Earthquakes
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Better Earth

Stunning Map Reveals World's Earthquakes Since 1898

Andrea Mustain
Live Science
Sat, 30 Jun 2012 09:00 UTC
If you've ever wondered where - and why - earthquakes happen the most, look no further than a new map, which plots more than a century's worth of nearly every recorded earthquake strong enough to at least rattle the bookshelves.
Image
© John Nelson/IDV SolutionsMore than 100 years of earthquakes glow on a world map.
The map shows earthquakes of magnitude 4.0 or greater since 1898; each is marked in a lightning-bug hue that glows brighter with increasing magnitude.

The overall effect is both beautiful and arresting, revealing the silhouettes of Earth's tectonic boundaries in stark, luminous swarms of color.

The map's maker, John Nelson, the user experience and mapping manager for IDV Solutions, a data visualization company, said the project offered several surprises.

"First, I was surprised by the sheer amount of earthquakes that have been recorded," Nelson told OurAmazingPlanet. "It's almost like you could walk from Seattle to Wellington [New Zealand] if these things were floating in the ocean, and I wouldn't have expected that."

In all, 203,186 earthquakes are marked on the map, which is current through 2003. And it reveals the story of plate tectonics itself.
Read More...
Bizarro Earth

USGS: Earthquake Magnitude 6.3 - Northern Xinjiang, China


US Geological Survey
Fri, 29 Jun 2012 21:53 UTC
Xinjiang Quake_290612
© USGS
Date-Time
Friday, June 29, 2012 at 21:07:32 UTC

Saturday, June 30, 2012 at 05:07:32 AM at epicenterTime of Earthquake in other Time Zones

Location
43.444°N, 84.725°E

Depth
18 km (11.2 miles)

Region
NORTHERN XINJIANG, CHINA

Distances
99 km (61 miles) S of Dushanzi, China

141 km (87 miles) SW of Shihezi, China

218 km (135 miles) WSW of Changji, China

219 km (136 miles) NNW of Korla, China
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Better Earth

Quake Hits Northwestern Iran


Fars News
Wed, 27 Jun 2012 01:34 UTC
Image
© Unknown
An earthquake measuring 4.6 on the Richter scale jolted the County of Nahavand in Hamedan province, Northwestern Iran, on Wednesday.

The Seismological center of Hamedan province affiliated to the Geophysics Institute of Tehran University registered the quake at 06:55 hours local time (0225 GMT).

The epicenter of the quake was located in an area 48.4 degrees in longitude and 34.1 degrees in latitude.

There are yet no reports on the number of possible casualties or damage to properties by the quake.

Iran sits astride several major faults in the earth's crust, and is prone to frequent earthquakes, many of which have been devastating.

The worst in recent times hit Bam in southeastern Kerman province in December 2003, killing 31,000 people - about a quarter of its population - and destroying the city's ancient mud-built citadel.

The deadliest quake in the country was in June 1990 and measured 7.7 on the Richter scale. About 37,000 people were killed and more than 100,000 injured in the northwestern provinces of Gilan and Zanjan. It devastated 27 towns and about 1,870 villages.

Tehran alone sits on two major fault lines, and the capital's 14 million residents fear a major quake.
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Bizarro Earth

USGS: Earthquake Magnitude 6.1 - Near The East Coast of Kamchatka, Russia


US Geological Survey
Sat, 23 Jun 2012 22:37 UTC
Kamachatka Quake_240612
© USGS
Date-Time
Sunday, June 24, 2012 at 03:15:02 UTC

Sunday, June 24, 2012 at 04:15:02 PM at epicenter

Location
57.601°N, 163.218°E

Depth
17.4 km (10.8 miles)

Region
NEAR THE EAST COAST OF KAMCHATKA, RUSSIA

Distances
268 km (166 miles) SSW (192°) from Il'pyrskiy, Russia

317 km (197 miles) NNW (329°) from Nikol'skoye, Komandorskiye Ostrova, Rus.

586 km (364 miles) NNE (28°) from Petropavlovsk-Kamchatskiy, Russia

2994 km (1860 miles) NNE (28°) from TOKYO, Japan
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Bizarro Earth

Indonesia jolted with 5.9 quake


Online News
Sat, 23 Jun 2012 22:14 UTC
Sumatra quake
Jakarta - A 5.9-magnitude earthquake hit the north of Indonesia's Sumatra island on Saturday, the US Geological Survey (USGS) said, but there were no reports of damage or casualties.

The quake struck at 11.34am (0434 GMT), 66 kilometres west-southwest of Kabanjahe at a depth of 97 kilometres, the USGS said.
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Bizarro Earth

USGS: Earthquake Magnitude 6.0 - MacQuarie Island Region


US Geological Survey
Fri, 22 Jun 2012 00:02 UTC
MacQuarie Quake_220612
© USGSEarthquake Location
Date-Time
Friday, June 22, 2012 at 04:31:17 UTC

Friday, June 22, 2012 at 03:31:17 PM at epicenter

Location
54.302°S, 158.727°E

Depth
9.9 km (6.2 miles)

Region
MACQUARIE ISLAND REGION

Distances
24 km (14 miles) NW of Macquarie Island, Australia

1111 km (690 miles) SW of Invercargill, New Zealand

1165 km (723 miles) SW of Gore, New Zealand

1253 km (778 miles) SSW of Queenstown, New Zealand
Read More...
Bizarro Earth

Oman records back-to-back earthquake tremors

Rahul Das
Times of Oman
Thu, 21 Jun 2012 11:15 UTC
Muscat: Two back-to-back earthquakes were recorded closer to Oman by the Earthquake Monitoring Centre at Sultan Qaboos University in the last 24 hours but there were no reports of damage to property or loss of life.

While an earthquake measuring 4.8-magnitude was reported in the Arabian Gulf around midnight, the other was reported from southern Iran with 4.2-magnitude on Tuesday evening.

Speaking to Times of Oman, Dr Issa Al Hussain, director, Earthquake Monitoring Centre, Sultan Qaboos University (SQU), said that they record around 150 earthquakes from all over the globe every month.

"Locally we record around four to five quakes every month but most of them are weak and its epicenter is far away from Oman,- he said. But given Oman's close vicinity to where the Arabian plates meet the Eurasian plates, how much risk does it pose to the Sultanate?
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Bizarro Earth

Increased seismic activity reported at Iceland's Katla Volcano


IcelandReview.com /ESA
Thu, 21 Jun 2012 11:11 UTC
Image
© Páll StefánssonMýrdalsjökull
Increased seismic activity was detected in Mýrdalsjökull glacier in south Iceland, under which the volcano Katla lies, last night. Twenty-six minor earthquakes were picked up by sensors, all of which had their epicenter within the Katla crater.

A seismic activity expert on watch at the Icelandic Meteorological Office informed ruv.is that the earthquake swarm had started at 1 am and continued through 5 am.

However, there is no reason to be concerned about an imminent volcanic eruption or glacial outburst in Katla. The earthquakes were all shallow and originated in seismic activity in the geothermal system.

Click here to read about another recent earthquake swarm in Katla.
Read More...
Bizarro Earth

Aftershocks After Rare Melbourne Quake


Australian Associated Press
Tue, 19 Jun 2012 22:08 UTC
Melbourne
© File PhotoMillions felt the extremely rare quake in the city of Melbourne.
Up to 60 aftershocks have been felt across Victoria and in Melbourne following last night's 5.3-magnitude earthquake.

The quake struck just before 9pm (11pm NZ time) with the epicentre between Traralgon and Moe in the state's southeast.

The shaking lasted around 30 seconds but could be felt from Gippsland to metropolitan Melbourne and as far as Swan Hill in the state's northwest.

Seismologist at Geoscience Australia, Marco Maldoni, said the aftershocks were minor but may continue to be felt for weeks.

"These are a lot smaller than the initial earthquake, the vast majority below a two or three (magnitude),'' he told AAP.

"Quite a number of them could only be felt within the noise of the signal.

"We're talking about magnitude 1, so very small.''

Mr Maldoni said the quake was the largest in Victoria since 1982 and the state's third largest in 100 years.
Read More...
Bizarro Earth

Earthquake Magnitude 6.0 - Aleutian Islands, Alaska


US Geological Survey
Tue, 19 Jun 2012 11:19 UTC
Image
© USGS
Date-Time
Tuesday, June 19, 2012 at 15:56:34 UTC
Tuesday, June 19, 2012 at 06:56:34 AM at epicenter

Location
53.392°N, 171.635°E Depth
20.9 km (13.0 miles) Region
NEAR ISLANDS, ALEUTIAN ISLANDS, ALASKA Distances
120 km (74 miles) WNW of Attu Station, Alaska
866 km (538 miles) E of Petropavlovsk-Kamchatskiy, Russia
882 km (548 miles) E of Yelizovo, Russia
884 km (549 miles) E of Vilyuchinsk, Russia
Read More...