Articles tagged with Earthquakes
Researchers at Tufts University found that subsurface fluid injections can cause significant earthquake activity beyond the fluid diffusion zone. The study uses field experiment data and modeling of ground faults to support this hypothesis.
Researchers have identified over 600 small earthquakes between magnitude 2.0 and 3.8 in Ohio, Pennsylvania, West Virginia, Oklahoma, and Texas, linked to fracking operations. The study reveals that the depth of the well is a significant factor in predicting likelihood of seismicity.
Volcano seismologist Jacqueline Caplan-Auerbach studies Loihi's 1996 eruption for parallels to Kilauea's 2018 activity, suggesting a caldera collapse mechanism. Loihi's recent increase in seismicity may indicate magma replenishment, predicting Kilauea could be quiet for a decade before reactivating.
Researchers found a strong correlation between meltwater runoff and seismic activity in the region, suggesting that seeping water may trigger small earthquakes. The study suggests that the shallow nature of the earthquakes is due to the unique geology of the area, with steeply dipping rock layers acting as a conduit for meltwater.
A recent study suggests that reinforced concrete walls in Seattle may experience up to 11% larger displacement and a higher probability of collapse during magnitude 9 earthquakes due to basin effects. The research highlights the need for updated building codes and retrofits to mitigate potential damage.
A new study catalogs nearly 1.8 million tiny tremors in Southern California, filling gaps in the earthquake record and shedding light on geophysical processes. The analysis reveals that about 495 earthquakes occur each day in the region, with most being small and imperceptible.
Researchers expand earthquake catalog by a factor of 10, revealing daily quakes at 495 locations across the region. The study's template matching technique identifies tiny tremors, expanding our understanding of seismic events and their impact on the region.
An international team uses seismic data from glacial earthquakes to study calving and its impact on ice sheet mass loss. This breakthrough in environmental seismology reveals that calving resulted in the shedding of 370 gigatonnes of ice into the Arctic Ocean between 1993 and 2013.
Two moderate-sized earthquakes in Sichuan Province caused extensive damage and injury, likely triggered by nearby fracking operations. The earthquakes coincided with injection activities at fracking well pads, suggesting a link between the two.
Researchers have developed a new method to design systems with greater disaster resistance and resilience by incorporating negative probability. This method models correlated disruptions as independent impacts on virtual supporting stations, reducing complexity and enabling easier calculation of probabilities.
Researchers characterized two massive deep earthquakes in the Tonga-Fiji region, discovering complex geological processes and dual mechanism propagation patterns. The study suggests that these events can trigger subsequent large earthquakes and highlights the need to better understand deep-Earth processes.
Researchers at the University of Tokyo have developed a new way to sense earthquakes using gravitational signals, which can detect seismic waves ahead of time. The method has been proven reliable with 7-sigma accuracy and could lead to improved early warning systems that save lives.
Researchers are using machine learning to analyze seismic data, identify earthquake centers and distinguish seismic activity from noise. Machine learning methods can also preserve analog records of past earthquakes by categorizing images.
Researchers used hourly water level records from tide gauges to detect episodic tremor and slip patterns in the Cascadia Subduction Zone. The study found that these events occurred every 14.6 months between 1996 and 2011, but not during the pre-GPS era, suggesting a potential change in the pattern over time.
The EarthScope National Office has compiled a list of the program's top 10 discoveries, showcasing revolutionary findings in North America's structure and evolution. These breakthroughs include insights into earthquakes, volcanoes, and groundwater, highlighting the continent's dynamic geological history.
A study at Oregon State University found that 'silent slip' - a brief episode of shallow mantle creep and seismic swarms - occurs before large earthquakes. The research deployed seismometers on the ocean bottom to detect over 1,600 earthquakes at the Blanco Ridge fault.
Researchers from ETH Zurich developed a new model that simulates earthquake cycles in the Himalayas, predicting powerful earthquakes with a periodicity of 400 to 600 years. The model shows that medium-sized earthquakes can create conditions for even larger ones, leading to complete stress release in the rupture zone.
Researchers at the University of Texas at Austin developed a new computer modeling approach to investigate the connection between tiny tremors and devastating megathrust earthquakes. The study shows that changes in crustal stress state occur before major earthquakes, providing valuable insights into the forces driving these events.
Researchers have detected deep low-frequency earthquakes at great depths, suggesting the movement of magmatic fluids beneath Laacher See Volcano. The earthquakes are characterized by unusually low frequencies and occur episodically in groups along a specific depth range.
Seismic activity near Oroville Dam was related to reservoir discharge altering pressure on underlying rock fractures, causing them to open and close. The events occurred for decades prior to the dam's spillway failure and continued after it.
Researchers are exploring answers to fill crucial gaps in understanding intra-slab earthquakes, which can be large magnitude and felt over a broad area. They found that local geology can dramatically change the earthquake's effects, highlighting the need for hazard assessments to include information about the deep earth.
Researchers analyzed historical data to determine the sources of destructive Indonesian earthquakes, finding that intraslab earthquakes were responsible for many damaging quakes. The study suggests that Indonesia's 2010 and 2017 seismic hazard assessments perform well in predicting ground motion in key Javanese cities.
Scientists uncover evidence for multiple, older earthquake events in the geologic record, challenging the idea of a sustained tempo of faulting. The study reveals four distinct packages of sediment corresponding to previously identified earthquakes, with no evidence of additional seismic activity in the past 4,300 years.
The University of Cincinnati is studying landslides to improve public safety and understanding of these natural disasters. The research aims to add specific details on landslides to Nevada's map of known hazards, including areas prone to wildfires, flash-flood zones, and earthquake fault lines.
A new study finds that the depth of wastewater disposal in US oil sites significantly contributes to induced seismicity. In Oklahoma, deeper disposal into the basement rock increases seismicity due to higher cumulative volume and injection rates.
Researchers at Rice University have discovered a link between tiny tremors on the Cascadia margin and fluid activity deep within the Earth's crust. The study reveals that these small quakes are related to slippage in the subducting plate, which releases fluids into sediments trapped beneath the overriding plate.
Researchers from Tokyo Metropolitan University have developed a fast and accurate method for estimating local geomagnetic fields using machine-learning techniques. This approach can detect changes caused by earthquakes and tsunamis, enabling unprecedentedly early warnings before these natural disasters strike.
Researchers suggest a hydraulic fracturing well in Alberta, Canada was in contact with an active fault, causing induced seismicity. The coincidence of geological conditions required for induced seismicity are rarely expected to occur naturally, according to the study.
Researchers developed a model to forecast man-made earthquake activity in Oklahoma and Kansas, incorporating earthquake physics and wastewater injection data. The model predicts a 32% probability of potentially damaging earthquakes in 2018, decreasing to 19% by 2020.
Researchers identified a collapsed underground cavity and multiple small earthquakes after the September 2017 North Korean nuclear test, providing insights into the detection of nuclear explosions. The study's findings also shed light on seismic stress in the region and potential aftershocks.
Researchers in India used GPS and satellite data to track crustal deformation around reservoirs, finding that seasonal filling can reduce the strength of nearby faults and trigger earthquakes. Even small reservoirs can cause significant deformation capable of triggering an earthquake if there are critically stressed faults in the region.
Scientists discovered that a North Korean nuclear bomb test in 2017 set off aftershocks over eight months, providing insight into the physics of nuclear explosions and how natural earthquakes can be triggered. The analysis used new methods to pinpoint the locations of the quakes with greater precision, revealing a hidden fracture.
Researchers at UMass Amherst found that small earthquakes near the San Andreas and San Jacinto faults may be due to deep creep 10 km below the surface. This finding should support more refined assessments of fault loading and earthquake rupture risk in the region.
A study of injection wells reveals that they can cause earthquakes up to 6 miles away from the well site. Injecting fluids into sedimentary rock produces bigger, more distant earthquakes compared to injecting into the underlying basement rock. This challenges current recommendations for hydraulic fracturing and wastewater disposal.
A joint British-Italian team has shown that the clustering of three deadly quakes in Italy's Apennine mountains may have been caused by a cross-cutting network of underground faults. The research found that smaller faults prevented a single massive earthquake from occurring and also triggered later earthquakes.
A new study finds that sea-level rise can significantly increase the tsunami hazard, with smaller tsunamis posing greater risks due to increased flooding frequency. The study simulates tsunami inundation maps for Macau and warns of increased dangers from tsunamis in the South China Sea region.
Researchers from EPFL and ENS Paris have discovered that highly pressurized water in the vicinity of an earthquake can reduce its intensity. This finding contradicts previous theories and highlights the importance of considering fluid pressure in geothermal models to accurately predict earthquake behavior.
Researchers from the University of Houston have reported a new understanding of deep earthquakes, finding they are hosted in anisotropic rocks. This discovery explains why deep earthquakes radiate seismic energy differently than shallow ones, offering insights into the causes of these events.
The study identifies at least three tears in the Indian mantle lithosphere underthrusting the Himalayas. This model explains patterns of crustal deformation and east-west extension in southern Tibet, providing insights into the region's seismic activity.
A new model developed by Indiana University researchers estimates the likelihood of landslides triggered by earthquakes, offering potentially life-saving information to those affected. The model uses data from past earthquakes and landslides to provide fast, regional estimates of landslide occurrence.
Researchers at GFZ German Research Centre for Geosciences have developed a new method using fiber-optic cables to detect earthquakes and other ground movements. The technique reveals structural features in the underground with unprecedented resolution, outperforming existing seismological networks worldwide.
A Portsmouth researcher is developing a mathematical model to speed up the delivery of life-saving blood to victims of disasters, reducing blood wastage and loss of life. The model will inform venue and location for temporary blood donation centres, transportation routes, and quantities delivered.
ASU scientists found that slow earthquakes on the central section of the San Andreas Fault release energy over months, triggering large destructive quakes in their surroundings. The research suggests that seismic hazard in California varies over time and is higher than previously thought.
Researchers have developed a new approach to detect quakes by measuring optical phase changes in oceanic fiber optic cables triggered by seismic waves. This method can effectively detect quake activity and parameters, even in regions where seismic monitoring has been limited.
Researchers have made a groundbreaking discovery of accelerating activity before a 2016 earthquake in central Alaska. The study found evidence for very low-frequency earthquakes, which do not typically exhibit the usual P and S waves associated with typical earthquakes.
A study led by Drexel University's Amanda Lough has shown that East Antarctica is seismically active, contradicting the long-held assumption that its inactivity was caused by ice. The seismic array detected 27 earthquakes in 2009, tripling the total number of recorded events.
Scientists found that altering fluid injection rates near faults can reduce seismic events and magnitudes. Active pressure management may help control induced earthquakes in real-time, but more data is needed for specific site recommendations.
Researchers identified repeating seismic events at volcanoes in Costa Rica, offering insights into magma movement and gas activity. Drumbeat seismicity at Turrialba may have preceded a small eruption, while earthquakes halted repeating events at Poas by altering the stress field around the volcano.
A research team of engineers, led by Professor Camillo Nuti at Roma Tre University, investigated the Leaning Tower of Pisa's survival despite strong earthquakes. The team found that dynamic soil-structure interaction (DSSI) helped the tower survive due to its unique combination of height and foundation soil stiffness.
Researchers have detected small earthquakes caused by migrating gases in the underground, particularly in the Istanbul-Marmara region. The study found that natural gas reservoirs near tectonic disturbances can trigger weaker earthquakes as a result of gas escaping and moving upwards.
Slow slip events (SSEs) release seismic stress at a lower rate than large earthquakes, potentially triggering megathrust earthquake events. The study analyzed waveform data from beneath Kanto, Japan, and found that seismic activity varied in response to SSEs, through episodic cycles.
A mission is underway to lower sub-seafloor observatories into the Hikurangi subduction zone off New Zealand. This expedition aims to understand why destructive tsunamis occur after shallow earthquakes and underwater landslides, shedding light on New Zealand's largest earthquake and tsunami hazard.
A new report by the Seismological Society of America concludes that wastewater created during oil and gas production is the probable cause for a surge in earthquakes in southern Kansas. Between 2012 and 2016, six magnitude 4 or greater earthquakes occurred in the study area, with decreases in seismicity corresponding to decreases in di...
A comprehensive analysis of 101 major earthquakes found most aftershock activity occurred on the margins of the fault slip zone, supporting the idea that large-slip zones are unlikely to rupture again soon. Stress increases in surrounding areas.
The September 2017 earthquakes showcased the effectiveness of Mexico's SASMEX early warning system, which detected the magnitude 8.2 Tehuantepec earthquake and sent alerts to residents with almost two minutes' notice. However, improvements are needed to reduce processing times and ensure timely warnings for all residents.
A new study by the University of Bristol found that Oklahoma's seismicity is strongly linked to fluid injection depth. The team used a powerful computer model to examine the connections between injection volume, depth, and location, as well as geological features.
Scientists at Cardiff University have developed a new method to calculate tsunami size and destructive force by measuring acoustic gravity waves. The technology uses fast-moving underwater sound waves generated after tsunami trigger events, such as earthquakes, making them an ideal source of information for early warning systems.
Researchers identified specific factors causing seismic activity in Alberta's Duvernay play, finding that increased hydraulic fracturing fluid volumes in susceptible locations trigger earthquakes. The study aims to improve earthquake prediction and mitigate induced seismicity in the region.
A study published in Seismological Research Letters found no correlation between great earthquake rates and lunar phases or day of the year. Large earthquakes were matched with lunar phase and day data to rule out random patterns, and no significant effects were detected.
A new study by Virginia Tech researchers found that efforts to curb earthquakes triggered by oilfield wastewater injections are not targeting the most dangerous tremblers. To mitigate large magnitude earthquakes, a larger reduction in injection volumes is needed, according to the study.