Man-made earthquakes and earthquake prediction

Convincing evidence that man can trigger earthquakes has been developed since the 1963–1967 report. The fact that man can start earthquakes has increased our understanding of earthquake mechanisms and reinforced our judgment that we are approaching the possibility of earthquake prediction.

Traditionally, seismologists have avoided the subject of earthquake prediction because of its distasteful association with people who claim to be able to predict earthquakes by mystical nonscientific methods. Research on prediction has been intensified since the reports of the Panel on Earthquake Prediction [Press, 1965] and the Interagency Working Group for Earthquake Research [Pecora, 1968],. however, and it is appropriate to assess our progress toward that goal. Pakiser et al. [1969] and Oliver [1970] have also summarized recent U.S. progress toward earthquake prediction.