Geofluids as a possible unconventional tool for seismic hazard assessment

In recent decades, phenomenological methods known as Recognition of
Earthquake-Prone Areas (REPA) were set up for identifying potential sites of
powerful earthquakes. The information on potential earthquake sources
provided by the REPA method is an essential part of seismic hazard
assessment methodology. For the first time, we have combined global-scale
information on the geographic occurrence of geofluids with global-scale
information on earthquake occurrence, heat flow distribution, and S-wave
dispersion, to gain insights into the evolution of local stress-strain fields. We
focused on areas characterized by the occurrence of thermal waters and/or by the
release of deep-seated gases, as traced by the isotope composition of associated
helium. We noticed that the geographic distribution of these geofluids could serve
as an indirect indicator of crustal permeability anomalies generated by crustal
deformation procedures. This study proposes adding geofluids to the list of
fundamental geological parameters to be considered in hazard assessment
research.