What is the USGS doing to mitigate and respond to earthquake hazards?
The U.S. Geological Survey performs the following functions related to earthquake hazard mitigation:
- Receives, analyzes, maintains, and distributes data on earthquake activity worldwide. Satellites link our National Earthquake Information Center in Golden, Colorado to a network of seismograph stations. These stations, located throughout the world, are maintained by the U.S. Geological Survey, State geological surveys, universities, research institutions, and foreign governments.
- Provides rapid notification of earthquake events to civil defense and government officials in the affected area, and to the public through the news media.
- Produces regional assessments of earthquake hazards in conjunction with State and local governments. This information is used by: local planners and building officials in setting appropriate building and retrofitting standards in an area government and civil defense officials in planning for disaster recovery professionals conducting detailed site assessments researchers engaged in basic and applied research.
- Engages in basic research to learn more about the nature of earthquake activity.
- Provides education on earthquake hazards and safety to the public by publishing and distributing literature, and through a variety of other outreach efforts.
Related
What is the likelihood of a large earthquake at location X? Is it safe to go to X since they've been having a lot of earthquakes lately? What is the likelihood of a large earthquake at location X? Is it safe to go to X since they've been having a lot of earthquakes lately?
The National Seismic Hazards Mapping project provides an online Web tool for determining the probability of a large earthquake within 50 kilometers (~31 miles) of a specific location in the United States over a certain time period. The calculation is based on the latest available information from seismic hazard data. However, asking if it's safe to travel somewhere because of recent earthquakes is...
What is the probability that an earthquake is a foreshock to a larger earthquake? What is the probability that an earthquake is a foreshock to a larger earthquake?
Around the world, the likelihood that an earthquake will be followed by a larger earthquake nearby and within a week is about 5%. When an earthquake occurs, it can trigger other earthquakes nearby in what seismologists call an earthquake sequence. In most sequences, these later earthquakes will be smaller than the first one. The first, largest earthquake is called the mainshock and the later...
What is the probability that an earthquake will occur in the Los Angeles Area? In the San Francisco Bay area? What is the probability that an earthquake will occur in the Los Angeles Area? In the San Francisco Bay area?
According to information supplied in the Uniform California Earthquake Rupture Forecast 3: Los Angeles area: Within the next 30 years the probability is: 60% that an earthquake measuring magnitude 6.7 46% that an earthquake measuring magnitude 7 31% that an earthquake measuring magnitude 7.5 will occur in the Los Angeles region. San Francisco Bay area: Within the next 30 years the probability is...
What is the difference between earthquake early warning, earthquake forecasts, earthquake probabilities, and earthquake prediction? What is the difference between earthquake early warning, earthquake forecasts, earthquake probabilities, and earthquake prediction?
The USGS uses these four terms to refer to four different things. Early warning is a notification that is issued after an earthquake starts. Probabilities and forecasts are comparable to climate probabilities and weather forecasts, while predictions are more like statements of when, where, and how large, which is not yet possible for earthquakes. Here are more detailed descriptions of each...
Can the National Seismic Hazard Maps be used as an earthquake forecast tool for the near future? Can the National Seismic Hazard Maps be used as an earthquake forecast tool for the near future?
Not really. The USGS Seismic Hazard Maps website and the Unified Hazard Tool (for building custom maps) are designed to display the probability of different events that might occur in a several-year to several-decade period. The model bases all probability estimates on the average rate of earthquakes over long periods of time. As you shorten the time window, you should expect greater and greater...
How do I get earthquake hazard maps for locations outside of the U.S.? How do I get earthquake hazard maps for locations outside of the U.S.?
The USGS has seismic hazard maps for the US, Alaska, Hawaii, Puerto Rico & U.S. Virgin Islands, Guam & Marianas and Samoa & Pacific Islands. In addition, we have created some other Foreign Hazard Maps for Afghanistan, Haiti, South America, Southeast Asia and the State of Gujarat, India. For more information about hazard maps for other locations outside of the U.S. visit the GEM (Global Earthquake...
Related
What is the likelihood of a large earthquake at location X? Is it safe to go to X since they've been having a lot of earthquakes lately? What is the likelihood of a large earthquake at location X? Is it safe to go to X since they've been having a lot of earthquakes lately?
The National Seismic Hazards Mapping project provides an online Web tool for determining the probability of a large earthquake within 50 kilometers (~31 miles) of a specific location in the United States over a certain time period. The calculation is based on the latest available information from seismic hazard data. However, asking if it's safe to travel somewhere because of recent earthquakes is...
What is the probability that an earthquake is a foreshock to a larger earthquake? What is the probability that an earthquake is a foreshock to a larger earthquake?
Around the world, the likelihood that an earthquake will be followed by a larger earthquake nearby and within a week is about 5%. When an earthquake occurs, it can trigger other earthquakes nearby in what seismologists call an earthquake sequence. In most sequences, these later earthquakes will be smaller than the first one. The first, largest earthquake is called the mainshock and the later...
What is the probability that an earthquake will occur in the Los Angeles Area? In the San Francisco Bay area? What is the probability that an earthquake will occur in the Los Angeles Area? In the San Francisco Bay area?
According to information supplied in the Uniform California Earthquake Rupture Forecast 3: Los Angeles area: Within the next 30 years the probability is: 60% that an earthquake measuring magnitude 6.7 46% that an earthquake measuring magnitude 7 31% that an earthquake measuring magnitude 7.5 will occur in the Los Angeles region. San Francisco Bay area: Within the next 30 years the probability is...
What is the difference between earthquake early warning, earthquake forecasts, earthquake probabilities, and earthquake prediction? What is the difference between earthquake early warning, earthquake forecasts, earthquake probabilities, and earthquake prediction?
The USGS uses these four terms to refer to four different things. Early warning is a notification that is issued after an earthquake starts. Probabilities and forecasts are comparable to climate probabilities and weather forecasts, while predictions are more like statements of when, where, and how large, which is not yet possible for earthquakes. Here are more detailed descriptions of each...
Can the National Seismic Hazard Maps be used as an earthquake forecast tool for the near future? Can the National Seismic Hazard Maps be used as an earthquake forecast tool for the near future?
Not really. The USGS Seismic Hazard Maps website and the Unified Hazard Tool (for building custom maps) are designed to display the probability of different events that might occur in a several-year to several-decade period. The model bases all probability estimates on the average rate of earthquakes over long periods of time. As you shorten the time window, you should expect greater and greater...
How do I get earthquake hazard maps for locations outside of the U.S.? How do I get earthquake hazard maps for locations outside of the U.S.?
The USGS has seismic hazard maps for the US, Alaska, Hawaii, Puerto Rico & U.S. Virgin Islands, Guam & Marianas and Samoa & Pacific Islands. In addition, we have created some other Foreign Hazard Maps for Afghanistan, Haiti, South America, Southeast Asia and the State of Gujarat, India. For more information about hazard maps for other locations outside of the U.S. visit the GEM (Global Earthquake...