Earth Quake Lecture Jan 21

[Richard]

http://www.clintonschool.uasys.edu/news ... spx?id=503" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

[Trismegistus]

Supplemental Information:

First, check out 2008 Arkansas Earthquakes and it becomes clear why the sudden interest in central Arkansas as opposed to the New Madrid fault zone. Recent activity in Damascus, Quitman and Pope County -- in addition to those observed in Garland and Hot Springs counties suggest "something is on the move". Seismologists have recently installed three seismographs around Magnet Cove in hopes to ascertain if these changes are from heat-related geological changes or from an undiscovered fault — either of which could mean a risk of substantial earthquakes in the future.

"The potential for generating a high-magnitude earthquake is real," said Haydar Al-Shukri, director of the Arkansas Earthquake Center at the University of Arkansas at Little Rock. "It is abnormal. It is significant," he said. "We need to carefully watch this activity." One possible culprit could be a hydrothermal quake, caused by extremely hot fluid pushing into rocks under the surface. The hot fluid percolates into the cracks of the rocks and causes movement. If that's the case, the earthquakes likely wouldn't pose a drastic danger to the area. At their strongest, such quakes reach only a magnitude of 5, the U.S. Geological Survey's threshold for "moderate." However, if the earthquakes are caused by a previously unknown fault, that could mean a much more powerful temblor in the future.

[seark]

Begs a few questions: Does the gas exploration have anything to do with the increased seismic activity or could the extraction impact the intensity of future tremors? Whether your pumping water, oil or gas when you extract something from beneath the ground you are also taking away part of what is holding us up.

Something else to ponder: 2008 was a high water year as was 1811-12 when the big one hit. I recognized a few other years from the historic earthquake maps as being flood years as well. Connection?

[Trismegistus]

You are correct in noting a slight increase in activity within the Fayetteville shale beds that are currently undergoing exploitation but there is probably no relationship whatsoever. This shale bed is neither very thick (50 to 500 feet) nor very deep (ranging in depth from 1500 to 6500 feet) and too well consolidated to give rise to many tremors -- albeit quakes can rise from faults lying just below the surface. Faulkner County has always been a hot bed of seismic activity (the Enola Swarm) but otherwise most seismic activity in the state in the past has been isolated to Mississippi and Poinsett counties (New Madrid) and Lawrence, Sharp and Randolph counties (New Madrid lateral zone). As for the new activity in Hot Springs county -- despite the geological intrusions this area has been relatively quiet -- the last shake (3.2) near Magnet Cove was in August of 2001.

I haven't seen an explanation as to why Faulkner County is a bit unstable -- far removed from New Madrid fault -- thus, does anyone have any insight with regard to the "Enola Swarm" (over 40000 seismic events since 1982)?

[Shark Attack]

CB have you seen the size of the MV-E girls basketball team lately? That area is taking a pounding

[Trismegistus]

You tellin' me those Warhawks are the team to watch? Bout time John Hutchcraft's Thunderbirds at Guy-Perkins are put to the test -- his reign may be coming to an end now that his girls have moved on...

[Shark Attack]

I don't know if you guys keep up with this link http://earthquake.usgs.gov/eqcenter/recenteqsus/" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

These little tremors happen all the time.

Wes

[Clif]

http://www.foxnews.com/story/0,2933,481388,00.html" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

hmmmm

[Jody]

Oklahoma just had its second earthquake this week, and it wasn't a really small one either. So fascinating!

[Richard]

It appears they are working their way to Tulsa
http://earthquake.usgs.gov/eqcenter/rec ... 05.-95.php" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;