Comment From The GeologistthehereticAugust 23 2011, 19:02:03 UTC
Speaking as the only Geologist you know (probably), I remain amused that Easterners like to overlook the long history of big quakes in their neck of the woods. Due to the shape of the continent east of the rocky mountains, seismic energy transfers really well across the whole craton (continental crust). I'm glad it was just a little one
( ... )
Re: Comment From The GeologistfringekittyAugust 23 2011, 22:39:17 UTC
Actually, I have background in the field myself, but it was still a bit of a surprise. We had one a few years ago that just felt like being on a rapidly descending elevator that had just landed.
Thank goodness it wasn't the New Madrid! A major quake along the New Madrid or a much stronger quake locally could cause liquefaction to occur. Almost a third of our state is basically coastal plain sediment with a high water table. It's one thing when the ground is shaking, something totally different not to have any solid ground at all.
So, no complaints here! However, it is, hopefully, a good wake-up call.
Re: Comment From The GeologistthehereticAugust 23 2011, 23:21:09 UTC
Easterners do not listen to disasters nor do they remember them or consider "what if it were worse". They rebuild on the flood plain, every time. The New Madrid had aftershocks for 75 years. There were big shocks during the Civil War related to the New Madrid quakes. When it goes off again it won't be one big quake. It will be big quake after big quake, every few months with aftershocks every few years for the following decades. Easterners pretend this isn't a concern, but it really should be. The good news is that even with a high water table you probably won't get liquefaction from that quake. The Charlottes-burg-ville-port quake in SC however, might. I forget the exact date but 1700 something sounds right. Levelled the city. When it hits say goodbye to lots of those cities and their tall buildings within a few hundred miles of the epicenters. Be interesting to have a second diaspora from the Midwest after people just moved back to farm there.
Comments 7
Reply
I've got the USGS link handy, right along with the NWS, NOAA, etc.; they definitely have good learning resources. Plus, if any here reading this comment felt the quake, the USGS is encouraging individual reports: http://earthquake.usgs.gov/earthquakes/dyfi/events/se/082311a/us/index.html.
Thank goodness it wasn't the New Madrid! A major quake along the New Madrid or a much stronger quake locally could cause liquefaction to occur. Almost a third of our state is basically coastal plain sediment with a high water table. It's one thing when the ground is shaking, something totally different not to have any solid ground at all.
So, no complaints here! However, it is, hopefully, a good wake-up call.
Reply
Reply
Reply
Reply
Reply
Reply
Leave a comment