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Category: Discoveries

Damaged building in Mayaguez, Puerto Rico. Credit: Jose Luis Rodriguez, Rodriguez Archives LLC, Connecticut, via NOAA/NCEI
Discoveries / Earthquake Insights / Publications / Temblor

Submarine sleuthing exposes cause of 1918 Puerto Rico tsunami

Researchers found that an ancient, mineral-encrusted landslide was too old to have caused the 1918 tsunami. A nearby fault was to blame instead.   By Lauren Milideo, Science Writer (@lwritesscience) …

Pallett Creek, originally excavated in the 1970s, was one of the first to be studied to reveal the timing and magnitude of historical earthquakes along the San Andreas Fault. Credit: Michael R. Perry, Via Flickr, CC BY 2.0.
Discoveries / Earthquake Insights / Publications / Temblor

Remembering past earthquakes improves earthquake forecasts

Scientists developed a new and more accurate model to forecast earthquakes by mimicking the energy release of past earthquakes.   By Jeng Hann Chong, PhD Candidate at the University of …

Skyline of downtown Seattle. Credit: James Conkis, via Wikimedia Commons, CC BY-SA 4.0
Discoveries / Earthquake Insights / Publications / Temblor

Piecing together the puzzle of the Seattle Fault Zone

New findings on Bainbridge Island offer insights into the history and behavior of a complex fault system under Seattle, Washington.   By Rebecca Owen, Science Writer (@beccapox)   Citation: Owen, …

Skyline of Salt Lake City, Utah. Credit: Garett, via Flickr, CC BY 2.0
Discoveries / Earthquake Insights / Publications / Temblor

Wasatch corridor in Utah prone to big quakes and shakes

Utah has experienced energetic earthquakes in the past. If a magnitude-7.0 earthquake hits the state, major cities would feel strong shaking and likely experience events triggered by the shock. By …

Surface rupture from the July 2017 magnitude-6.4 Ridgecrest Earthquake. Credit: Ben Brooks and Todd Ericksen, United States Geological Survey
Discoveries / Earthquake Insights / Publications / Temblor

Harnessing citizen science helps develop efficient earthquake early warning

A group of social scientists, seismologists and engineers is developing surveys to understand the efficacy of earthquake early warning alerts.   By Meghomita Das, Palomar Fellow (@meghomita)   Citation: Das, …

Caption: View from Oakland Hills, not far from Berkeley, across the San Francisco Bay. Credit: --Mark--, CC BY-NC-SA 2.0
Discoveries / Earthquake Insights / Publications / Temblor

From ShakeAlert to smartphones: Earthquake Early Warning now and beyond

Getting notifications to people in the event of an earthquake is a key component of earthquake early warning systems. Apps like MyShake and companies like Google are leading the way. …

The Indonesian island of Sulawesi endured widespread damage from a magnitude-7.5 supershear earthquake in 2018. Credit: Ungkeito, CC BY-SA 4.0 via Wikimedia Commons
Discoveries / Earthquake Insights / Publications / Temblor

Speed kills: fast, potentially damaging earthquakes more common

A global survey of large strike-slip earthquakes (greater than magnitude 6.7) reveals that over a 20-year period, 14 percent of such earthquakes sustained supershear rupture speeds.   By Laura Fattaruso, …

The Nankai Trough poses a hazard to many of Japan’s southern islands.
Discoveries / Earthquake Insights / Publications / Temblor

Miles below the seafloor, scientists gather data on subduction stress

Scientists drilled deep below the seafloor to see how stress builds within the Nankai megathrust, a major subduction zone off Japan’s southeast coast.   By Jay Barber, Science Writer (@JayBarber77) …

Oil pump in Hanna, Oklahoma. Credit: meganjean (CC BY 2.0), via Wikimedia Commons.
Discoveries / Earthquake Insights / Publications / Temblor

Detecting smaller earthquakes could improve forecasting of larger temblors

Using machine learning techniques on ten years of seismic data from Oklahoma and Kansas, researchers identified faults that could generate large earthquakes.   By Laura Fattaruso, Simpson Strong Tie Fellow …

Hurricane Ian damaged the Sanibel Causeway. Credit: Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission, CC BY-NC-ND 2.0
Discoveries / Earthquake Insights / Publications / Temblor

Changing climate, changing insurance risk

As climate-related hazards increase in intensity and frequency, communities and insurers can use updated risk maps and models to understand and estimate loss.   By Rebecca Owen, Science Writer, @beccapox …

Exposing altered mantle rocks to carbon dioxide-rich fluids converts the mineral serpentine to soapstone, a rock made of talc and magnesite. Credit: Jan Helebrant via Wikimedia Commons, CC BY-SA 3.0.
Discoveries / Earthquake Insights / Publications / Temblor

Carbon-storing rocks may lubricate the San Andreas

Did you know there’s a mineral that may prevent catastrophic earthquakes and sequester CO2 from Earth’s atmosphere? A new study explores this link.   By Melissa Scruggs, PhD, @VolcanoDoc   …

Some sections of the San Andreas Fault may have longer recurrence intervals than previously thought. Credit: John Wiley, CC BY 3.0
Discoveries / Earthquake Insights / Publications / Temblor

Some California faults may have longer recurrence intervals than thought

Improved estimates of earthquake recurrence interval could account for an apparent earthquake hiatus in California.   By Rachel Rochester, Ph.D., Science Writer (@RaRaRhapsody)   Citation: Rochester, R., 2022, Some California …

photo of tall and short buildings in foreground. Mountains in background
Discoveries / Earthquake Insights / Publications / Temblor

Hidden faults pose a hazard to major cities around the world

The element of surprise can make earthquakes on subsurface faults especially dangerous.   By Laura Fattaruso, Simpson Strong Tie Fellow (@labtalk_laura)   Citation: Fattaruso, L., 2022, Hidden faults pose a …

Double lane bridge with section of top deck missing
Discoveries / Earthquake Insights / Publications / Temblor

Living through the Loma Prieta earthquake

Today marks the anniversary of the 1989 Loma Prieta Earthquake. Seismologists remember the event when they were students of the earth sciences.   By Alka Tripathy-Lang, Ph.D., science writer (@DrAlkaTrip) …

Collapsed buildings after the 1886 earthquake in Charleston. Credit: Henry de Saussure Copeland via Flickr, CC BY-NC 2.0
Discoveries / Earthquake Insights / Publications / Temblor

Tie rods aren’t just a pretty facade. Here’s how they help earthquake proof Charleston

Some brick buildings weathered the devastating 1886 Charleston earthquake. Their secret was an ingenious structural element borrowed from Greek and Roman construction.   By Meghomita Das, Palomar Fellow (@meghomita)   …

Chimney damaged during the 2011 Prague earthquake in Oklahoma. Credit: Brian Sherrod via Wikipedia, Public Domain
Discoveries / Earthquake Insights / Publications / Temblor

On the lookout for unique quakes in Oklahoma

Scientists in Oklahoma have unraveled different types of earthquakes that can be hard to see in the squiggles of seismograms that record shaking.   By Meghomita Das, Palomar Fellow (@meghomita) …

Tsunami wave simulation for Seattle–Bainbridge Island, Wash.
Discoveries / Earthquake Insights / Publications / Temblor

Faults underneath Seattle could trigger 33-foot tsunami wave

A new report warns that Seattle waterfront and other low-lying areas could be inundated by a tsunami wave within minutes of a Seattle Fault earthquake.   By Laura Fattaruso, Simpson …

Off the Pacific Northwest coast, the Cascadia Subduction Zone quietly rumbles. Credit: Luke Flynt
Discoveries / Earthquake Insights / Publications / Temblor

Slow earthquakes rumble through the Pacific Northwest

Just 20 years ago, the discovery of “slow” earthquakes took the field of earthquake hazards by storm. Today, scientists are still hot on the trail for these sneaky quakes.   …

View of the Santa Cruz Mountains from Castle Rock State Park. Credit: Justin Dolske (CC BY-SA 2.0)
Discoveries / Earthquake Insights / Publications / Temblor

Between earthquakes, mountains rise

The Santa Cruz Mountains in Northern California were built slowly over time, new research shows.   By Nam Cheah, science writer, Temblor Earthquake News extern   Citation: Cheah, N., 2022, …

An illustration of the InSight lander with its instruments fully deployed on the surface of Mars. Credit: NASA/JPL-Caltech
Discoveries / Earthquake Insights / Publications / Temblor

Shaking up what we know about Mars

Three years after InSight’s safe arrival on Mars, the lander picked up several large seismic events on the Red Planet.   By Davitia James, Temblor Earthquake News Extern (@davitiaa)   …

Photo of green hills with gray, water-filled valley in between
Discoveries / Earthquake Insights / Publications / Temblor

A landslide, tsunami and then a flood: the massive hazard cascade that shook the world

New research reveals the intensity of British Columbia’s 2020 hazard cascade as members of the Homalco First Nation continue to pick up the pieces.   By Lauren A. Koenig, Ph.D., …

A fire rages in Portugal in 2016. Credit: Michael Held
Discoveries / Earthquake Insights / Publications / Temblor

Scientists get closer to predicting economic losses from wildfires

A new open-source wildfire model could help predict which wildfires will cause the most economic damage across the globe, informing preventative strategies.   By Erin Martin-Jones, Ph.D., University of Cambridge …

Coachella Valley. Credit: Joanna Gilkeson/USFWS, via Wikimedia Commons
Discoveries / Earthquake Insights / Publications / Temblor

First high-resolution subsurface images of faults in the Imperial Valley

Scientists imaged hidden fault structures in the Imperial Valley along a canal using techniques typically applied in lakes and oceans. What they found highlights that faults don’t care about human-defined …

The Zapatero site — one of the communities damaged during a megaquake and tsunami 3,800 years ago — is situated along the Pacific coast. Credit: Gabriel Easton, Universidad de Chile
Discoveries / Earthquake Insights / Publications / Temblor

Ancient Chile quake upended coastal Atacama communities

Archaeological and geological evidence point to 3,800-year-old magnitude-9.5 earthquake and tsunami on the Chilean coast.   By Rebecca Owen, Science Writer (@beccapox)   Citation: Owen, R., 2022, Ancient Chile quake …

The bustling and actively subsiding metropolis of Mexico City sits on the ancient dried Lake Texcoco. Credit: Maranda P via Pixabay, CC-Public Domain Mark 1.0
Discoveries / Earthquake Insights / Publications / Temblor

Mexico City’s urban noise reveals the sinking metropolis’ changing seismic hazard

Scientists use noise generated by human activities to determine how the subsidence rate of densely populated Mexico City affects its seismic hazard.   By Meghomita Das, McGill University (@meghomita)   …

cartoon of earth next to rectangular satellite
Discoveries / Earthquake Insights / Publications / Temblor

Self-driving cars and earthquakes have more in common than you’d think

Scientists and a Japanese cell phone provider are working together to measure land movements, with an eye toward locating earthquakes.   By Melissa Scruggs, Ph.D. (@VolcanoDoc)   Citation: Scruggs, M., …

Green grass and blue sky with a silver balloon in the distance
Discoveries / Earthquake Insights / Publications / Temblor

Using balloons to hear distant explosions

Balloon-mounted sensors can detect clearer sound waves from explosions, volcanic eruptions and earthquakes than the commonly used ground-based sensors.   By Elisabeth Nadin, Ph.D., University of Alaska Fairbanks   Citation: …

Aerial view of the San Andreas Fault overlooking Carrizo Plain. Image credit: John Wiley (CC BY3.0)
Discoveries / Earthquake Insights / Publications / Temblor

A quiet section of the San Andreas once had big quakes

Geologic dating helped researchers uncover evidence of big earthquakes along the central San Andreas Fault.   By Jay Barber, science writer (@JayBarber77)   Citation: Barber, J, 2022, A quiet section …

Kudaka Island coastline. Credit: Nesnad (CC BY-SA 3.0), via Wikimedia Commons
Discoveries / Earthquake Insights / Publications / Temblor

Coastal boulders constrain prehistoric tsunamis

Coastal boulders give scientists an idea of past seismicity in a region, which helps them understand the potential for future earthquakes and tsunamis.   By Mizael Ramos Ortiz, B.Sc., Temblor …

Mont Choungui, an old volcanic peak in southern Mayotte. Credit: Frederic Ducarme via Wikimedia Commons (CC BY-SA 4.0)
Discoveries / Earthquake Insights / Publications / Temblor

Listening closely to Mayotte’s new underwater volcano

By rapidly deploying real time seismic instruments, French researchers improved their understanding of the seismic crisis at Mayotte, an island in the Indian Ocean.   By Davitia James, Temblor Earthquake …

Discoveries / Earthquake Insights / Publications / Temblor

New fracking-generated earthquakes discovered

Understanding how earthquakes occur near fracking wells can help scientists make energy production safer.   By Lena Beck, @LenaJLBeck   Citation: Beck, L., 2022, New fracking-generated earthquakes discovered, Temblor, http://doi.org/10.32858/temblor.247 …

Jerusalem as viewed from Mount Olives. Credit: Wayne McLean (CC BY 2.0), via Wikimedia commons
Discoveries / Earthquake Insights / Publications / Temblor

Israel to get earthquake early warnings

Densely spaced seismic monitoring stations and a ready-made alerting system allow warnings to be issued within seconds of an earthquake larger than magnitude-4.5.   By Elisabeth Nadin, University of Alaska …

Cabo Girão, Madeira, Portugal. Credit: Luis Miguel Bugallo Sánchez (Lmbuga) (CC BY-SA 4.0), via Wikipedia Commons
Discoveries / Earthquake Insights / Publications / Temblor

Shallow waters trap “silent” tsunamis from volcanic landslides

A deep dive into Portugal’s 1930 deadly tsunami reveals how ocean depth affects tsunamis triggered by landslides.   By Lauren A. Koenig, Ph.D., Science Writer (@Lauren_A_Koenig)   Citation: Koenig, L., …

Search and rescue worders search for survivors following the 2011 tsunami that struck Japan. Credit: UK Department for International Development (CC BY-NC-ND 2.0)
Discoveries / Earthquake Insights / Publications / Temblor

The Human Element: Study Shows Mental Health Worsens with Repeated Disasters

Exposure to multiple disasters leaves people “worse for wear,” lowering mental health scores.   By Ashley Balzer, Science Writer (@AshleyBVigil)   Citation: Balzer, A., 2022, The Human Element: Study Shows …

The remains of Lalomanu village in Samoa after the tsunami struck in 2009. Credit: Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade (CC BY 2.0).
Discoveries / Earthquake Insights / Publications / Temblor

An earlier tsunami warning could save lives. New data say it’s possible

Early signals of a coming tsunami hide in Earth’s magnetic field, according to new research.   By Krystal Vasquez, Science Writer (@caffeinatedkrys)   Citation: Vasquez, K., 2022, An earlier tsunami …

Construction for the Shoalwater Bay Tribe’s tsunami tower is ongoing. Credit: Shoalwater Bay Tribe
Discoveries / Earthquake Insights / Publications / Temblor

Washington tribe prepares for waves, welcomes all

With the threat of a large earthquake and tsunami looming, the Shoalwater Bay Tribe is constructing the first tsunami tower in North America.   By Rebecca Owen, Science Writer (@beccapox) …

mountain in background highway crossing left to right across frame
Discoveries / Earthquake Insights / Expert Commentary / Publications / Temblor

North of Los Angeles, Faults Share Earthquakes

The San Andreas and the San Jacinto faults have simultaneously ruptured in at least three earthquakes over the past 2000 years.   By Alba M. Rodriguez Padilla, Ph.D. candidate, UC …

photo of tall buildins against gray, cloudy skies
Discoveries / Earthquake Insights / Publications / Temblor

Scientists take step toward warning those in tall buildings during earthquakes

Some buildings sway more than others in an earthquake. Scientists are exploring how to integrate this variation into Earthquake Early Warning systems.   By Jeng Hann Chong, University of New …

Discoveries / Earthquake Insights / Publications / Temblor

Social media videos show how people react during an earthquake

Footage from the 2018 Anchorage earthquake shows that people react differently in public and private spaces.   By Davitia James, Temblor Earthquake News Extern (@davitiaa)   Citation: James, D., 2022, …

New Orleans streets flooded after Hurricane Katrina. Credit: Gary Nichols, U.S. Navy, public domain
Discoveries / Earthquake Insights / Publications / Temblor

Most Americans live in natural hazard hot spots

Climate change is to blame, but targeted and poorly executed planning decisions mean that half of U.S. buildings lie in natural hazard “hot spots.”   By Meghan Zulian, University of …

Katleen Wils and some of her colleagues from Indonesia retrieve one of the sediment cores used to study the earthquake doublet. Credit: Nore Praet
Discoveries / Earthquake Insights / Publications / Temblor

X-rays can reveal massive, ancient two-for-one earthquakes

By studying sedimentary layers beneath a lake in Indonesia, researchers developed a new technique that can date earthquake doublets within the hour.   By Lauren Koenig, Ph.D., Science Writer (@Lauren_A_Koenig) …

The San Andreas Fault viewed from above. Credit: Ikluft (CC BY-SA 4.0) from Wikipedia Commons
Discoveries / Earthquake Insights / Publications / Temblor

What looking below-ground can reveal about earthquake hazard

Faults can appear at the surface as simple, straight features, but deep below ground they can be complex, and their hidden geometry can play in a role in their hazard. …

Rows in a lettuce field displaced by the October 15, 1979 Imperial Valley earthquake in El Centro, CA. Credit: NOAA/NGDC, University of Colorado at Boulder (Public Domain) from Wikimedia Commons.
Discoveries / Earthquake Insights / Publications / Temblor

Stressed out: Scientists find new way to measure crustal stress

Stress in Earth’s crust affects how faults move and rocks break. Researchers developed a novel way to measure stress using a different type of data.   By Fionna M.D. Samuels, …

Testing sensors that will be used for the earthquake early warning system’s network. The sensors measure strong ground motions. Credit: Natural Resources Canada and Nanometrics Inc, (shared by Alison Bird)
Discoveries / Earthquake Insights / Publications / Temblor

Engaging communities with Canada’s earthquake early warning system

In a series of public education programs and workshops, researchers in Canada are engaging with communities and other stakeholders to develop an earthquake early warning system.   By Meghomita Das, …

Map from British geologist Richard Dixon Oldham’s report on the 1897 earthquake. The darkest brown shows his proposed epicenter range; areas reporting extensive damage are shaded in medium brown; and regions where the quake was felt are covered in the lightest shade. Credit: Oldham, R., 1899, “Report of the great earthquake of 12th June, 1897.”
Discoveries / Earthquake Insights / Publications / Temblor

125-year-old Indian seismic puzzle solved

More than a century after a magnitude-8+ earthquake struck in India, researchers have identified the epicenter of the massive quake.   By Davitia James, Temblor Earthquake News Extern (@davitiaa)   …

Recording from the Raspberry Shake seismometer network designed by the Upward Bound students. Credit: Gabriel Low
Discoveries / Earthquake Insights / Publications / Temblor

Making the shaking count — high schoolers in Puerto Rico set up earthquake alerts with Raspberry Shake

After a strong earthquake struck Puerto Rico in 2020, a group of students quickly designed, programmed and installed a small seismic network to record aftershocks.   By Elisabeth Nadin, University …

Children in New Zealand practice “drop, cover, hold on” for the Shakeout earthquake drill. Credit: UN Office for Disaster Risk Reduction (CC BY-NC-ND 2.0)
Discoveries / Earthquake Insights / Publications / Temblor

What should you do if you get an earthquake early warning?

A new study analyzes what is the best advice to give people when an earthquake strikes. The answer depends on where you are among other things, but for the U.S. …

Wellington, the capital city of New Zealand. Credit: David Baron via Flickr (CC BY-SA 2.0)
Discoveries / Earthquake Insights / Publications / Temblor

Some New Zealanders are hesitant to retrofit homes. Researchers asked why

A new study focused on New Zealand’s capital city considers why some homeowners do not take preventative measures to strengthen their property against earthquakes.   By Davitia James, Temblor Earthquake …

Thin section photo of broken sandstone fused with mineral cement (lower half) and clay material with a scaly fabric (upper half) from the lower Mugi Melange, Shimanto Belt, Japan. The horizontal scale of this image is approximately 2 centimeters across. Credit: Donald Fisher
Discoveries / Earthquake Insights / Publications / Temblor

Fluids and tiny minerals play a big role in subduction zones

A new study demonstrates how increasing fluid pressure and crystal size affects subduction zone earthquakes.   By Davitia James, Temblor Earthquake News Extern (@davitiaa)   Citation: James, D., 2021, Fluids …

Metrolink train at Riverside Downtown station. Credit: Juan Enrique Gilardi CC BY-SA 2.0
Discoveries / Earthquake Insights / Publications / Temblor

ShakeAlert puts Southern California train safety on track

Southern California’s commuter rail system pilots a new technology to reduce train speed in advance of earthquake shaking.   By Lauren Koenig (@Lauren_A_Koenig)   Citation: Koenig, L., 2021, ShakeAlert puts …

Hand drawing of boat with people in it and symbols
Discoveries / Earthquake Insights / Publications / Temblor

First written records of earthquakes in ancient Mesoamerica reported

Seismologists and anthropologists identified some of the earliest written records of earthquakes in the Americas in ancient documents.   By Meghomita Das, Department of Earth & Planetary Sciences, McGill University, …

Discoveries / Earthquake Insights / Publications / Temblor

¿Pueden teléfonos móviles fijados a edificios detectar temblores?

Utilizando redes de teléfonos inteligentes, científicos están probando un nuevo y económico sistema de alerta temprana de terremotos para áreas con alta población y recursos limitados.   Por Meghomita Das, …

Photo of row homes with bay windows on an inclined street
Discoveries / Earthquake Insights / Publications / Temblor

Using local knowledge in disaster policy is challenging, but necessary

Although policymakers acknowledge the importance of local knowledge in disaster risk reduction, implemented strategies may leave locals feeling ignored.   By Fionna M.D. Samuels, Temblor Earthquake News Extern, (@Fairy__Hedgehog)   …

Photo of skyscrapers in foreground. Snow capped mountains in background.
Discoveries / Earthquake Insights / Publications / Temblor

Faults connect beneath Salt Lake City, may increase hazard

Data collected in downtown Salt Lake City reveal active faults that interact at depth. The finding may mean the faults pose a greater hazard than previously thought.   By Kaelie …

White truck parked on a paved dirt road that is offset in two places.
Discoveries / Earthquake Insights / Publications / Temblor

Blowing off steam: How clean energy could stabilize faults

Geothermal energy production, considered a clean source of power, might help stabilize an otherwise active fault system.   By Meghan Zulian, University of California, Davis, Temblor science writing extern (@MeghanZulian) …

Caption: San Jose Skyline. Credit: Jpczcaya, via Wikipedia, CC-BY-SA-4.0
Discoveries / Earthquake Insights / Publications / Temblor

Can smartphones affixed to buildings detect earthquakes?

Using smartphone networks, scientists are testing new low-cost efficient earthquake early warning system for areas with large populations and limited resources.   By Meghomita Das, Department of Earth & Planetary …

Map of the Great Rift Valley. Malawi is just to the west and south of Lake Malawi. Redgeographics, CC BY-SA 4.0, via Wikimedia Commons.
Discoveries / Earthquake Insights / Publications / Temblor

Scientists use new method to recalculate Malawi’s seismic risk

Scientists have developed a new approach for estimating seismic hazard in southern Malawi, a region in the East African Rift zone with minimal earthquake records.   By D’Maia Curry, Freelance …

Christine Chesley and Eric Attias operate the Scripps Undersea Electromagnetic Source Instrument (SUESI) during a deep-tow. SUESI is attached to the ship via a coaxial cable and must be "flown" about 100 meters above the seafloor. Credit: Kerry Key
Discoveries / Earthquake Insights / Publications / Temblor

Submarine mountains can subdue earthquakes

Scientists surveying the seabed off New Zealand’s east coast have uncovered undersea mountains that help explain mysterious slow-motion earthquakes.   By Erin Martin-Jones, Ph.D., Department of Earth Sciences, University of …

These photos from Virginia show sand dikes left by previous earthquake-induced liquefaction. Credit: Martitia Tuttle
Discoveries / Earthquake Insights / Publications / Temblor

Virginia riverbanks tell the story of past large earthquakes

Sand dikes formed during ancient earthquakes indicate that Virginia might have experienced an earthquake as large as magnitude 6.5 in the last few millennia.   By Laura Fattaruso, M.S., Ph.D. …

Scientists install a temporary seismic network around the Adventdalen Valley, Svalbard in May 2014. Credit: Julie Albaric
Discoveries / Earthquake Insights / Publications / Temblor

Seismic waves reveal the Arctic is on shaky ground

As climate change raises temperatures across the Arctic, the seismic waves traveling through permafrost in Svalbard, Norway, are slowing down.   By Lauren Koenig, Ph.D. Candidate, Michigan State University (@Lauren_A_Koenig) …

The edge of the Delaware Basin stands high above the plains of West Texas, photographed from the Guadalupe Mountains. Credit: Kirk Kittell, CC BY-NC 2.0
Discoveries / Earthquake Insights / Publications / Temblor

Injecting CO2 into depleted oil fields may not cause quakes

Oil and gas extraction may stabilize shallow faults, making depleted reservoirs a potentially safe candidate for CO2 storage.   By Fionna M. D. Samuels, Ph.D. student and Temblor extern   …

Researchers walk the balloon across the desert. Credit: NASA/JPL-Caltech
Discoveries / Earthquake Insights / Publications / Temblor

Here’s what high-flying balloons can tell us about earthquakes

A new study shows that sensors on high-altitude balloons can detect pressure signals from earthquakes. Could the method be used on Venus?   By Jeng Hann Chong, University of New …

From right, Trishul, Nanda Ghunti, Ronti, Bethartoli and Nanda Devi peaks tower in the Garhwal Himalaya of Uttarakhand, India. Photo taken from Kartik Swami. Credit: Goutam1962, CC BY-SA 4.0, via Wikimedia Commons
Discoveries / Earthquake Insights / Publications / Temblor

Scientists unravel India’s 2021 Chamoli disaster

On February 7, a massive avalanche of ice and rock caused widespread devastation at Chamoli in the mountains of northern India, killing more than 200 people.   By Meghomita Das, …

Salt Lake City lies in the Great Salt Lake Basin — the floor of the ancient Lake Bonneville. Ground motion caused by earthquakes moves quickly through this vast sedimentary basin. Credit: Garrett, CC BY 2.0
Discoveries / Earthquake Insights / Publications / Temblor

Recent earthquake activity unlocks mysteries of the Wasatch Fault

Ground motion recordings over the last decade reveal how ground shaking attenuates and becomes amplified beneath Utah’s urban corridor.   By Lauren Koenig, Ph.D. Candidate, Michigan State University (@Lauren_A_Koenig)   …

This close-up view of a super-deep diamond highlights the inclusions, seen here as black spots. Inclusions like these provide geochemical evidence that subducted oceanic plates can carry water and other fluids deep into the mantle. Credit: Photo by Evan Smith/© 2021 GIA
Discoveries / Earthquake Insights / Publications / Temblor

A fluid’s journey into deep earth may explain deep quakes

An interdisciplinary collaboration investigates one of earth science’s cryptic mysteries: the origin of deep earthquakes.   By Meghan Zulian, University of California, Davis, Temblor science writing extern (@MeghanZulian)   Citation: …

Building damage caused by the Aegean Sea Earthquake that struck Turkey on Oct. 30, 2020. Credit: Voice of America, Public domain, via Wikimedia Commons
Discoveries / Earthquake Insights / Publications / Temblor

European companies get help prepping for the next earthquake 


As Europeans become increasingly concerned about potential earthquakes, scientists must improve earthquake early warning systems and hazard communication — especially for business.   By Pablo Salucci, Science writer (@psalucci)   …

Off the coast of Oregon, pictured above, the Cascadia Subduction Zone consumes the Juan de Fuca oceanic plate. In the past, earthquakes in this region have caused devastating tsunamis, like the 1700 Cascadia earthquake and tsunami. Credit: pfly, CC BY-SA 2.0 via Flickr
Discoveries / Earthquake Insights / Publications / Temblor

A better way to forecast megathrust earthquakes and subsequent tsunami events

Megathrust earthquakes have caused some of the most devastating natural disasters in history, but a new model could improve our ability to forecast them.   By Jessica Orwig, Ph.D., Science …

Discoveries / Earthquake Insights / Publications / Temblor

Scientists simulate earthquake swarms

Computer simulations show that fluid flow can cause swarms of earthquakes.   By Akash Kharita, Indian Institute of Technology, Roorkee, Temblor science writing extern (@seismo_akash)   Citation: Kharita, A., 2021, …

Satellite image of island partly covered with snow
Discoveries / Earthquake Insights / Publications / Temblor

Paleo-quakes illuminate earthquake gates in New Zealand

A new study of New Zealand’s Alpine Fault reveals details about past earthquakes and the likelihood of a large future rupture.   By Fionna M. D. Samuels, Ph.D. Student, Temblor …

Photo of cityscape with volcano in the background
Discoveries / Earthquake Insights / Publications / Temblor

Earthquakes in Cascadia produce relatively few aftershocks

Researchers determined that Cascadia is a standout among similar seismic zones worldwide because it produces fewer aftershocks than its global counterparts.   By Lauren Milideo, Ph.D., science writer (@lwritesscience)   …

Photo of buildings in the distance nestled in between hills.
Discoveries / Earthquake Insights / Publications / Temblor

Reenvisioning resilience may help earthquake recovery in Italy

Research from Italy presents new metrics for resilience to improve outcomes of Italian students affected by devastating earthquakes.   By Lauren Koenig, Ph.D. Candidate, Michigan State University (@Lauren_A_Koenig)   Citation: …

Iceburg floating in front of a glacier tip. Person standing on shore.
Discoveries / Earthquake Insights / Publications / Temblor

Icequakes indicate Antarctic glaciers on the move

A study of seismicity within Perunika Glacier on Livingston Island in Antarctica reveals variable icequake frequency possibly linked to melting ice.   By Makenna Lenover, Temblor Earthquake News extern (@makennalenover) …

Photo of destroyed buildings along a road and a person walking
Discoveries / Earthquake Insights / Publications / Temblor

Megamodels: Chile’s insurance sector sharpens up

Chile’s prehistoric megathrust earthquakes can inform hazard models for the natural disaster insurance industry.   By Madeline Dahm, science writer (@MadelineDahm)   Citation: Dahm, M., 2021, Megamodels: Chile’s insurance sector …

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Discoveries / Earthquake Insights / Publications / Temblor

Fiber-optic cables can sense aftershocks

Scientists transformed telecom cables beneath Tangshan, China, into a rapidly deployed aftershock monitoring network following the 2020 magnitude-5.1 earthquake.   By Mariah C. Hoskins, Ph.D., science writer (@DrMCHoskins)   Citation: …

Alt text: A panoramic view of desert landscape, close-up and far-away mountains, and a valley with a visible fault in the middle.
Discoveries / Earthquake Insights / Publications / Temblor

Overdue? The future of large earthquakes in California

Is California overdue for a large earthquake? Perhaps, but residents shouldn’t get complacent.   By Krystal Vasquez (@CaffeinatedKrys)   Citation: Vasquez, K., 2021, Overdue? The future of large earthquakes in …

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Discoveries / Earthquake Insights / Publications / Temblor

Surprising recharacterization of earthquake risk along a strand of the San Andreas

A recent study indicates increased slip rates along the Mission Creek strand of the San Andreas Fault, suggesting a novel configuration of earthquake risk at this latitude.   By Ben …

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Discoveries / Earthquake Insights / Publications / Temblor

Undersea telecom cables detect ocean earthquakes

Researchers used throwaway data from telecom companies to turn submarine telecommunications cables into deep-sea earthquake sensors.   By Lauren Milideo, Ph.D., science writer, (@lwritesscience)   Citation: Milideo, L., 2021, Undersea …

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Discoveries / Earthquake Insights / Publications / Temblor

Getting Warmer — A Long Stride in Volcano Monitoring

Scientists have discovered previously hidden signs of thermal unrest in the years leading up to recent volcanic eruptions.   By Elisabeth Nadin, Ph.D., University of Alaska Fairbanks   Citation: Nadin, …

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