Exploring the Hidden Link between Earthquake Energy and Pourbaix Potential: Mathematical Insights into the Electrical Origin of Earthquakes

Earthquakes are measured using well-defined seismic parameters such as seismic moment (Mo), moment magnitude (Mw), and released elastic energy (E). How is this tremendous energy silently accumulated deep inside the earth's crust? The most obvious question in seismological research remains unanswered. An intriguing similarity has been found between the released energy in an earthquake and Pourbaix potential in a redox reaction at an oxides-aqueous interface. A mathematical equivalence between the earthquake energy-magnitude equation and the Nernst equation was established to strengthen the connection. This leads to the understanding of the electrochemical mechanism in the seismic process. Hydrated smectite, a clay mineral with a distinctive layered structure, is a dominating source of electrochemical potential generation in the earth's crust. Observations of significant smectite presence across various deep drilling projects indirectly support this assertion. The layered arrangement of these hydrated clay minerals enables the formation of multiple electrochemical cells, leading to a substantial accumulation of electrochemical potential. This correlation indicates the presence of electric potential in the earthquake preparation zone, which could provide a more comprehensive explanation for earthquake light, negative anomalies in atmospheric electric field, ionospheric perturbation, and other associated anomalies observed before or during an earthquake.