Videos

On October 17, 1989, at 5:04 pm a magnitude M6.9 earthquake struck near Loma Prieta, California. It was a tragic reminder of the destructive power of earthquakes. However, it was also a watershed moment in seismic research. 30 years later, we revisit the earthquake through the eyes of the scientists who experienced it. And studied it. These are their stories.

Retired seismologist David Oppenheimer reflects on the first prototype earthquake early warning system used during the 1989 Loma Prieta earthquake. Scientists deployed an analog system to notify first responders of impending earthquake activity as they worked on rescue efforts at the Cypress Viaduct collapse in Oakland, CA.
 

This video presents an animation of computer-simulated ground motions that might occur for a magnitude 6.9 earthquake rupturing the Rose Canyon fault in southern California. The scenario earthquake ruptures a 65-km-long section of the Rose Canyon fault that lies just offshore of San Diego, California, and Tijuana, Mexico.

This is b-roll footage of a ShakeAlert earthquake early warning system seismic station. These seismic stations and sensors are deployed around California and are used to monitor earthquake activity.
 

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

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

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

This video presents a visualization of how the Atwood Building in Anchorage, Alaska, shook during the Mw 7.0 November 30, 2018, Anchorage, Alaska, earthquake. The building was instrumented by the U.S. Geological Survey to obtain data to study its behavior and performance during strong shaking.

This video presents a visualization of how the Frontier Building in Anchorage, Alaska, shook during the moment magnitude (Mw) 7.0 November 30, 2018, Anchorage, Alaska, earthquake. The building was instrumented by U.S. Geological Survey to obtain data to study its behavior and performance during strong shaking.

This video presents a visualization of how the BP Exploration Building in Anchorage, Alaska, shook during the moment magnitude (Mw) 7.0 November 30, 2018, Anchorage, Alaska, earthquake. The building was instrumented by U.S. Geological Survey (USGS) to obtain data to study its behavior and performance during strong shaking.

Title: The 150th Anniversary of the Damaging 1868 Hayward Earthquake: Why It Matters and How We Can Prepare for Its Repeat

Maintenance of a high-quality ShakeAlert sensors, power and telemetry stations.

Maintenance of high quality ShakeAlert sensor, power and telemetry station.
 

The HayWired earthquake scenario, led by the U.S. Geological Survey (USGS), anticipates the impacts of a hypothetical magnitude-7.0 earthquake on the Hayward Fault.

Title: ShakeAlert: The Path to West Coast Earthquake Early Warning ... how a few seconds can save lives and property

A team of USGS scientists spent two weeks in the isolated Glacier Bay National Park, exploring one of the fastest-moving faults in North America.
 

USGS scientists Rich Briggs, Ryan Gold, Chris DuRoss, and Jaime Delano spent September 5-21, 2017 outside of Jackson, Wyoming doing fieldwork at a site to collect paleoseismology data on a segment of the Teton Fault. This video shows the second day of the site excavation inside the flagged the boundaries set up by the group.
 

USGS scientists Rich Briggs, Ryan Gold, Chris DuRoss, and Jaime Delano spent September 5-21, 2017 outside of Jackson, Wyoming doing fieldwork at a site to collect paleoseismology data on a segment of the Teton Fault. This video shows the first day of the site excavation inside the flagged the boundaries set up by the group.

Title: Underwater Secrets of the Hayward Fault Zone: Integrated 3D imaging to understand earthquake hazards 

Interviews with staff at Point Reyes National Seashore tell how this National Park Service unit uses USGS science to educate visitors, and manage the park.
 

USGS Research Geophysicist Kate Allstadt conducts experiments at the U.S. Geological Survey debris-flow flume, near Eugene, Oregon. Dr. Allstadt and her group are working toward an understanding of how debris flows generate seismic signals.