Seismic Gaps Formed by Small Earthquakes in the Joint Area of Shanxi, Hebei, and Inner Mongolia

Using dynamic image scanning recognition on small earthquakes in the joint area of Shanxi, Hebei, and Inner Mongolia, we find 3 seismic gaps including 2 M_L 2.0 seismic gaps and 1 M_L 3.0 seismic gap which crosses each other. The structural background, characteristic, evolutionary process, and the earthquake cases are analyzed to judge moderate and strong earthquake risk in the gap in the future. The result shows that the two M_L 2 seismic gaps had been broken for 8 months and 18 months respectively which indicate that they have no significance to moderate and strong earthquake forecasting, while the M_L 3 seismic gap may be an earthquake preparation gap that has certain significance to moderate and strong earthquake forecasting in the area.