Earthquakes
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Bizarro Earth

Micronesia: Earthquake Magnitude 5.8 - State of Yap

Image
© USGS
Date-Time:
Thursday, October 06, 2011 at 07:37:03 UTC

Thursday, October 06, 2011 at 05:37:03 PM at epicenter

Time of Earthquake in other Time Zones

Location:
9.712°N, 138.292°E

Depth:
35.7 km (22.2 miles)

Region:
STATE OF YAP, FED. STATES OF MICRONESIA

Distances:
27 km (16 miles) NE of Yap, Micronesia

493 km (306 miles) ENE of KOROR, Palau

818 km (508 miles) WSW of HAGATNA, Guam

899 km (558 miles) WSW of Rota, Northern Mariana Islands

Bizarro Earth

Argentina: Earthquake Magnitude 6.2 - Jujuy

Image
© USGS
Date-Time:
Thursday, October 06, 2011 at 11:12:29 UTC

Thursday, October 06, 2011 at 08:12:29 AM at epicenter

Time of Earthquake in other Time Zones

Location:
24.181°S, 64.250°W

Depth:
9.5 km (5.9 miles)

Region:
JUJUY, ARGENTINA

Distances:
106 km (65 miles) E of San Salvador de Jujuy, Jujuy, Argentina

129 km (80 miles) N of El Quebrachal, Salta, Argentina

135 km (83 miles) ENE of Salta, Salta, Argentina

1274 km (791 miles) NNW of BUENOS AIRES, D.F., Argentina

Bizarro Earth

Massive Japan Earthquake Altered Earth's Gravity

Geoid
© ESA/HPF/DLRESA's GOCE mission has delivered the most accurate model of the 'geoid' ever produced. Red corresponds to points with higher gravity, and blue to points with lower gravity.
The devastating earthquake that struck Japan earlier this year was powerful enough to slightly alter the pull of gravity under the affected area, scientists now find.

Anything that has mass has a gravity field that attracts objects toward it. The strength of this field depends on a body's mass. Since the Earth's mass is not spread out evenly, this means its gravity field is stronger in some places and weaker in others.

The magnitude 9.0 Tohoku-Oki temblor in March was the most powerful earthquake to hit Japan and the fifth-most powerful quake ever recorded. To see how the temblor might have deformed the Earth there, scientists used the Gravity Recovery and Climate Experiment (GRACE) satellites to analyze the area's gravity field before and after the quake.

The researchers found the Tohoku-Oki quake reduced the gravity field there by an average of two- millionths of a gal by slightly thinning the Earth's crust. In comparison, the strength of the gravitational pull at the Earth's surface is, on average, 980 gals. (The gal, short for Galileo, is a unit of acceleration; one gal is defined as one centimeter per second squared.)

Bizarro Earth

Earthquake swarm after officials confirm eruption at Iceland volcano Katla

Image
© UnknownIs Katla about to erupt again?
Iceland's massive volcano Katla appears on the brink of a major eruption just days after officials confirmed they had detected the start of eruptions over the summer.

Measuring devices this morning have picked up a large earthquake swarm, usually a tell-tale sign of a potential volcanic eruption.

The Icelandic Government last month announced it was increasing monitoring Katla, which is one of Europe's most feared volcanoes, following a consistent and strengthening spike of tremors and quakes.

And last week, officials at the Iceland Meteorological Office confirmed a series of smaller eruptions had occurred in July strengthening fears of an imminent, much larger, eruption.

Evidence gathered by geophysicists showed the magma had risen to the height of the glacier ice above the volcano causing it to melt.

They said the high seismic tremors recorded on July 8 and 9 confirmed Katla had become active and started small eruptions.

Bizarro Earth

Rare Subsea Earthquakes Rattle Bermuda

The western Atlantic Ocean island of Bermuda, which was hit by its first earthquake in over a decade in April, has been rattled by two moderate quakes.

The earthquakes, both measuring 4.5 magnitude on the Richter Scale, struck at 10:18 PM and 10:36 PM local time on Monday.

Image
© Google EarthEpicentre of Monday night's earthquakes
The subsea quakes, the strongest to be recorded in the region in more than 20 years, were centred about 80 miles (130 km) south of Hamilton, the capital of the British overseas territory.

According to the United States Geological Survey (USGS), the quakes (1st, 2nd) occurred at depths ranging between 10 and 14 kilometres.

Radar

Philippines: Earthquake Magnitude 5.0 - Mindanao

Image
Date-Time:
Sunday, October 02, 2011 at 09:19:25 UTC

Sunday, October 02, 2011 at 05:19:25 PM at epicenter

Time of Earthquake in other Time Zones

Location:
8.385°N, 126.723°E

Depth:
46.9 km (29.1 miles)

Region:
MINDANAO, PHILIPPINES

Distances:
43 km (26 miles) E of Hinatuan, Mindanao, Philippines

143 km (88 miles) ESE of Butuan, Mindanao, Philippines

864 km (536 miles) W of KOROR, Palau

929 km (577 miles) SE of MANILA, Philippines

Better Earth

Geologists Map Birth Of New Ocean

Image
© Unknown
A giant underground reservoir of molten rock has been discovered under the deserts of Ethiopia by British geologists, The (London) Sunday Times reported.

They targeted the Afar region in the Horn of Africa after a recent surge in volcanic activity and earthquakes plus the appearance of giant cracks in the rocky surface. Tectonic plates in the area are pulling apart and gradually creating a new ocean.

Now, the scientists have mapped the colossal underground lake of magma that lies up to 20 miles (32km) below the earth's surface.

"We estimate that there is 3,000 cubic kilometers of molten rock under Afar -- enough to cover all of London ... with around a kilometer of rock," said Kathy Whaler, professor of geophysics at Edinburgh University.

The reservoir is under such pressure that it has forced tongues of molten rock up towards the surface, producing eruptions and earthquakes.

Bizarro Earth

Ohio, US: What's Underlying Cause of Recent Valley Quakes?

Valley Quakes
© USGS
Thursday night's earthquake sent shock waves through most of Mahoning County.

The quake wasn't strong enough to create any damage, but it likely felt a lot stronger than a regular magnitude-2.5 rumble, said Michael Hansen, senior geologist at the Ohio Department of Natural Resources.

That's because rocks underneath the ground of river valley areas are mostly made up of unconsolidated sediments that amplify ground movement.

"That makes it feel higher intensity," Hansen said. That could explain the booming and crashing noises heard by some throughout the Valley. And although the initial magnitude registered a 2.5, Hansen said follow-up data could revise that number slightly higher.

"It may be 2.6 or a little bigger than 2.6, but not by much," he said.

Geologists have recorded earthquakes with epicenters in Mahoning County just six times - and all happened in the past 61/2 months.

All have occurred west of the Mahoning River, in close proximity to Salt Springs Road. The six earthquakes registered magnitudes ranging from 2.2 to 2.6. According to the Mercalli Intensity Scale, earthquakes between magnitudes 2.0 and 3.0 are felt by a few people, especially those on upper floors.

But why, after a lifetime with no earthquakes centered in Mahoning County, is the area averaging a quake per month?

Experts say there are a few reasons.

Blackbox

Canada: Earthquakes could be linked to British Columbia gas drilling, says seismologist

Image
© CBCGas wells like this one dot the landscape of northeastern B.C. in the pursuit of natural gas.
Seismologist says 'seismic swarm' should be investigated

B.C.'s energy regulator is investigating a cluster of earthquakes in a busy gas drilling area of the province, CBC News has learned.

Since 2009, more than 30 earthquakes have been registered in the Horn River area, a region that has also seen extensive drilling and a process called hydraulic fracturing used by companies extracting natural gas.

Hydraulic fracturing, also known as fracking, involves injecting a pressurized mix of water and other substances into the rock to release trapped natural gas. The B.C. Oil and Gas Commission said it has not identified a direct link between hydraulic fracturing and the seismic activity, but is examining recent data collected from Horn River.

The coincidence of earthquakes and gas exploration warrants further investigation, said University of Calgary seismologist David Eaton.

"This would fall within the descriptor of a seismic swarm," Eaton told CBC News. "I think, you know, any links to hydrocarbon extraction of fluid injection would be really interesting."

Bizarro Earth

Chile: Earthquake Magnitude 5.6 - Offshore Bio-Bio

Image
© USGS
Date-Time:
Wednesday, September 28, 2011 at 22:40:13 UTC

Wednesday, September 28, 2011 at 06:40:13 PM at epicenter

Time of Earthquake in other Time Zones

Location:
37.963°S, 73.903°W

Depth:
12.9 km (8.0 miles)

Region:
OFFSHORE BIO-BIO, CHILE

Distances:
43 km (26 miles) SSW of Lebu, Bio-Bio, Chile

42 km (88 miles) NW of Temuco, Araucania, Chile

145 km (90 miles) SSW of Concepcion, Bio-Bio, Chile

580 km (360 miles) SSW of SANTIAGO, Region Metropolitana, Chile