Seismic Observations of Microearthquakes from the Masada Deep Borehole

Researchers have uncovered significant seismic activity beneath the Dead Sea basin (DSB) using a deep borehole seismometer installed at 1516 meters below sea level near Masada, Israel. This innovative approach recorded 1491 high-quality seismograms with a significantly higher signal-to-noise ratio than surface observations, detecting microearthquakes down to magnitudes well below M = 0. The study identified clusters of earthquakes occurring at depths of 10–25 km, providing unprecedented insights into the tectonics and hazards of the DSB. The findings suggest that the b-value for these events is higher than previously observed in the broader DSF area, indicating a unique seismic behavior in this region.

Hofstetter, R., Malin, P., & Ben-Avraham, Z. (2020). Seismic Observations of Microearthquakes from the Masada Deep Borehole. Seismological Research Letters, 91(4), 2298–2309. https://doi.org/10.1785/0220190391