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Hydrothermal Triggering Revealed Through Periodicity Analysis at the Coso Geothermal Field

Description: 

To study the interaction between seismicity and long-term geothermal production, we compare periodicity trends of 15 years of local seismic and daily operational data from the Coso Geothermal Field (CGF). Using nearest neighbor declustering of the local seismic catalog and Schuster tests, we identify a strong correlation between short-term increase in seismicity rates and seasonal variations in injection volume and temperature. Furthermore, the seismic footprint during peak injection of colder fluids reveals a near-instantaneous response up to 2 km away from the injection well, too rapid to be attributed to pore pressure diffusion alone. This short-term and distant response exhibits a clear directional preference, suggesting structural or permeability anisotropy within the reservoir. Moreover, while the seismic response correlates with the initial volumetric increase of colder fluids, it also correlates with temperature decrease during stable injection periods, indicating that thermal effects alone may play a significant role in triggering seismicity at greater distances.

Session: From Drilling to Ground Shaking: Mechanisms, Monitoring and Mitigation of Induced Earthquakes [Poster]

Type: Poster

Date: 4/17/2026

Presentation Time: 08:00 AM (local time)

Presenting Author: Joanna M. Holmgren

Student Presenter: No

Invited Presentation: 

Poster Number: 98

Authors