Articles | Volume 17, issue 4
https://doi.org/10.5194/se-17-617-2026
https://doi.org/10.5194/se-17-617-2026
Research article
 | 
10 Apr 2026
Research article |  | 10 Apr 2026

Interpreting the cause of bound earthquakes at underground injection experiments

Ryan Schultz, Linus Villiger, Valentin Gischig, and Stefan Wiemer

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Short summary
We use statistical tests to infer MMAX (maximum possible magnitude) from an earthquake catalogue and focus on data from three underground laboratories with controlled injection experiments. There, we find clear evidence for MMAX bounds and corroborate interpretations of fracture growth against other geophysical studies. Unbound sequences occur when stimulation is directed towards pre-existing faults. The validation of our methods against well-studied cases is encouraging and will help validate future interpretations.
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