Publications
Educational Publications
Educational Publications
Selected publications about earthquakes In plain language.
Filter Total Items: 2883
An approach to modeling coupled thermal-hydraulic-chemical processes in geothermal systems An approach to modeling coupled thermal-hydraulic-chemical processes in geothermal systems
Interactions between hydrothermal fluids and rock alter mineralogy, leading to the formation of secondary minerals and potentially significant physical and chemical property changes. Reactive transport simulations are essential for evaluating the coupled processes controlling the geochemical, thermal and hydrological evolution of geothermal systems. The objective of this preliminary...
Authors
Jennifer Palguta, Colin F. Williams, Steven E. Ingebritsen, Stephen H. Hickman, Eric Sonnenthal
Putting down roots in earthquake country: Your handbook for earthquakes in the Central United States Putting down roots in earthquake country: Your handbook for earthquakes in the Central United States
This handbook provides information to residents of the Central United States about the threat of earthquakes in that area, particularly along the New Madrid seismic zone, and explains how to prepare for, survive, and recover from such events. It explains the need for concern about earthquakes for those residents and describes what one can expect during and after an earthquake. Much is...
Authors
Richard Contributors: Dart, Jill McCarthy, Natasha McCallister, Robert A. Williams
Overview of the ARkStorm scenario Overview of the ARkStorm scenario
The U.S. Geological Survey, Multi Hazards Demonstration Project (MHDP) uses hazards science to improve resiliency of communities to natural disasters including earthquakes, tsunamis, wildfires, landslides, floods and coastal erosion. The project engages emergency planners, businesses, universities, government agencies, and others in preparing for major natural disasters. The project also...
Authors
Keith Porter, Anne Wein, Charles N. Alpers, Allan Baez, Patrick L. Barnard, James Carter, Alessandra Corsi, James Costner, Dale Cox, Tapash Das, Mike Dettinger, James Done, Charles Eadie, Marcia Eymann, Justin Ferris, Prasad Gunturi, Mimi Hughes, Robert Jarrett, Laurie Johnson, Hanh Dam Le-Griffin, David Mitchell, Suzette Morman, Paul Neiman, Anna Olsen, Suzanne Perry, Geoffrey Plumlee, Martin Ralph, David Reynolds, Adam Rose, Kathleen Schaefer, Julie Serakos, William Siembieda, Jonathan D. Stock, David Strong, Ian Sue Wing, Alex Tang, Pete Thomas, Ken Topping, Chris Wills, Lucile Jones
By
Natural Hazards Mission Area, Coastal and Marine Hazards and Resources Program, Earthquake Hazards Program, Science Application for Risk Reduction, Geologic Hazards Science Center, Pacific Coastal and Marine Science Center, Big Sur Landslides, San Francisco Bay and Sacramento-San Joaquin Delta Estuary
Electrical properties of methane hydrate + sediment mixtures Electrical properties of methane hydrate + sediment mixtures
As part of our DOE-funded proposal to characterize gas hydrate in the Gulf of Mexico using marine electromagnetic methods, a collaboration between SIO, LLNL, and USGS with the goal of measuring the electrical properties of lab-created methane (CH4) hydrate and sediment mixtures was formed. We examined samples with known characteristics to better relate electrical properties measured in...
Authors
Wyatt L. Du Frane, Laura A. Stern, Karen A. Weitemeyer, Steven Constable, Jeffery J. Roberts
Deep rock damage in the San Andreas Fault revealed by P- and S-type fault-zone-guided waves Deep rock damage in the San Andreas Fault revealed by P- and S-type fault-zone-guided waves
Damage to fault-zone rocks during fault slip results in the formation of a channel of low seismic-wave velocities. Within such channels guided seismic waves, denoted by Fg, can propagate. Here we show with core samples, well logs and Fg-waves that such a channel is crossed by the SAFOD (San Andreas Fault Observatory at Depth) borehole at a depth of 2.7 km near Parkfield, California, USA...
Authors
William L. Ellsworth, Peter E. Malin
Ground motion attenuation during M 7.1 Darfield and M 6.2 Christchurch, New Zealand, earthquakes and performance of global predictive models Ground motion attenuation during M 7.1 Darfield and M 6.2 Christchurch, New Zealand, earthquakes and performance of global predictive models
The M 7.1 Darfield earthquake occurred 40 km west of Christchurch (New Zealand) on 4 September 2010. Six months after, the city was struck again with an M 6.2 event on 22 February local time (21 February UTC). These events resulted in significant damage to infrastructure in the city and its suburbs. The purpose of this study is to evaluate the performance of global predictive models...
Authors
Margaret Segou, Erol Kalkan
Geodetic slip model of the 2011 M9.0 Tohoku earthquake Geodetic slip model of the 2011 M9.0 Tohoku earthquake
The three-dimensional crustal displacement field as sampled by GPS is used to determine the coseismic slip of the 2011 M9.0 Tohoku Earthquake. We employ a spherically layered Earth structure and use a combination of onland GPS, out to ∼4000 km from the rupture, and offshore GPS, which samples the high-slip region on the interplate boundary along the Japan trench. Inversion of the...
Authors
Frederick Pollitz, Roland Bürgmann, Paramesh Banerjee
Seismic seiches Seismic seiches
Seismic seiche is a term first used by Kvale (1955) to discuss oscillations of lake levels in Norway and England caused by the Assam earthquake of August 15, 1950. This definition has since been generalized to apply to standing waves set up in closed, or partially closed, bodies of water including rivers, shipping channels, lakes, swimming pools and tanks due to the passage of seismic...
Authors
Arthur McGarr
Overview of the 2010 Haiti earthquake Overview of the 2010 Haiti earthquake
The 12 January 2010 Mw 7.0 earthquake in the Republic of Haiti caused an estimated 300,000 deaths, displaced more than a million people, and damaged nearly half of all structures in the epicentral area. We provide an overview of the historical, seismological, geotechnical, structural, lifeline-related, and socioeconomic factors that contributed to the catastrophe. We also describe some...
Authors
Reginald DesRoches, Mary Comerio, Marc Eberhard, Walter D. Mooney, Glenn R. Rix
Don't forget about the Christchurch earthquake: Lessons learned from this disaster Don't forget about the Christchurch earthquake: Lessons learned from this disaster
In the aftermath of the devastating magnitude-9.0 earthquake and tsunami that struck the Tohoku region of Japan on March 11, attention quickly turned away from a much smaller, but also highly destructive earthquake that struck the city of Christchurch, New Zealand, just a few weeks earlier, on Feb. 22. Both events are stark reminders of human vulnerability to natural disasters and...
Authors
Michael W. Hamburger, Walter D. Mooney
Global Positioning System constraints on crustal deformation before and during the 21 February 2008 Wells, Nevada M6.0 earthquake Global Positioning System constraints on crustal deformation before and during the 21 February 2008 Wells, Nevada M6.0 earthquake
Using Global Positioning System (GPS) data from permanent sites and U.S. Geological Survey (USGS) campaign data we have estimated co-seismic displacements and secular background crustal deformation patterns associated with the 21 February 2008 Wells Nevada earthquake. Estimated displacements at nearby permanent GPS sites ELKO (84 km distant) and GOSH (81 km distant) are 1.0±0.2 mm and 1...
Authors
William C. Hammond, Geoffrey Blewitt, Corne Kreemer, Jessica R. Murray-Moraleda, Jerry L. Svarc
88 hours: The U.S. Geological Survey National Earthquake Information Center response to the March 11, 2011 Mw 9.0 Tohoku earthquake 88 hours: The U.S. Geological Survey National Earthquake Information Center response to the March 11, 2011 Mw 9.0 Tohoku earthquake
The M 9.0 11 March 2011 Tohoku, Japan, earthquake and associated tsunami near the east coast of the island of Honshu caused tens of thousands of deaths and potentially over one trillion dollars in damage, resulting in one of the worst natural disasters ever recorded. The U.S. Geological Survey National Earthquake Information Center (USGS NEIC), through its responsibility to respond to...
Authors
Gavin P. Hayes, Paul S. Earle, Harley M. Benz, David J. Wald, Richard W. Briggs