Shallow M3.0 earthquake in W Germany, near ex-NPP Mülheim-Kärlich

April 18, 2013 by Christoph Grützner

A shallow (12 km) earthquake of magnitude M_L3.0 occurred this morning in W Germany near Koblenz in Ochtendung. According to the Geological Survey of Baden Württemberg, the magnitude was M_L2.6 only, but the quake was preceded by few minor events (M<2.0) on 9 April and 14 April. Local news (The Rhein Zeitung) report that some people felt the event and that birds were afraid. This earthquake didn’t cause any damage, but it’s interesting in another way: Its epicentre is only 8 km away from the former nuclear power plant (NPP) Mülheim-Kärlich.

Shallow (update: medium depth) M7.8 earthquake hits E Iran, widely felt across Middle East

April 16, 2013 by Christoph Grützner

A very strong earthquake occurred in Eastern Iran close to the Iran-Pakistan border. USGS reports a magnitude of 7.8 and a shallow depth of 15 km, EMSC data suggest M7.7 and 50 km depth. Preliminary shake maps estimate intensities around MSK VIII, which would be enough to make traditional adobe buildings to collapse. Reports confirm the event was felt as far away as Muscat, Oman (600 km distance!). Update: USGS now also reports a depth of 80 km.

M6.3 earthquake rocks southwestern Iran, felt in Dubai, Abu Dhabi, Qatar, Bahrain

April 9, 2013 by Christoph Grützner

Update: Read the article of The Times of Oman here!

Today at 11:52:50 UTC a magnitude 6.3 earthquake occurred in SW Iran close to the shore in a depth of 10 km. The event was widely felt in Iran and across the NE Arabian Peninsula. Moment tensor solution reveal a thrust mechanism, which is in perfect concordance with the historic seismicity pattern. The event was caused by the convergence of the Arabian and Eurasian plates, that not only built up the impressive Zagros Mountains, but also lead to the formation of the Makran Subduction Zone. Relative plate motions there are as fast as 20 mm/yr in the central part.

Georadar on active (?) faults in Oman

April 8, 2013 by Christoph Grützner

I am currently at GUtech in Oman, a sister university of RWTH Aachen University, for teaching Geophysics and I spend most of the free time in the field with my colleague Gösta Hoffmann. On Friday we went to the Batinah area NW of Mascat to look for active faults. The Batinah is a plain of most likely Quaternary age, made up from the sediments delivered from the huge mountains in the south. Folded Tertiary limestones are cropping out close to the mountain range. Some of them are covered by Quaternary gravels, others aren’t.

Aachen 2013 – 4th International INQUA Meeting on Paleoseismology, Active Tectonics and Archeoseismology, 9-14 October, Aachen, Germany

March 24, 2013 by Christoph Grützner

Dear friends and colleagues,

in 2013 we will organize the 4th International INQUA Meeting on Paleoseismology, Active Tectonics and Archeoseismology in Western Germany. The online registration will open soon at paleoseismicity.org and additional information will follow during the next days.

Date: 9-14 October 2013

Location: Aachen, Germany

Paleoseismological papers in the BSSA April 2013 issue

March 22, 2013 by Christoph Grützner

BSSA’s most recent issue is full of paleoseismological work. The April 2013 issue contains a number of papers dealing with old earthquakes in Turkey, California, Argentina, and Jamaica. Also, there’s info on earthquake catalogues in South America and China. A study on seismic sources in the Lower Rhine Embayment, (W Germany, Belgium, The Netherlands) is especially interesting for me, because it’s right in my backyard. Plus, there are some basic studies on the reliability of paleoseismological investigation and problems in earthquake geology.

Miners in Poland rescued after M4.6 earthquake caused tunnel collapse

March 20, 2013 by Christoph Grützner

Did you think there was no earthquake hazard in Central Europe? Don’t worry unless you live in Italy, Greece, or Turkey? Wrong! There’s significant hazard not only in W Germany, S Spain and on the Balkan Peninsula – take into account mining induced events, too…

An earthquake of magnitude 4.6 occurred in SW Poland last night in very shallow depth. 19 copper miners were trapped inside the mine for hours after a tunnel collapsed and communication was cut. All miners were rescued, one suffered minor injuries.

The area is known as the Lubin mining area (coal and copper) and one of the hot spots in Central Europe’s seismicity.

What’s up? The Friday links (57)

March 15, 2013 by Christoph Grützner

On Monday morning, a M4.7 strike-slip earthquake rocked the Anza area, California. The quake occurred at the San Jacinto Fault Zone and was widely felt. As there are not many people who know the San Jacinto better than Tom Rockwell, I recommend to read this short interview. The LA Times has more info on the quake.

Field Course in Neotectonics & Paleoseismology – May 22-31, 2013 in Crestone, Colorado, USA

March 11, 2013 by Christoph Grützner

Jim McCalpin will teach his 13th Field Course in Neotectonics and Paleoseismology from May 22-31, 2013 in Crestone, Colorado, USA. This is a “9-day summer Field Course, offered by the Crestone Science Center, which teaches the latest field techniques, but also contains evening lectures covering the entire field of Paleoseismology.”