Sunday, April 5, 2009

NERVS update

Hi All, 

Quakes throughout the risk vectors, including Pakistan, Tonga, Kyushu (Japan), Komandorskiye Ostrova (Russia), and two quakes in Italy (including a 6.3), yield the following NERVS update. This pattern may have the potential to produce a large California quake:

5.0 or greater magnitude quake in next 10 days:
- Primary vector: Central California including an epicenter location near the Bay Area (e.g. Alum Rock), Northern California (including offshore), Southern California (including an epicenter in the LA basin), Oregon, Washington
- Secondary vector: Central Alaska, Vancouver Island, Iran, Kentucky
- Also possible: Taiwan, Turkey, Greece, Kashmir, Costa Rica


NERVS Accuracy Check
Last round included several quakes that occurred within the risk vectors and time envelope, including a Southern California quake. The most noticeable Bay Area quake was a magnitude 4.4, and occurred one day outside the envelope. More details to come at a later time.

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For those new to the list, NERVS stands for:
Numerical (or "non-scientific")
Earthquake
Risk
Vector
System
...and is based on prior California quakes being preceded by similar patterns of quakes in other areas. 




***NEW***
An SF earthquakes service is available on Twitter. Thanks to NERVS member Dan for the resource. http://twitter.com/sfearthquakes

And if Google is more your style, here's a new way to search for quakes. Thanks to NERVS member Mark for the resource. http://googleblog.blogspot.com/2009/03/shaking-up-earthquake-searches.html



If you live in the Bay Area, don't miss the USGS simulation of a 6.8, 7.0 or 7.2 quake on the Hayward and Rodgers Creek faults. 
When you get to the page, click on the images to yield the animated versions. Also available in HD.


Thumbnail of animation



Get an earthquake education from UC Berkeley for free! Available from iTunes U, "Earthquakes In Your Backyard" covers many interesting physical and social aspects of geologic science. Check out iTunes for more:

For preparedness and response information, see:

Earthquakes in the Bay Area may cause dam or soil failure. Are you at risk in a flood or liquefaction zone? Check and see:
Note: When you see the map, choose the Zoom In tool. Then just click and drag to magnify your area of interest.

What could happen in a typical office during a quake? See the simulation:

What would happen to homes if a 6.7 temblor occurred in the Bay Area? The Structural Engineering and Earthquake Simulation Laboratory (SEESL) provides these room-by-room videos of a 6.7 simulation:
Archived Test Videos

When is an uplifting experience a bad thing? When it's caused by bulging magma in the United States' largest volcano. If your travel plans are taking you to Yellowstone in the near future, first check the Yellowstone Volcano Observatory alerts and updates: 

Just how large is the Yellowstone caldera? View the Google map provided by NERVS list member Caleb Tonn:




Thank you for participating in this experiment. Please reply by email to let me know if you'd like to add persons or be removed from this list.

Nate

----
Nate Myers
nmyers@apple.com    408-974-9207    Apple Inc.




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