Monitoring the Microseismicity through a Dense Seismic Array and a Similarity Search Detection Technique: Application to the Seismic Monitoring of Collalto Gas-Storage, North Italy

Seismic monitoring in areas where induced earthquakes could occur is a challenging topic for seismologists due to the generally very low signal to noise ratio. Therefore, the seismological community is devoting several efforts to the development of high-quality networks around the areas where fluid injection and storage and geothermal activities take place, also following the national induced seismicity monitoring guidelines. The use of advanced data mining strategies, such as template matching filters, auto-similarity search, and deep-learning approaches, has recently further fostered such monitoring, enhancing the seismic catalogs and lowering the magnitude of completeness of these areas. In this framework, we carried out an experiment where a small-aperture seismic array was installed within the dense seismic network used for monitoring the gas reservoir of Collalto, in North Italy. The continuous velocimetric data, acquired for 25 days, were analysed through the application of the optimized auto-similarity search technique FAST. The array was conceived as a cost-effective network, aimed at integrating, right above the gas storage site, the permanent high-resolution Collalto Seismic Network. The analysis allowed to detect micro-events down to magnitude M1 = -0.4 within a distance of similar to 15 km from the array. Our results confirmed that the system based on the array installation and the FAST data analysis might contribute to lowering the magnitude of completeness around the site of about 0.7 units.

Automated summary

This paper discusses the challenges of seismic monitoring in areas where induced earthquakes could occur, highlighting the importance of developing high-quality monitoring networks and using advanced data mining strategies. An experiment with a small-aperture seismic array installation demonstrated the effectiveness of enhancing seismic monitoring accuracy and reducing magnitude completeness.