Earthquakes

[Tormod]

lefthttp://hypography.com/bilder/earthquakes_2.gif[/img] I wrote up a hypography on earthquakes a while back and figured it was time to update it.

 

The biggest problem with earthquakes - apart from the incredible devastation they cause - is the difficulty of predicting where and when the next one will happen.

 

This collection of links will give you a tour of some of the official sites about earthquakes, as well as some news, earthquake background, seismology FAQs and more.

 

Link:

Earthquakes

[Turtle]

I have over the last year developed/aquired the ability to feel earthquakes; it is called the Charoltte King Effect. As I live just 51 miles from Mt. St. helens, lateley I find all the shaking very disconcerting.

[Turtle]

A link about Charlotte King Effect:

http://www.viser.net/~charking/

[Turtle]

___One of the new developments in the area of earthquake study in my area (Pacific Northwest USA) is the deployment of GPS stations. Previously, seismographs were the primary source for Earth movement data, and they remain extremely important.

___What has come to light using the GPS data however, is a phenomena they are calling 'slow quakes'. What they found is energy equivalent to a moderate quake is being released over periods of hours or days, rather than abruptly as in a 'standard' earthquake. I will keep looking for the link I read on this; I couldn't find it last night ;)

[Turtle]

___I haven't found that 'slow quake' link yet, but I wanted to point out another quake today, 5.4, at almost exactly the North Pole.

http://earthquake.usgs.gov/recenteqsww/Quakes/usvuaf.htm

___We had 2 similar last week, & in general, this is unusual. As this is a spreading center plate boundry, it seems reasonable to conclude we have some signicant underwater volcanism events going on.

___It bears watching. ;)

[C1ay]

___I haven't found that 'slow quake' link yet

 

Perhaps this...

[bumab]

http://www.iris.edu/seismon/

 

That's another link to a pretty cool site. You can click on the quakes to get siesmograph plots from tons of locations around the world. It's pretty satisfying to see an earthquake on that site, then see it on the news later that night.

[Turtle]

___C1ay that is it! Thanks. Had you read of this before?

___ Bumab, that site has a cool graphic; I note they are piping the data from the USGS and just reformatting it. The sites I have been referencing are USGS sites.

[bumab]

Yeah, it's just a more fun way to look at it...

[Turtle]

___It is pretty cool ;) I like being able to so easily take so many different views. I like the idea you put forward about knowing before the news does about quakes too. Even then, what a joke sometimes it is to hear all the misinformation they give out. Again, the web is so unique & cool that we have the 'real' data to evaluate.

___Then there is all the political ramifications for the geologists who work for the government; can't say anything even remotely threatening unless disaster is eminent. Still, it is they who are wisely spending our tax money to set up this data collection network & it is a marvel worthy of a hats-off to them.

___As Tormod suggested when he started this thread, it is the scientific investigation into predicting earthquakes to prevent loss of life & property that interest us all. ;)

[Turtle]

___Here is the link I was looking for from USGS on 'slow quakes'. They title it "Silent Quakes" & that's probably why I couldn't find it.

http://www.pnsn.org/NEWS/PRESS_RELEASES/TREMOR.html

 

;)

[Turtle]

___An 8.7 quake occured today on the Sumatra subduction zone:

http://earthquake.usgs.gov/recenteqsww/Quakes/usweax.htm

___The area is bracing for another possible tsunami.

[Turtle]

link to seismogram closest to me on South flank of St. Helens; another typical shaky day.

{link deleted; page missing}

This link gets you to the archive:

http://www.pnsn.org/WEBICORDER/VOLC

[Turtle]

___Just a couple of hours ago, a 7.9 in Chile:

http://earthquake.usgs.gov/eqinthenews/2005/uszgbu/

[Turtle]

___A preliminary 7.4 earthquake of the West coast has triggered a tsunami warning just broadcast on the Emergency Warning System over TV & radio. No tsunami is yet detected, but they're taking no chances. Stay tuned.

http://earthquake.usgs.gov/recenteqs/

[Turtle]

___Update 9:05 PM PDST Chaos reigns! The sirens are sounding in the Oregon coastal regions even as it appears the authorities rescinded the warning shortly after it was issued. People are evacuating in coastal communities at this time in accordance with new training for tsunamis. Estimated time of arrival for a wave on the Oregon coast (if there is one, & it seems not) is 9:30 PM PDST. Stay tuned!

[Turtle]

___Despite contradictory declarations from the Alsaka Tsunami Center (said warning in effect) & the Pacific Tsunami Center (said no warning in effect), the Oregon coastal communities are reporting orderly evascuations to high ground by both locals & tourists. Read more from my local TV station site:

http://www.kptv.com/

___All in all, many people came to safety in the face of possible disaster in an organized fashion. :cup: Nothing like looking down from your 150 foot bluff of safety & see a real tsunami come rushing in & undercut your perch!