Tag Archives: seismic hazard

3-D Laser Map Shows Earthquake Zone Before and After

*Geologists learn how earthquakes change the landscape — down to a few inches*

Geologists have a new tool to study how earthquakes change the landscape–down to a few inches. It’s giving scientists insights into how earthquake faults behave.

In this week’s issue of the journal Science, a team of scientists from the United States, Mexico and China reports the most comprehensive before-and-after picture yet of an earthquake zone, using data from the magnitude 7.2 event that struck near Mexicali, Mexico, in April 2010. (more…)

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No Evidence for Large Triggered Earthquakes Across the Globe

MENLO PARK, Calif. — New scientific research concludes that large earthquakes do not increase the global seismic hazard for more damaging earthquakes far from the mainshock. Although large aftershocks close to the mainshock remain highly probable following an earthquake, and small earthquakes less than magnitude 5 can be triggered at great distances, scientists at the U.S. Geological Survey and the University of Texas at El Paso found no significant increase in the rate of large earthquakes happening farther away than two to three times the length of the ruptured fault that caused the mainshock.  (more…)

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Haiti Quake Risk May Still be High

The fault initially thought to have triggered January’s devastating earthquake in Haiti is likely still under considerable strain and continues to pose a significant seismic hazard, according to a study published online in Nature Geoscience Sunday.  

U.S. Geological Survey geologist Carol Prentice led a team of scientists to Haiti immediately after the earthquake to search for traces of ground rupture and to investigate the geology and paleoseismology of the area.  (more…)

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