%A Torsten Dahm
%A F. Kruger
%A K. Stammler
%A K. Klinge
%A R. Kind
%A K. Wylegalla
%A Jean-Robert Grasso
%J Bulletin of the Seismological Society of America
%T The 2004 Mw 4.4 Rotenburg, Northern Germany, Earthquake and Its Possible Relationship with Gas Recovery
%X We study the 20 October 2004 Mw 4.4 Rotenburg (Wumme)/Neuenkirchen earthquake, located in a previously aseismic region in the northern German
sedimentary basin. We constrain the source parameter by using different techniques.
A possible relationship between this event, the regional tectonic setting, and local
gas recovery is investigated. Different waveform inversion and modeling approaches
constrain the depth of the mainshock between 5 and 7 km. The source mechanism
was oblique normal faulting on planes striking roughly north–south. An inversion
for kinematic rupture parameters indicates a unilateral rupture propagation toward
the north, consistent with the higher macroseismic intensities found toward the north
in the region of Hamburg compared with those at a similar distance toward the south
in the region of Hannover. Relocations of the mainshock and three of the largest
aftershocks indicate that these events occurred within a few kilometers of three major
gas fields and at depth close to gas production intervals. Comparison with seismicity
triggered in the northern Netherlands by depletion of similar gas reservoirs in a
similar tectonic environment suggests that the Mw 4.4 Rotenburg event may be related
to gas recovery.
%N 3
%P 691-704
%V 97
%D 2007
%I Seismological Society of America
%R doi:10.1785/0120050149
%L epos1361