In seismology, the constant b in the Gutenberg-Richer law expresses the relationship between the magnitude and total number of earthquakes in any given region and time period of at least that magnitude. The value of b is typically equal to 1.0 in seismically active regions, and variations in that value have been attributed to different stress regimes. In recent years, workers applying this analysis to microseismicity have used it to interpret processes related to hydrofrac treatments and have also interpreted b values as a "stress meter" in the reservoir. This talk examines alternative, geologically-based explanations for b values.
In seismology, the constant b in the Gutenberg-Richer law expresses the relationship between the magnitude and total number of earthquakes in any given region and time period of at least that magnitude. The value of b is typically equal to 1.0 in seismically active regions, and variations in that value have been attributed to different stress regimes. In recent years, workers applying this analysis to microseismicity have used it to interpret processes related to hydrofrac treatments and have also interpreted b values as a "stress meter" in the reservoir. This talk examines alternative, geologically-based explanations for b values.