Charles Langston is awarded the Harry Fielding Reid Medal for his groundbreaking work on receiver function methodology, enabling unprecedented detail in imaging the Earth's crust and upper mantle. His techniques underlie multi-station imaging methods used globally, and have also been applied to study seismic data from Mars InSight.
The 2025 SSA Annual Meeting will present 48 technical sessions covering topics like earthquake forecasting and ocean-bottom seismology. Working journalists can register for free access to plenary talks and poster sessions.
The analysis of historical seismograms from the 1973 Chilean coup provides a unique perspective on the event. The researchers found an abrupt drop in ambient seismic noise as La Moneda was surrounded by vehicles and a radio bulletin warning people to stay at home disrupted the morning routines of locals.
A new study finds that reducing the depth of wastewater injection can decrease seismic activity, lending further support to this approach. The research suggests that regulatory efforts to backfill some injection wells with cement and reduce volumes have been effective in lowering Oklahoma's induced earthquake rate.
Baise's research has spanned earthquake site response, liquefaction, site characterization, regional wave propagation, ground motions models and earthquake damage assessment. She uses data-driven approaches to learn from observational data and was an early adopter of machine learning methods in model development.
Researchers studied the 4.8-magnitude Tewksbury earthquake, which surprised millions with its strong shaking reports despite minimal damage near the epicenter. The study found that the rupture direction may have funneled the shaking away from the epicenter and toward the northeast.
Researchers propose that branch faults serve as 'on-ramps' for rupture on more mature main faults, leading to large earthquakes. The hypothesis is based on observations of past 25 years of magnitude 7.8 or larger continental transform earthquakes, which all originated on a branch fault.
Five boulders in northern New York and Vermont provide limits on earthquake shaking intensity. The age of the rock formations indicates how long it's been since a region experienced that level of shaking.
A recent study found that the 2023 Greenland megatsunami generated a week-long oscillating wave in Dickson Fjord, revealing new insights into seiche dynamics. The research also sheds light on the impacts of landslides in Greenland and similar regions around the world.
Researchers tested GNSS data for rapid landslide prediction and found near real-time prediction possible within 40 minutes, according to Chen and colleagues. The study highlighted the importance of continuous monitoring and improved prediction models for regions susceptible to landslides.
The USGS considers sharing aftershock forecasts internationally to help people affected by earthquakes, but raises concerns about scientific sovereignty and cultural barriers. Research suggests that people value the information, but there are challenges to expanding it for public consumption.
Research team identifies seismic signature of individual songs and determines strength of each song's tremor, finding that audience movement, not music, was the primary source of harmonic tremors. The study also compares data from Swift's LA concert to other Summer 2023 SoFi concerts.
Researchers propose using fiber seismic networks to detect seismic waves on the Moon and provide information about its deep core structure. By analyzing artificial seismograms created from Apollo mission data, they found that a fiber network could identify specific seismic waves hidden in scattered signals.
Researchers found a subducted oceanic slab that has completely overturned beneath the western Mediterranean. The discovery helps sort out the complicated tectonic structure of the region, where Africa and Eurasia are converging.
The EQFL measurement calculates earthquake-related fatalities as a ratio to the country's population size, revealing Ecuador, Lebanon, Haiti, Turkmenistan, Iran, and Portugal have experienced the greatest impact. Smaller countries suffer more from earthquake fatalities due to their larger proportion of their population.
Seismologists analyzed signals from underwater gas pipeline rupture, finding long-lasting seismic and infrasound signals. The signals decay slowly over thousands of seconds, similar to those detected from an underwater volcano or a pipeline venting gas.
Researchers used USGS source modeling and InSAR satellite data to analyze the 6.8 Al Haouz earthquake in Morocco, finding a compact source with slip between 15-35 km deep, deeper than expected for earthquakes in this region.
A panel of experts concluded that the November 2022 Peace River earthquake sequence in Alberta, Canada was likely induced by human activity. The study used questionnaires created to distinguish natural from induced earthquakes, and gathered data on fluid injection information and past regional seismicity.
Researchers used airborne lidar technology to create a map of over 1,000 deep-seated landslides in the Puget Lowlands. The study found strong evidence of the last major Seattle Fault earthquake, estimated to be magnitude 7-7.5, and potential traces of older earthquakes.
A 15th-century Hebrew prayer book has revealed a previously unknown earthquake affecting the Marche region in central Italy. The note describes an intense shaking event causing severe damage and partial collapse of buildings, with epicenter similarities to a 1799 sequence.
A new study demonstrates how unused telecommunications fiber optic cables can be transformed for offshore Earthquake Early Warning (EEW) systems. Researchers used a 50-kilometer cable to sample seismic data at 8,960 channels and achieved an approximate three-second improvement in EEW alert times compared to onshore DAS arrays.
The 1923 Kantō earthquake sparked devastating fires that killed 90% of Tokyo's population, making it one of the deadliest natural disasters in history. The study highlights the importance of fire prevention and response as part of earthquake mitigation plans for regions with strong seismic shaking and wood-framed buildings.
A new methodology, developed by USGS researchers, integrates earthquake-induced ground failures with ground shaking hazards to provide a comprehensive forecast for pipeline damage. This approach is crucial for identifying potential damage in buried gas pipelines covering hundreds of kilometers.
Scientists used distributed acoustic sensing (DAS) on a 37.4-kilometer-long fiber optic cable to track sea ice formation and retreat with fine spatiotemporal detail, revealing rapid changes up to 10 kilometers in less than a day. The technique offers improved resolution compared to satellite images.
Researchers used fiber optic distributed acoustic sensing to track induced seismicity from a CO2 injection in Victoria, Australia. The study found that tiny earthquakes accompanied the saturation front of the CO2 plume, rather than the pressure front.
Researchers identified global trends in foreshock sequences for large earthquakes of magnitude 7 or larger. Foreshocks occur between 15-43% of mainshocks, and are more common along plate boundaries and reverse faults.
The February 2023 Türkiye earthquakes were a devastating doublet, with two large aftershocks occurring within nine hours of each other. The first mainshock ruptured the East Anatolian Fault (EAF) bilaterally over 350 kilometers, creating surface fault offsets of more than six meters.
A recent study identified over 182,000 small seismic events in South Korea, with 135,000 related to mining explosions. The researchers used machine learning techniques to analyze data from 421 seismic stations and found distinct patterns that allowed them to distinguish between microseismic events and earthquakes.
Faults in Ridgecrest, California were sensitive to solid earth tidal stresses before the July 2019 earthquake sequence. Researchers found a strong signal of tidal modulation after 2018, but it's unclear if it triggered the earthquake. The study suggests that tidal stresses may be an indicator of upcoming earthquakes.
Researchers found tsunami deposits in a coastal mangrove pond that suggest a massive magnitude 8.7 or larger earthquake triggered the tsunami, potentially impacting both Caribbean and Atlantic coasts of Puerto Rico. The discovery provides valuable insights into seismic risk in the region.
Research shows that Mexico City hospitals follow well-established earthquake early warning (EEW) protocols, which have significantly reduced the risk of injuries to staff and patients. The protocols include protective actions such as evacuation procedures, drop-cover-hold, and turning off equipment, with reinforced drills helping to pr...
A new report by the USGS and FEMA estimates that earthquakes cost the nation an average of $14.7 billion annually in building damage and associated losses. The report's updated estimate is twice the previous annual figure due to increased building value and improved hazards analysis.
Residents in affected communities emphasized the need for more tailored information, including aftershock forecasts and tsunami risk maps. The study highlights the importance of effective risk communication and community engagement to promote preparedness and safety.
Researchers will use seismoacoustic instruments to study the OSIRIS-REx capsule's re-entry, gathering data on shockwaves, infrasound, and atmospheric dynamics. This campaign aims to improve models of meteoroid flight and refine relationships between size, velocity, and infrasound signatures.
Researchers have developed a way to quickly detect and assess glacial valley landslides in coastal Alaska, which can trigger dangerous local tsunamis. They use seismic data to pinpoint landslide events and estimate their volume, aiming to develop an operational detection tool for tsunami centers.
Seismic arrays in California's Long Beach and Seal Beach detected over 1,200 shallow earthquakes, showing the Newport-Inglewood fault splays widely at shallow depths. This suggests that a rupture to propagate to the surface may have multiple paths, implications for earthquake hazard planning.
Researchers used machine learning techniques to analyze seven years' worth of seismic data from Axial Seamount, identifying new signals including fin whale calls, tremors, earthquakes, and lava events. This study improves understanding of volcano dynamics and aids in predicting eruptions.
A study by Revathy Parameswaran and colleagues compared ground motion and magnitude estimates from satellite and seismic records for the 2021 Chignik earthquake. The researchers found that GNSS and strong-motion acceleration seismic data can be used interchangeably or jointly for rapid magnitude or ground motion estimation.
A new statistical model based on a global database of public reports can identify an earthquake as high- or low-impact within minutes. The researchers used over 1.5 million felt reports from 10,000 earthquakes to develop the model, which was able to provide impact results for 393 global events in 10 minutes.
Researchers have detected a complex variety of seismic tremor signals at Mefite d'Ansanto, a non-volcanic carbon dioxide emission site in southern Italy. The analysis reveals three main types of tremor signals over different frequencies, which may be related to fluid discharge and changes in flow velocities.
Researchers used seafloor video and carbon dating to determine that an underwater landslide scar is too old to be associated with the 1918 earthquake and tsunami. Instead, they propose a rupture of a two-segment fault along the eastern wall of the Mona Rift as the source of the tsunami.
Researchers found that Caltech Hall's natural frequencies have increased by 5% in the east-west direction and 2% in the north-south direction over 20 years. This suggests up to 20% variation in the building's stiffness between earthquakes, posing a challenge for seismic structural health monitoring.
A new study found that edge waves and the short continental shelf contributed to the prolonged duration of the tsunami. The researchers used strong motion, GNSS, satellite, and tide gauge data to model the earthquake and learn more about the tsunami's behavior in Acapulco Bay.
A new analysis by Devin McPhillips reveals that the recurrence interval for earthquakes along some California faults may be 16% longer than previously estimated. This is due to the incorporation of event likelihood, a variable quantifying how likely it is that a past earthquake is real and unique.
Seismologists have identified hundreds of thousands of microearthquakes along previously unknown fault structures in Oklahoma and Kansas, allowing them to map and measure earthquake clusters. The study found that nearly a 5% chance that a cluster would host a magnitude 4 or larger earthquake within a year if it reached a certain length...
Seismologists analyzed historical accounts of the 1860 Jour de Pâques earthquake sequence, which may have released strain in a key fault zone. The analysis suggests that two large events occurred in 1860, one magnitude 6.0-6.4 and another 6.6-6.9, releasing built-up stress before recent earthquakes.
Researchers deployed a fiber-optic cable on Grímsvötn's ice cap to detect low-frequency volcanic tremor, revealing the floating ice sheet acts as a natural amplifier of seismic signals. This technology shows promise for monitoring other ice-covered volcano systems.
A new method allows for the separation of signals generated by mining activity from background seismic noise, enabling real-time monitoring of seismic events and structural integrity. This approach could be applied to various environments, including mines, volcanoes, and oil extraction sites.
Researchers used a hindcasting method to analyze the causes of induced earthquakes in the Delaware Basin. The study found that at least 68% of earthquakes occurred in areas with likely oil and gas activities, highlighting the link between hydraulic fracturing and seismic activity.
Researchers verified the existence of an atmospheric acoustic duct using rocket launch data. Infrasound signals were detected within the duct, related to a Blue Origin rocket launch in April 2021. The duct may channel a variety of natural and anthropogenic sounds, including signals from earthquakes and ground explosions.