Earthquake Hazards Program

USGS scientist Jaime Delano, observes a sand blow caused by liquefaction during the M7.1 Ridgecrest earthquake. Photo credit: Chris DuRoss

Kate Scharer examining striations along fault scarp while completing GPS survey of fault rupture.  Here the fault has about 2.6 m of horizontal displacement and 0.5 m of vertical.  The rake of the striations is 47 degrees.  Photo credit: Jamie Delano, USGS

USGS Pasadena Earthquake Response Coordinator surveys displaced rocks near the southern end of the surface rupture of the 5 July 2019 M7.1 Ridgecrest earthquake.  USGS photograph. Photo credit: Sue Hough, USGS

This animation shows preliminary results from precise relocation of the Ridgecrest foreshock sequence, up to the the time of occurrence of the M 7.1 mainshock.  The animation begins in a map view and then transitions into a rotating vertical slice.  Earthquakes are colorcoded by time of occurrence, with early events in dark blue and later events (up to the M 7.1) in dark

This animation shows preliminary results from precise relocation of the Ridgecrest earthquake sequence, through July 6 (UTC), including the foreshock sequence and the first ~20 hours of aftershocks from M 7.1 mainshock.  The animation begins in a map view and then transitions into a rotating vertical slice.  Earthquakes are colorcoded by time of occurrence, with early

Kate Scharer (USGS) provides CO CAPT Paul Dale (Navy) with the field mapping team’s initial product, showing the surface fault rupture at NAWSCL as well as the temporarily deployed seismic and GPS sensors that were rapidly deployed. Contributions of field data from within the base were from CGS & USGS, and from outside the base were from Univ. of Nevada, Reno, EERI,

Kate Scharer (USGS) provides CO CAPT Paul Dale (Navy) with the field mapping team’s initial product, showing the surface fault rupture at NAWSCL as well as the temporarily deployed seismic and GPS sensors that were rapidly deployed. Contributions of field data from within the base were from CGS & USGS, and from outside the base were from Univ. of Nevada, Reno, EERI,

This video shows the earthquake events a few hours before the M6.4 on July 4th, 2019 till after the M7.1 on July 8th, 2019. The blue dots are the events associated with the M6.4 and then red dots are events associated with the M7.1

Two portable sensors: a strong motion sensor (to record strong shaking that can be felt) and a broadband sensor (to record weak motion for detecting small earthquakes) buried into the ground to detect earthquakes. These stations can be quickly deployed and send real-time data back to the USGS via cellular telemetry immediately after they are installed. 

California Geological Survey and USGS geologists and geophysicists with National Guard and Navy personnel view road damage from 3 to 5 feet of right-lateral motion near the expected maximum slip locality along the primary tectonic rupture associated with the M 7.1 event.

Scientists from USGS & California Geological Survey viewing vertical fault offset of ~12 +/- 3 foot high fault scarp near the expected maximum slip locality along the primary tectonic rupture associated with the M 7.1 event.