, Ms = 2.35. The instrumental epicenter of the event is located in Vorkuta, near the mine field of the Vorkuta mine. We classified the seismic event as a rock burst. Macroseismic intensity calculated in accordance with the Seismic intensity scale-2017 using 57 questionnaires and 163 definitions of sensor categories was I0 = 4.73 ± 0.02. The calculated value of the macroseismic depth of the source was H = 0.5 ± 0.4 km, which corresponds to the instrumental definition and to the range of depths of mine workings of the Vorkuta coal deposit.