The latest issue of the scientific journal The Russian Journal of Seismology has been published has been published – Vol. 8, No. 2. The issue contains articles written by scientists from various research organizations in Russia, Kyrgyzstan, and Armenia: Obninsk, Moscow, Bishkek, Apatity, Gyumri, Yerevan, Perm, Sterlitamak, Irkutsk, and Yakutsk.

Article 1 – “The regional sensitivity of the global International Monitoring System network assessment on the example of 2008 Kurchaloi earthquake aftershocks” (authors: I.O. Kitov, I.A. Sanina, I.P. Gabsatarova), prepared at the Geophysical Survey of the Russian Academy of Sciences (GS RAS) in Obninsk and the Sadovsky Institute of Geosphere Dynamics of the Russian Academy of Sciences (IDG RAS) in Moscow. The paper addresses the challenge of enhancing the teleseismic network's sensitivity to detecting regional events and proposes using the waveform cross-correlation (WCC) method for processing digital records in low-seismicity regions. It is demonstrated that applying the WCC method lowers both amplitude and magnitude detection thresholds, as illustrated using the aftershock sequence of the 2008 Kurchaloy earthquake.

Article 2 – “Mapping areal seismotectonic structures of the Northwest Caucasus” (authors: A.N. Ovsyuchenko, A.S. Larkov, G.Yu. Dontsova, N.V. Andreeva, R.N. Lukashova, V.V. Pogrebchenko), conducted at the Schmidt Institute of Physics of the Earth of the Russian Academy of Sciences (IPE RAS) in Moscow. The study undertakes seismotectonic mapping of the region, accounting for the hierarchical structure of the seismogenic environment. At this stage, the mapping is performed at the level of large, homogeneous volumes of the lithosphere — domains. The morphotectonic zonation of the Northwestern Caucasus is clearly expressed in the geological and geophysical parameters that reflect the intensity of the seismotectonic process.

Article 3 – “Anomalous coseismic geomagnetic variations associated with the Turkish earthquake on February 6, 2023” (authors: S.A. Imashev, E.A. Lazareva, O.B. Zabinyakova) from the National Research Centre "Kurchatov Institute" in Bishkek, Kyrgyzstan. An analysis of coseismic geomagnetic variations recorded by European INTERMAGNET observatories during the Mw = 7.8 earthquake is presented. It is shown that the calculated P-wave arrival times coincide with the onset of pulsed increases in the rate of change of the horizontal magnetic field component. The function of the back azimuth is found to exhibit stable values in the interval between P- and S-wave arrivals, confirming the directional structure of the geomagnetic response.

Article 4 – “Automated geophysical monitoring system for avalanche activity in the Khibiny mountain range” (authors: A.V. Fedorov, I.S. Fedorov, V.E. Asming, A.Yu. Motorin), developed at the Kola Branch of the Geophysical Survey of the Russian Academy of Sciences (KB GS RAS) in Apatity. The paper describes an automated monitoring system comprising three infrasound mini-arrays with low-frequency microphones, one of which is additionally equipped with a seismic station. Statistics on snow avalanche registrations from previous seasons are presented, leading to conclusions about the reliable detection zone and the potentially detectable avalanche volumes. System tests have shown good results, and work on accumulating further data will continue.

Article 5 – “Contemporary geodynamics of the Garni deep fault in Armenia” (authors: R.A. Pashayan, J.K. Karapetyan, L.V. Harutyunyan, G.A. Mkrtchyan, K.G. Tovmasyan) from the Institute of Geophysics and Engineering Seismology after A. Nazarov of the National Academy of Sciences of the Republic of Armenia (IGES NAS RA) in Gyumri and the Institute of Oceanology and Hydrophysics of NAS RA in Yerevan, Armenia. Based on hydrogeodynamic and hydrogeochemical monitoring data, an assessment of the changing stress-strain state of Armenia's crust was performed. Seismotectonic activity along segments of the Garni Fault was identified. Comparison of the obtained data with the stress state of adjacent tectonic blocks allows the identification of areas with increased geodynamic activity.

Article 6 – “Summary of the results of long-term seismic monitoring seismic signals from blasting in open pit mine” (A.V. Verkholantsev, D.Y. Shulakov, E.V. Sergeev) from the Mining Institute of the Ural Branch of the Russian Academy of Sciences (MI UB RAS) in Perm and Syryevaya Kompaniya JSC in Sterlitamak. The work synthesizes the results of monitoring approximately 1,500 mass blasts over a six-year period. The analysis revealed no clear correlation between seismic wave amplitude and seasonal factors. It is concluded that the amplitude is determined by the maximum charge weight per borehole, and that increasing initiation precision will not significantly reduce the seismic effect.

Article 7 – “The Sasyr earthquake of February 8, 2025 (Chersky range, Republic of Sakha (Yakutia)), Mw=5.1” (authors: R.M. Tuktarov, N.A. Radziminovich, A.S. Kulyandina, S.V. Shibaev, A.A. Makarov) from the Yakutsk Branch of the Geophysical Survey of the Russian Academy of Sciences (YB GS RAS) in Yakutsk, the Institute of the Earth's Crust of the Siberian Branch of the Russian Academy of Sciences (IEC SB RAS) in Irkutsk, and the Institute of Geology of Diamond and Precious Metals of SB RAS in Yakutsk. Data on the earthquake, which was felt in the village of Sasyr with an intensity of 4–5, are presented. The main shock was accompanied by numerous aftershocks. The event is determined to have resulted from a strike-slip movement along a local fault cutting through the Buordakh Massif and splaying off the master Ulakhan Fault.