Simulating the interactions between the produced neutrons from piezoelectric rocks and the surrounding medium during earthquakes

Many studies have shown that during earthquakes (EQs), the fracturing of piezoelectric rocks like granite causes atomic/ nuclear particles' radiation into the Earth’s crust. With the help of an MCNPX simulation code, we have already studied the amount and energies of created atomic/ nuclear particles and the possible interactions for under-stressed piezoelectric blocks. In this research, applying the PACE4 code, we simulated the interactions between the created neutrons from under-stressed piezoelectric rocks and the elements of granite plus the elements of fractures’ filling fluids like water, air, methane, and CO2, to study the mechanism of such reactions and find which new elements might be produced. The results indicate that compound nuclear reactions like fusion/ fission/ inelastic scattering can happen, resulting in the release of energy from the depths of the Earth in the aseismic regions. Furthermore, compound nuclear interactions from the piezoelectric effect can generate carbon (C), oxygen (O), hydrogen (H), and Nitrogen (N) in the granitic rocks’ medium or inside the fracture-filling fluids and trigger the life chain and/or the hydrocarbon chain (oil and gas), inside the Earth’s crust of the aseismic regions. It can also result in the production of CO2 gas. Moreover, in this process, some new elements like Al, Mg, etc., might also be produced in the texture of granitic rocks. In addition, we have found that the increasing amount of nuclear particles and radioactive elements on the surface could be a sign of an incoming earthquake. Besides, neutron capturing might happen between neutrons and the hydrogen nuclei of the underground water, causing the production of deuterium. As a result, an increase in the amount of stable deuterium in the water around the aseismic regions can be a precursor of earthquakes.