Study Shows San Fransisco Earthquake-Faults Are Connected

Red Orbit: Study shows San Fransisco area faults may be connected, raises possibility of massive earthquake

A new seismic study has found that two San Francisco faults may be connected, raising the possibility of a highly-destructive, massive earthquake.

The study looked at the Hayward Fault, which ruptured in a devastating 19th century Bay Area quake, and the Rodgers Creek Fault, which sits beneath San Pablo Bay. The possibility of the two being connected would pose the threat of a far more powerful quake in the future, a new seismic study has found.

US Geological Survey researcher Janet Watt conducted the study underwater using an acoustic instrument.

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Update #1: New data on 2 Bay Area faults cause worry about next big quake (SFGate)
Update #2: Alarming discovery with SF's 2 most dangerous quake lines (CBS News)

Editor: My brother lives in San Mateo (south of San Francisco). This is news that I know he never likes to hear.

Massive 8.2 Magnitude Earthquake Off The Coast Of Chile

A map of the Pacific coast of Chile, where an earthquake was reported on April 1, 2014. Google

8.0 Magnitude Earthquake Hits Off Chile; Tsunami Strikes Coast -- ABC News

An earthquake with a preliminary magnitude of 8.0 has struck off the coast of Chile, according to the U.S. Geological Survey.

A tsunami warning was issued following the quake, which was centered 49 miles west-northwest of Iquique, Chile, and was 6.21 miles deep, the USGS said.

The Pacific Tsunami Warning Center said a 6-foot tsunami that hit Pisagua, Chile, at 8:04 p.m. ET. No damage assessment has been made at this time.

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More News Of A Massive 8.2 Magnitude Earthquake Off The Coast Of Chile. Tsunami Strikes Coast

Powerful earthquake strikes off Chile: Live Updates -- CNN
Tsunami alert after 8.2 quake strikes off Chile -- BBC
Deadly 8.2 Earthquake Strikes Off Chile Coast, Tsunami Warning Issued -- NBC
Chile earthquake: Massive earthquake causes landslides, tsunami,10 aftershocks -- Christian Science Monitor
8.2 Earthquake Hits Northern Chile, Setting Off Small Tsunami -- Voice of America
2 dead as magnitude-8.2 quake hits northern Chile -- AP
Officials evaluating whether tsunami warning will be issued for Hawaii -- Reuters
As South America Flees, Hawaii Told to Prepare for Tsunami -- NBC
Magnitude-8.2 quake strikes northern Chile -- AP
Massive 8.0 quake off Chile coast sparks tsunami -- Reuters
Magnitude 8.2 Earthquake Strikes Off Coast of Chile -- Time
Powerful quake strikes off Chile; tsunami warning posted -- Time
Tsunami warning after 8.0 quake strikes off Chile -- BBC
Large earthquake strikes off coast of Chile, tsunami warning issued -- New York Daily News
Tsunami Alert Issued After Magnitude 8.0 Quake Off Chile Coast -- Bloomberg Businessweek
Chile earthquake: No tsunami warning for California or West Coast -- L.A. Times
Experts Say Chile Fault Was Due for 'Big One,' But How Big? -- Alan Boyle, NBC

California Has A New Earthquake Alert System

The California area's probability of suffering an earthquake 

New $80million Earthquake Alert System Will Give Californians 60 Seconds To 'Duck And Cover' Before Worst Shock-Waves Hit -- Daily Mail 

* System will use 2,000 sensors already in place to look for 'p-waves', precursors to earthquakes
* Will provide 60 second warning, giving residents 'critical seconds' to prepare
* U.S. Geological Survey predicts a 99 percent chance of a magnitude-6.7 earthquake or larger in the next 30 years in California Plans for an £50 million ($80m)

Earthquake early warning system for California have been unveiled.

The ShakeAlert system, which has taken ten years to develop, would give a minute's warning of a major quake.

Experts say this would give residents critical time for residents to 'duck and cover' and for utilities to power down.

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My Comment: The above image is one of the best maps on the area's probability of suffering an earthquake that I seen in a long time. 

Making All Smartphones To Be Pocket Seismometers

A range of phones are hooked up to the Berkeley Seismological Lab's shake table 

Smartphones To Be Pocket Seismometers -- BBC 

The smartphones in our pockets are about to get even smarter. Scientists want these ubiquitous gadgets to be put to work helping them detect and investigate earthquakes. The devices contain accelerometers and a team at the Berkeley Seismic Laboratory says the mechanisms are capable of monitoring tremors. An app is being developed that will record the shaking during major events and then report the data back to a central server over the cell network. The high numbers of smartphones now in circulation mean researchers could get very detailed information on who felt what, and where.
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My Comment: This is smart .... and one that millions can easily contribute to.

Map Of Every Major Earthquake Since 1898

Michigan-based designer John Nelson charted a century's worth of earthquakes (a staggering 203,186 of them) across the globe

Shaking All Over: Map Of Every Major Earthquake Since 1898 Reveals Stunning Image Of Planet's Danger Zones -- Daily Mail

If you are looking for somewhere safe from an earthquake, this might help.

For this map shows the where every major quake has struck since 1898, and as you can see, the edge of the Pacific Ocean appears particularly dangerous. In total there are a staggering 203,186 of them, dotted all over the world.

The neon-coloured map was created as a side-project by mapping manager John Nelson, in a case of taking his work home with him, as he works for data-visualisation software maker IDV Solutions.

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My Comment: This map clearly illustrates the 'ring of fire'.

Are Four Big Quakes In Two Days Connected?

The red star marks where the Sumatra quake hit. USGS

Are Four Big Quakes In Two Days Connected? -- MSNBC/Live Science

Shaking from Sumatra quake picked up by US seismic monitoring stations.

The 8.6-magnitude earthquake that hit off the coast of Sumatra, Indonesia Wednesday was followed by several decent-size shakes along the west coast of North America, but researchers can't say for certain whether all the temblors were related.

It's possible, geophysicists say, that quakes off the coast of Oregon, Michoacan, Mexico, and in the Gulf of California ranging from magnitudes 5.9 to 6.9 on the Richter Scale had something to do with the large earthquake that struck near Indonesia. But the West Coast quakes were fairly standard for their location.

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Mu Comment: Talk about coincidences .... 4 major quakes in two days.

How Quake-Prone Is The Mexico?

Mexico Earthquake: How Quake-Prone Is The Region? -- Christian Science Monitor

Mexico earthquake history shows that the same faults that caused Tuesday's Mexico earthquake can produce even bigger events, like one that struck in 1985.

Authorities in Mexico are surveying that damage following a magnitude 7.4 quake that struck the country just after noon on Tuesday local time.

The quake was centered some 31 miles north-northeast of the city of Ometepec, in a mountainous region dotted with villages. The rupture occurred at a depth of about 12 miles, according to estimates from the US Geological Survey's Earthquake Information Center in Golden, Colo.

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Live World-Wide Earthquake​s Map

CSN Editor: The following web page gives an up-to-date report of earthquake incidences around the world. The link to the website is here.

Japan Prepares To Remember The First Year Anniversary Of Last Year's Earthquake/Tsunami

One Year After Japan Tsunami: Roads Repaired, But Lives Still Disrupted -- Christian Science Monitor

One year after the Japan tsunami, earthquake, and nuclear disaster, many roads are rebuilt and debris is cleaned up. But much remains in flux for residents of the hard-hit northeast coastal zone.

When Takako Ouchi's elderly mother died last December, tradition dictated she be laid to rest in a cemetery near her home.

But the cemetery, like her old house, lies in the shadow of the Fukushima Daiichi nuclear plant, rendered unreachable – perhaps forever – because of radiation. Instead, Ms. Ouchi has constructed a shrine to her mother in the bedroom of her new home, 40 miles away.

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More News On The Anniversary Of Last Year's Japanese Earthquake And Tsunami

The world's first YouTube catastrophe: One year on, how the tsunami changed Japan (and the world) forever -- Daily Mail
Japan earthquake and tsunami: 478 bodies remain unidentified one year on -- The Telegraph
Japan earthquake and tsunami anniversary: quarter of a million face five years in shelters -- The Telegraph
Japan Disaster: A Year Later: Without a blueprint -- L.A. Times
VOA Reporter Reflects on Devastation of Japan's Major Earthquake -- Voice of America
Japan’s 3/11 Triple Catastrophe Endures in Broken Families, Divided Towns -- Bloomberg
A year after disastrous earthquake, tsunami, travel to Japan slowly rebounds -- MSNBC
Grief of Japan's tsunami survivors -- BBC
Six videos of the Japanese tsunami [Video] -- L.A. Times
Japan’s disaster (Photo Gallery) -- Washington Post
Japan: Then and Now (Photo Gallery) -- New York Times
Graphic: Aftermath of Japan earthquake and tsunami -- The Telegraph

Visual Comparison of Earthquake Strength

An Excellent Visual Comparison of Earthquake Strength -- The Atlantic

Think the 1994 Northridge quake was strong? How about Haiti's 2010 quake? This United States Geological Survey video by NOAA employee Nathan Becker puts the energy released by earthquakes over the last 50 years in startling perspective. While I know that the scale that we use to measure earthquakes is not linear, it is difficult to make my brain believe it until I see it laid out like this. Take a look for yourself, and give thanks that you weren't in Chile in 1960 when the strongest quake ever recorded struck.

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Atmosphere Above Epicentre Of Deadly Japan Earthquake Heated Up 'Rapidly' In Days Before Disaster

Satellite images showing changes in the heat of the atmosphere above the epicentre of the March 11 earthquake between March 1 and March 12. The total electron content in the ionosphere increased dramatically before the quake

A Warning Sign? Atmosphere Above Epicentre Of Deadly Japan Earthquake Heated Up 'Rapidly' In Days Before Disaster -- The Daily Mail

* Scientists hope they will one day be able to predict quakes uses air ionisation data.

The atmosphere directly above the fault zone which produced Japan's recent devastating earthquake heated up significantly in the days before the disaster, a study has shown.

Before the March 11 earthquake, the total electron content in a part of the upper atmosphere, called the ionosphere, increased dramatically over the earthquake's epicentre, reaching a maximum three days before the quake struck.

It is believed that in the days before an earthquake, the stresses on geological faults in the Earth's crust causes the release of large amounts of radon gas.

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My Comment: This is a remarkable discovery that deserves further research.

Moment Tsunami Swamps Japan's Doomed Fukushima Nuclear Plant

(Click on image to Enlarge)
Disaster strikes: The tsunami rushes over a protective sea wall and towards tanks of heavy oil for the Unit 5 of the Fukushima Dai-ichi nuclear complex

Genesis Of A Disaster: Moment Tsunami Swamps Japan's Doomed Fukushima Nuclear Plant -- The Daily Mail

This is the moment the Japanese tsunami destroyed a sea wall designed to protect the Fukushima nuclear plant and surged towards reactors.

Tons of water can be seen destroying the wall and sweeping away reactor equipment, cars and other machinery in pictures released by plant owners.

The tsunami knocked out cooling systems at the plant, causing the reactors to melt down and numerous explosions as engineers tried to release a build up of radioactive hydrogen gas.

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My Comment: Another example on why we should never underestimate the power of nature.

Japan Earthquake Was 'In The Air' Days Before

On March 11, 2011, at 2:46 p.m. local time (05:46 UTC), a magnitude 8.9 earthquake struck off the east coast of Japan. The epicenter was 80 miles (130 kilometers) east of Sendai, and 231 miles (373 km) northeast of Tokyo. If initial measurements are confirmed, it will be the world’s fifth largest earthquake since 1900 and the worst in Japan's history. This image of Japan from 1999 was taken as part of SeaWiFS, the Sea-viewing Wide Field-of-view Sensor Project. CREDIT: NASA/Goddard Space Flight Center, SeaWiFS Project and ORBIMAGE

Japan Earthquake Was 'In the Air' Days Before, Scientist Claims -- Live Science

The atmosphere above the epicenter of the March 11 earthquake in Japan underwent unusual changes in the days leading up to the disaster, according to preliminary data.

The research has not yet been published in an academic journal or reviewed by other scientists, but it could offer an intriguing possibility for earthquake prediction — though the day scientists are able to forecast earthquakes is still "far away," said study researcher Dimitar Ouzounov, a professor of earth sciences at Chapman University in California.

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My Comment: This is very intriguing, and deserves more study.

Why Some Quakes Cause Killer Tsunamis

From Futurity:

U. SOUTHAMPTON (UK)—Researchers have uncovered clues as to why some undersea earthquakes generate huge tsunamis. Their findings, published recently in the journal Science, may help explain why the 2004 Sumatra “Boxing Day Tsunami” was so devastating.

Early in the morning of December 26, 2004, a powerful undersea earthquake started close to Simeulue Island off the west coast of Sumatra, Indonesia, and extended more than 1,200 kilometers to the north.

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What Was Different About China's Quake?

From Live Science:

The earthquake that struck China in the early hours of the morning was different than some of the major temblors that have struck around the world so far this year in that it occurred in the middle of one of Earth's tectonic plates, instead of at the junction between them.

The 6.9-magnitude quake, according to estimates by the United States Geological Survey (USGS), struck at 7:49 a.m. local time (2349 GMT, 7:49 p.m. EDT) near the area of Yushu in Qinghai province. This area is part of the Tibetan Plateau, which stands over 3 miles (5 kilometers) above sea level.

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Is Earth Shaking More?

From Live Science:

As the numbers of buried or dead continue to climb from today's 6.9-magnitude earthquake in China, an event so close on the heels of the devastating Chile and Haiti earthquakes, you might wonder if Earth is shaking more lately. Perhaps, scientists say, but not unusually so.

Seismic activity may be higher in recent years than the long-term average, but it's still not out of the normal range, the experts contend.

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Does Geothermal Power Cause Earthquakes?

Geothermal Hot Spots: Many hot spots sit in seismically active areas. Paul Wootton

From Popular Science:

A new energy method could trigger a risky side effect.

On December 8, 2006, Markus Häring caused some 30 earthquakes -- the largest registering 3.4 on the Richter scale -- in Basel, Switzerland. Häring is not a supervillain. He's a geologist, and he had nothing but good intentions when he injected high-pressure water into rocks three miles below the surface, attempting to generate electricity through a process called enhanced geothermal. But he produced earthquakes instead, and when seismic analysis confirmed that the quakes were centered near the drilling site, city officials charged him with $9 million worth of damage to buildings.

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The Chilean Temblor: An Earthquake’s Radiating Energy

From Live Science:

Researchers are utilizing new technologies to help predict the strength and impacts of natural disasters. The image above, courtesy of the United States National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA), depicts the energy radiating from the recent Chilean earthquake as well as the amplitude of the quake's resulting tsunami.

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Why The Chile Earthquake Aftershock Was So Big

From Live Science:

The whopping 7.2-magnitude aftershock that rattled Chile again today is nothing unusual following such a large original earthquake, scientists say.

The aftershock, which struck at about 11:40 am local time, may sound surprisingly strong, given that it is bigger than the original earthquake that decimated Haiti in January, but it wasn't unexpected to scientists, said Don Blakeman, a geophysicist with the United States Geological Survey.

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13 Crazy Earthquake Facts

From Live Science:

1. Earth has been more seismologically active in the past 15 years or so, says Stephen S. Gao, a geophysicist at Missouri University of Science & Technology. Not all seismologist agree, however.

2. San Francisco is moving toward Los Angeles at the rate of about 2 inches per year — the same pace as the growth of your fingernails — as the two sides of the San Andreas fault slip past one another. The cities will meet in several million years. However, this north-south movement also means that despite fears, California won't fall into the sea.

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