Earthquakes.GS
Shake it Baby!
Shake it Baby!
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USGS Earthquakes Powerful EarthquakesLargest Recorded Earthquake Learning Center
Earthquake Definition |
Earthquakes Shake Terribly and It's Not Your Fault.This site is purely informational. We aim to create a place where seismologists, geophysicists, geologists, and the general public can exchange ideas.. Please send contributions to admin@earthquakes.gs |
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EarthquakesEarthquakes are one of those things that can shake down an entire city or create a tsunami with 100 foot waves. The power of earthquakes is awesome and it is interesting to see how they are formed and what causes them. Plate Tectonics – Key to Understanding TremorsPlate tectonics is an idea that was popularized in the 1960s. It is the idea that the earth is made up of seven major pieces or plates. These plates, due to convection and other reasons, are in constant motion. When these plates collide with each other various kinds of earthquakes occur. Most Powerful EarthquakesThe most powerful earthquakes are formed when an oceanic plate slides under a continental plate. The process of plates sliding under each other is called subduction; according to seismologists. The other types of earthquakes are slip slip, dip slip, blind thrust and strike slip. However, tremors can occur from other things like a bomb, collapsed mine or other natural disasters. Where are the Earthquakes Happening?You can deduce from the plate tectonic theory that earthquakes will happen along the plate edges. That's why earthquake prone areas are in places that the plates are colliding. In the United States, the top states for activity are Alaska, California, and Nevada. The countries with the most earthquakes are China, Japan, Indonesia, Chile, Italy, and the United States. How many Earthquakes Occur?Earthquakes happen all the time. They are everywhere. However, the tremors are often small, deep in the earth, or in remote locations. For that reason, humans don't feel anything but the rare earthquake that are large and in a populated area. Seismologists use special instruments called seismometers that record tremors. The data is then sent by wireless signal to a data center for analysis. Can Earthquakes be Predicted?The answer is mostly no. Some earthquakes have been correctly predicted in a time span of a month or so, but nobody has ever predicted one down to the exact day. It is extremely rare for someone to be able to predict an earthquake and that's why it is still considered an anomaly of luck more than the result of good science. What Can be Predicted by Seismologists?Seismologists can predict aftershocks pretty well. They are also pretty good at deduction from a foreshock. The most important aspect of seismology is that scientists do know where earthquakes are going to likely occur. This is important because people will know where to build earthquake proof buildings and prepare emergency plans. Seismologists can also map out the exact location of the fault lines. It can tell you in real detail where the dangerous areas lie. People can make the appropriate decisions with the data. For example, you may not want to build your home on a fault line of an earthquake prone area. What Needs Done in the Field of SeismologyWe are definitely open minded, in this area. Some of the items we think would help the field are 1- There is a lack of data on oceanic tremors. This is due to the high cost of acquiring the information. We feel that a good way to get seismometers in the ocean bottom is needed. 2- Magnetic fields change just before an earthquake. These magnetic fields need to be studied more and ways of recording the fields needs to be done more extensively. 3- Mapping of the internal structure of the earth would be very helpful. Can you imagine how valuable it would be to be able to see everything in real time? Nobody has actually seen the core of the earth. There is a lot of data that just isn't there. 4- Please feel free to email us for ideas that you think seismologists, geophysicists, and geologists might find useful to work on. Why Did We Build This Website?We wanted to create a place where scientists and the public can share ideas about the earth. The earth is a living thing that provides for all of us. It may seem like we live in a very technological world, but our understanding of the earth is just not that great. We hope that somehow this site can contribute to the understanding of the earth both to the public and to professionals in the field. We hope that people of various backgrounds can converge and perhaps come up with some new ideas. This site is devoted to earthquakes and that is a good start. However this site is all earth inclusive and any earth topics will be permitted. If you have any good ideas or practical suggestions, please email us: earthquakes@geophysics.com
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