Study Shows Fault Overdue for Quake

[Eugene]

June 21, 2006, 12:04PM
Study Shows Fault Overdue for Quake

By ALICIA CHANG AP Science Writer
© 2006 The Associated Press

LOS ANGELES — New earthquake research confirms the southern end of the San Andreas
fault near Los Angeles is overdue for a Big One.

The lower section of the fault has not produced a major earthquake in more than three
centuries. The new study, which analyzed 20 years of data and is considered one of the
most detailed analyses yet, found that stress has been building up since then, and
that the fault could rupture at any moment.

<snip>

Predicting exactly when that might happen, however, is beyond scientists' ability.

The analysis was published in Thursday's issue of the journal Nature.

<snip>

Full article: http://www.chron.com/disp/story.mpl/ap/science/3989757.html

Also: Southern San Andreas fault waiting to explode: report - Reuters

[ayeshahaqqiqa]

1. I'm wondering

about Yellowstone as well....and then there's New Madrid Fault....is it possible they could all go at once? Or could one quake cause another and another and another? Please, help me, scientists!

[Fridays Child]

3. Sort of like a domino effect?

Hmm. Not a scientist but...

I'm not sure that they're all necessarily closely connected, in terms of geological plates. Maybe there's some relationship between seismic events in the "ring of fire," but New Madrid and Yellowstone are probably distinct formations, not associated with San Andreas or with each other, either.

I could be way off base, though. If so, somebody please correct me.

[ayeshahaqqiqa]

4. You are correct that they are all distinct formations

if that's the correct term. New Madrid is in the middle of the North American plate, and Yellowstone is, as I understand it, really a huge volcano. Last time I did any studying on New Madrid, they weren't really sure why there was a fault there or why it appears to quake every 200 years or so.

[dhill926]

2. Damn...moving there in a month

oh well, was raised in the Midwest and never got hit by a tornado and lived in South Florida and never suffered through a hurricane. Hell, maybe the fear will bring down real estate prices...yeah, right!