Unveiling the True b-Value and Magnitude Correlations in Earthquakes Using Positive Magnitude Difference Statistics

The incompleteness of seismic catalogs obscures the true spatiotemporal and magnitude-based organization of earthquakes, often resulting in unreliable estimates of key parameters that govern empirical laws. In this presentation, I will demonstrate how a statistical approach based on positive differences between consecutive magnitudes can reliably recover underlying statistical laws, even when data is incomplete.

In particular, I will show that traditional estimators systematically underestimate the b-value of the Gutenberg-Richter law in regional catalogs. Furthermore, I will provide robust evidence of correlations between consecutive positive magnitude differences, strongly supporting the hypothesis that the distribution of subsequent earthquake magnitudes depends on the magnitude of the triggering event.