Earthquakes abound

[theletch1]

I have never much kept up with where and how often the planet is rocked by earthquakes. However, in the past month there have been earthquakes in California (no big surprise), Iran (today and deadly) and even here in my home state of Virginia (nearly unheard of). If there is anyone here that has a better grip on this than I do I would be very interested to know if this is a rising trend, if there have been more than usual world wide or if I'm just losing it because we had one here in my back yard where I can't remember ever having one before.

 

[MA-Caver]

Well what kind of answers are you looking for?
Geologically the earth is an ever-changing planet, shifting and moving all the time. Earthquakes are nothing more than the reaction when plates move against each other.
Spiritually the book of Revelations talk about frequent earthquakes and storms and oddities of the earth for the "last days" before the second coming of Christ.

It depends on HOW you want to look at it. Personally I see it as the latter than the former but understand the former more than the latter.

(hint: I'm a caver)

 

[rmcrobertson]

"Spiritually?" Christian fundamentalist--actually, wacko fundamentalist--interpretations of Scripture are hardly the only spiritual approach to understanding the world. For one thing, the great majority of Christians just say,"Oh, an earthquake...." For another, there are other religions...

These sorts of chiliastic notions have been around for a long time. World ain't ended yet, despite all the predictions...

MA was right. It's just them old tectonic plates. Remember, the biggest quakes in this country's history occurred in Alaska and Louisiana...and New York had a quake last year....


I'd get on the website at CalTech...they have very good quake explanations, maps, discussions.

 

[theletch1]

I understand the "what" of an earthquake. I was just noticing more of them than usual and in odder places. It may very well be simply more me noticing something that has been happening that I wasn't paying attention to before than anything else. I'll check out the website, should be interesting.

As for the "end of the world" scenario, I don't think that we're there yet. Still too much "prophecy" left unfulfilled for that. The planets aren't all in alignment and whatever else all the religions in the world that have "end time" prophecies call for.

 

[arnisador]

Two dead in California, thousands dead in Iran...there are a number of reasons, but the biggest is housing/building codes. Thank a civil engineer!

 

[Ceicei]

And then again, thank the media and technology (for being able to measure severity). The media keeps us informed more than in decades past....so it may look like we have more earthquakes.

- Ceicei

 

[Andi]

Fair to say it's entirely random. The Iran earthquake is not hugely surprising, it's right on the edge of the Middle Eastern plate near a convergant boundary (continent collision). I'm sure you're more than aware of the San Andreas, it's the most studied faultline ever. How big were the quakes in Cali? I know the Bam one was 6ish wasn't it?

Also, you do sometimes get Earthquake swarms. I don't know if the two ones on the San Andreas were near the same place, but last year when I was living up north in Manchester, we had about 40 earthquakes in the space of a fortnight. Where there'd not been one for decades. They were all fairly small, the biggest was a 3.7 i think, but it was loadsa fun for us strange geology people.

 

[Makalakumu]

There is a phenomenon called wave induction, where one large quake sends p and s waves laterally through a stressed plate and this can cause earthquakes in weird places. Even if the plate has been accreted for millions of years. A good example of this is the (don't laugh) China Plate. That plate has been part of asia since the jurassic yet when a big temblor hits, the whole thing rings like a bell for a while. Faults that haven't moved for millions of years can tremble if the correct harmonics organize. These quakes are usually small.

There is also a theory that extends the wave induction concept globally, but there is little evidence yet. Too many variables to test in my opinion.

 

[theletch1]

We have really pissed mother nature off, folks. Mudslides in Cali, more rain on the way and avalanches in Utah. Man, I gotta stop watching the news.

 

[TheRustyOne]

I didn't even know that there was an earthquake in VA till someone at school asked if I had felt it. Apparently, it was felt up in West Virginia, which is a good distance from central/south VA...

...i stopped watching the news because of the dragging on about the crisis in the Middle East. Yes, it's there, we don't need minute-by-minute coverage... *rolls eyes* okay, stopin now before i get into a rant about people that annoy me *cough*rush*cough*talkradio*cough*

 

[Cryozombie]

We have really pissed mother nature off, folks. Mudslides in Cali, more rain on the way and avalanches in Utah

And Mad cow out west. Dont forget Mad Cow.

 

[Rich Parsons]

Originally posted by arnisador
Two dead in California, thousands dead in Iran...there are a number of reasons, but the biggest is housing/building codes. Thank a civil engineer!

If A person comes to a doctor and the doctor does his/her best and people are cured of a disease that had no cure then they did a miracle. If they do not save the person then they get praise for everyday of this persons life the treatment extended.

Also, if A doctor screws up, usually only one person is directly effected and the family is indirectly effected.

Yet, with an Engineer, no one cares about his/her work until there is a failure and then it usually effects a lot of people directly. Yet, not many realize the increased safety that engineers build into their designs.

Just my :soapbox:


As To earthquakes, as one plate shifts so do others. Check Here. As the Pacific Plate shifts causing an issue in Californa, may cause the Austrailian Plate to shift, which may cause the India Plate to shift or the Eurasian Plate to shift.

 

[hardheadjarhead]

And then again, thank the media and technology (for being able to measure severity). The media keeps us informed more than in decades past....so it may look like we have more earthquakes.

Excellent point. If there is a moderate temblor in California, we might hear about it on a slow news day.

People are more informed than ever. With the internet, it is nearly impossible to avoid the news. Small earthquakes that cause light damage are reported, and heard/read worldwide. In past days only the greatest disasters reached the ears and eyes of the people of Peoria.

(I pick Peoria because it is somewhat provincial, though well known. It also lends to an alliterative reference.)

There are more seismic devices now than thirty years ago...this also leads to increased recording of earthquakes.

Regards,


Steve