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A preliminary investigation of the Mountain Baekdu Volcano Seismicity

Kwang-Hee Kim , Su Young Kang, Lanbo Liu

Abstract

Mountain Baekdu (Changbaishan) is an active volcano at the border between China and North Korea. The eruption in 946, also known as the Millennium Eruption, was one of the most violent volcanic events in recorded history. The eruption is classified as a VEI (Volcanic Explosivity Index) 7 and is suspected to be responsible for significant climate change in Northeast China and its vicinity. Historical records, including the Goryeosa and Heungboksa Temple History, describe phenomena such as "heaven's drum thunder" and ashfall resembling snow on November 3, 946. Reports suggest a series of eruptions from 944 to 947. This study reviewed the seismicity in the mountain Baekdu since 1993. The volcano earthquake catalog includes earthquakes as low as magnitude -0.5. A statistical analysis indicates the earthquake catalog is complete to magnitude 0.3. There was a period of high seismicity between 2002 and 2005, reaching a climax in November 2004 with the largest earthquake with a magnitude of 3.7. The b-values of the frequency-magnitude distribution of the earthquakes of the entire period and the high-seismicity period are approximately 0.71 and 0.73, respectively. The b-values are lower than the global mean (~ 1) and lower than those observed in many volcanic regions. The low b-values indicate the earthquake catalog is far from complete and requires further investigations to include smaller events. There are large temporal variations in seismicity. The high-seismicity period approximately coincides with the occurrence of the magnitude 7.3 earthquake (focal depth at ~566 km) on June 28, 2002.