Articles tagged with Earthquakes
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.
Scientists have discovered weak, fossilised sediments beneath the seafloor of Antarctica's eastern Ross Sea, which led to massive underwater landslides. These layers made the area susceptible to failure due to past climate change.
The study found that the Tanlu Fault Zone underwent episodic dextral strike-slip movement in late Cenozoic, with the Banquan Basin serving as a record of this process. The movement was linked to the evolution of the pull-apart basin and surrounding faults.
Researchers developed an AI-based early warning system that combines acoustic technology with artificial intelligence to classify earthquakes and determine potential tsunami risk. The system uses underwater microphones to measure acoustic radiation, which travels faster than tsunami waves and carries information about the tectonic event.
Researchers used NASA InSight data to directly measure Mars' core properties, finding a completely liquid iron-alloy core with high percentages of sulfur and oxygen. This discovery provides new insights into Martian formation and geological differences between Earth and Mars, potentially impacting planetary habitability.
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.
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.
Researchers at Arizona State University have designed a drone with an inflatable frame that can absorb impact forces and provide collision resilience. The drone's stiffness is tunable, allowing it to physically interact with its surroundings and accomplish tasks like perching, which involves controlled collisions.
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.
An international team, led by Eric Sandvol from the University of Missouri, aims to better understand the makeup of the earthquake zone and surrounding areas. The team plans to deploy 250 seismometers around the East Anatolian fault to study energy waves produced by earthquakes.
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.
Research led by The University of Alabama reveals a dense, yet thin, layer of ancient ocean floor surrounding the Earth's core-mantle boundary. This ultra-low velocity zone is denser than the rest of the deep mantle and may play an important role in heat escape from the core.
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 new approach uses crowdsourced data from affected people to estimate earthquake impact within 10-20 minutes, potentially aiding early disaster management. The system analyzes 'felt intensity' reports, providing a basis for quickly assessing the severity of damage.
Scientists have discovered a layer of fluid rock at the bottom of the upper mantle, which may explain some observed phenomena in seismology. The discovery was made by analyzing data from GPS sensors on islands after a deep earthquake in the Pacific Ocean.
Researchers at the University of Texas at Austin have discovered a frictional phenomenon that governs how quickly faults heal after an earthquake. This discovery could help scientists understand when and how violently faults move, providing valuable new insights into the causes and potential for large earthquakes.
Researchers examine ultralow frictional healing and slow slip events along the Hikurangi tectonic plate boundary, shedding light on seismic hazards and tsunamis. The study aims to improve early warning systems and monitor events using data from monitoring sites in the trench.
Researchers investigated the relationship between slow slip events and tectonic strain in Japan's Bungo Channel, Tokai, and Boso-Oki regions. They found that not all accumulated strain is released during SSEs, but rather builds up in shallower areas before a megathrust earthquake can occur.
Jamie Padgett, a leading expert in infrastructure sustainability and resiliency, has received the Edith and Peter O'Donnell Award from TAMEST. Her groundbreaking research focuses on identifying and minimizing risks to critical infrastructure, enhancing public safety and promoting disaster resilience.
A team of researchers has developed a system that uses fibre-optic cables to detect and measure acoustic signals from the ocean, including whale vocalizations, ship traffic, earthquakes, and distant storms. This technology has the potential to create a global real-time monitoring network for Ocean-Earth sciences.
Researchers at Northwestern University developed a new earthquake probability model that considers the specific order and timing of previous earthquakes. This allows for more accurate forecasting and explains why earthquakes sometimes come in clusters.
Researchers from Brown and MIT developed a new framework that uses machine learning and sequential sampling to predict rare disasters like earthquakes and pandemics with less data. The framework, called DeepOnet, has been shown to outperform traditional modeling efforts in predicting scenarios, probabilities and timelines of rare events.
The University of Texas at El Paso will establish a national Center for Collective Impact in Earthquake Science, addressing low-probability but high-impact earthquake risk and community needs. Researchers aim to develop leading-edge earthquake research projects and integrate diversity into their work.
Jamie Padgett, a Rice University professor, has been awarded a $1 million grant from the National Science Foundation's BRITE Fellows program. With this funding, she will develop methods for infrastructure resilience modeling in response to uncertain, evolving conditions resulting from earthquakes, hurricanes, and other disasters.
Scientists from the University of Arizona have discovered a giant active mantle plume pushing the surface of Mars upward, causing earthquakes and volcanic eruptions. The finding suggests that Mars' deceptively quiet surface may hide a more tumultuous interior than previously thought.
Researchers from Tokyo Metropolitan University conducted a simulation to study bridge failure during large-scale earthquakes. The study highlights the importance of girder end design in improving resilience, with reinforcing ribs shown to be effective against lateral forces.
The study found that earthquake-accelerated landslides (EALs) can maintain accelerated motion for a long time after the earthquake, causing particularly serious human casualties in seismically active areas. Satellite radar observations detected and investigated EALs in Central Italy, leading to the first ever complete EAL inventory.
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.
Using 1980s environmental inventories, researchers found that disaster risk assessment could have predicted the damage from the Great East Japan Earthquake. The study compared composite risk maps from the 1980s with post-2011 hazard maps to show a significant increase in high-risk areas.
The Subduction Zones in Four Dimensions (SZ4D) initiative aims to improve understanding of subduction zone hazards through a collaborative effort. The plan involves deploying new instrumentation and developing more accurate models to predict large earthquakes, volcanic eruptions, and landslides.
Researchers found that supershear earthquakes occur as commonly beneath the oceans as they do on land and tend to cause more shaking and potentially more destructive damage. The study suggests disaster planning efforts should consider nearby faults capable of producing supershear earthquakes.
Researchers developed a machine learning model to analyze how susceptible overhead transmission lines are to damage from back-to-back natural hazards. The study found that previous damage can have a significant impact on the fragility and reliability of power grids, especially when followed by a hurricane.
Magma is rising to about 6 miles from a depth of 12 miles, causing earthquakes and surface deformation. The new approach could lead to earlier detection of volcanic unrest in Alaska.
Researchers used AI to analyze seismic signals and predict future fault friction and next failure time with high resolution in laboratory earthquakes. The technique goes beyond previous work by predicting the future state of the fault's physical system.
A new study led by ICM-CSIC has revealed the complex geometry of the Alboran Sea faults system, which has been absorbing most of the deformation from plate collision. The research demonstrates that this region is one of the most important fault systems in the western Mediterranean and has a significant tsunami risk.
A new project aims to explore the tension between managing hurricane risk and achieving equity and economic prosperity in coastal communities. Researchers will develop methods to model long-term hurricane hazards and create a framework for designing policy interventions.
Scientists have found that the tectonic stress in Japan's Nankai subduction zone is less than expected, contradicting predictions of a major buildup of pent-up energy. The research suggests that the fault may not be as unstable as thought, but still requires further investigation and long-term monitoring.
A new paper assesses hydraulic fracturing's impact on seismic hazards like microearthquakes. It found that preconditioning with hydraulic fracturing decreases the magnitude and frequency of induced tremors.
A novel three-dimensional model of the fluid stored deep in Earth's crust along the Cascadia Subduction Zone provides new insight into how the accumulation and release of those fluids may influence seismic activity. The study's findings have applications for increasing understanding of seismic activity along the Cascadia Subduction Zone.
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.
A new study in Nature explains the mechanism behind the exceptional tsunami that occurred after the Hunga Tonga-Hunga Ha'apai volcano explosion in 2022. The research team analyzed satellite and sea-level data worldwide, demonstrating that the tsunami was driven by an acoustic-gravity wave caused by the volcano eruption.
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.
A study by University of Texas at Austin researchers found that 68% of earthquakes above magnitude 1.5 are associated with oil and gas production activities such as hydraulic fracturing or wastewater disposal. The study used statistical analysis and physics-based modeling to identify the causal factors of induced seismicity in the Dela...
Researchers have discovered changes in the Earth's outer core, which are responsible for generating the magnetic field. According to Zhou's findings, a one-second discrepancy in SKS wave travel time indicates the formation of low-density regions with light elements such as hydrogen and oxygen.
A new approach based on deep learning AI detects weak gravitational signals, or PEGS, generated by large-mass motion in megaquakes. This allows for real-time tracking of earthquake growth after a magnitude 8 event.
Researchers simulated earthquakes in a lab and found that fine-grained gravel formed at fault boundaries can trigger powerful ruptures, contrary to previous beliefs about stable faults. The study used high-pressure and shear simulations to show that rock gouge weakens friction between plates, leading to intermittent slip.
Low-frequency tectonic tremors in Alaska are linked to high levels of dehydration in the Yakutat terrane, a subducting oceanic plateau. The study suggests that this dehydration reaction is caused by temperature and pressure conditions during plate subduction.
Researchers have developed a rigorous computer simulation technique to optimize LNG tank design, reducing construction costs while improving safety against catastrophic failures. The new model can be used to mitigate environmental and economic consequences of failure, enabling Australia to store more energy at the right time.
A new SDSU study used radiocarbon dating to determine the timing of the last seven periods of filling during the Late Holocene, revealing six earlier lake fills between 1618–1636 and 1486–1503. The research sheds light on both the history of human occupation in the area and its seismic past.
A new method of detecting mega earthquakes uses deep-learning models to assess the magnitude of these events, providing an earlier warning for tsunamis. This approach leverages gravity waves generated by large earthquakes, allowing for more accurate estimation and faster response time.
Two powerful earthquakes in adjacent areas off Alaska Peninsula show connection and suggest 80-year rupture cascade along megathrust fault. The quakes may have brought shallow portions of the fault closer to failure.
New sediment core data from ancient Lake Cahuilla extends the lake's history back 7000 years, providing insights into potential connections between lake filling events and earthquakes on the Southern San Andreas Fault. The research aims to shed light on possible triggering mechanisms and improve earthquake rupture histories.
Studies of deep diamonds provide evidence of fluids carried by subducted slabs, suggesting that fluids can no longer be ignored in the story of deep earthquake generation. The diamonds' distinctive chemistry and inclusions indicate a connection to organic material and serpentinized mantle peridotite.
A study by KyotoU scientists has discovered a significant relationship between volcanic activity and seismic faults. The research team found that the 2016 Kumamoto earthquakes were triggered by the eruption of Mount Aso, which caused a shift in the fault's movement pattern.
Aftershocks form spatial clusters around mainshocks, with rates decreasing further from mapped faults and increasing with strain rate. Hardebeck's study improves models but falls short of capturing clustering density. Future research may incorporate crustal properties for better forecasts.
Researchers at Eötvös Loránd University detected smallest earthquakes in micron-scale metals, exhibiting characteristics similar to seismic events. The findings reveal a two-level structure of strain bursts and demonstrate the correlation between acoustic signals and plastic deformation.
Researchers identify magma intrusion as cause of 85,000-quake swarm in Antarctica, largest ever recorded. The swarm peaked with two large earthquakes before subsiding, marking the end of a sustained magmatic unrest.
A study examines the applicability of Cauchy and Cauchy-Froude laws to multi-storey masonry structures with flexible diaphragms. The findings suggest that these laws may be inadequate for heavy structures unless gravity is scaled.
Researchers used teleseismic P waveform data to estimate rupture process and fault geometry simultaneously, identifying an irregular rupture sequence with diverse geometries. This approach mitigates potential modeling errors, providing a better understanding of complex fault systems.