This morning at 03:00 UTC an earthquake with magnitude MW7.7 occurred in the Sea of Okhotsk. Due to its great depth of more than 600 km no tsunami was triggered and surface shaking was pretty low, however, the event was felt in a wide area. Moment tensor solutions indicate a thrust event. Historical seismicity tells us that significant earthquakes are likely to happen in the region and mostly occur in great depths, but at this certain location only few events have been registered during the last decades.
Read moreNew papers: L’Aquila, Balochistan EQ, tectonic geomorphology, geophysics in Mongolia
After I came back from one week of holidays I checked the latest papers. Surprisingly, one was by myself! Finally IOP published our work on combined geoscience techniques in the Orkhon Valley, Central Mongolia. We used Georadar, SQUID-gradiometers, capacitive-coupled geoelectrics, octocopter stereoimages, shallow drillings, datings, and archaeological excavations for an geoarchaeological project. Using geophysical, archaeological and geological observations, we assumed a dating in the Turk/Uighur period (6th–9th century AD) and a re-use under Mongolian reign (12th–17th century AD). This would mean that this site is the furthermost walled structure in the peri-urban area of Khar Balgas.
Read moreWhat’s up? The Friday links (41)
Although I already recommended some papers earlier this week, I have two more to mention: Supawit Yawsangratt and colleagues published new data on “Evidence of probable paleotsunami deposits on Kho Khao Island, Phang Nga Province, Thailand”. Nat Hazards, 63,151-163, DOI 10.1007/s11069-011-9729-4 in a special issue dedicated to tsunami research. Ran et al. presented work on the Wenchuan EQ epicentral area: “Paleoseismic events and recurrence interval along the Beichuan -Yingxiu fault of Longmenshan fault zone, Yingxiu, Sichuan, China.” Tectonophysics (2012), doi: 10.1016/j.tecto.2012.07.013.
Read moreNew papers – Minoan earthquakes, catastrophism, archaeoseismology in Israel, Costa Concordia
Currently I spend my time working on some papers that deal with tsunamis in the Eastern Mediterranean and earthquakes in Spain. Searching for literature and looking for data on the Minoan catastrophe I came across this new open access publication by Simon Jusseret and Manuel Sintubin:
- All That Rubble Leads to Trouble: Reassessing the Seismological Value of Archaeological Destruction Layers in Minoan Crete and Beyond. Seismological Research Letters, 83, 4, 736-742, doi:10.1785/0220120011.
Our colleagues from IGCP567 – Earthquake Archaeology put a lot of effort into getting rid of catastrophism and into making archeoseismology a more reliable, quantitative science. By the way, don’t miss the next workshop on archeoseismology and active tectonics in Mexico 2012!
Read morePrimary Fault – Science meets fiction, geophysics meet fantasy
1It’s holiday season, and many avid readers might need an advice on new books. Here’s one for the earthquake community: Primary Fault by Sharon Kae Reamer. The title reminds you of geology? This is no coincidence. The author reminds you of geology? Right! Sharon Kae Reamer is a seismologist, currently working at the seismological observatory of Cologne University. You probably know her work when you are into archaeoseismology, seismicity in Germany, or seismotectonics. Now she has published her first novel, and seismology does play a role.
Read moreWhat’s up? The Friday links (40)
2On 11 April 2012, a Mw8.6 strike-slip earthquake occurred off Sumatra in a kind of intra-plate setting and came as a surprise to the earthquake community. Such a strong strike-slip event was not expected, we always thought that the huge thrust quakes at subduction zones were the only ones to release that much energy. Now a press release by CalTech reports on the latest studies that came to the result that many previously unknown perpendicular faults ruptured at this event. Immediately some journalists suggested that this might also happen at the San Andreas Fault. I do not know of any paleoseismological evidence that this has happened there before. However, how likely is this scenario?
Link to the paper: An earthquake in a maze: compressional rupture branching during the April 11 2012 M8.6 Sumatra earthquake.
Read more3rd INQUA-IGCP567 workshop in Mexico, Nov 2012 – deadline extended
The deadline for the 3rd INQUA-IGCP567 workshop on Active Tectonics, Paleoseismology and Archeoseismology has been extended to 15 August 2012. The meeting will be held from 19-24 November in Morelia, Mexico, in remembrance of the devastating Acambay earthquake form 1912. Registration is between $60 and $250, an additional fieldtrip can be booked for $60.
Read moreWhat’s up? The Friday links (39)
The coolest thing I’ve seen this week came from the British Geological Survey. They developed an app (for Android only) called iGeology 3D, which paints the geological map of your position around you. Yes, in 3D. Yes, only in the UK, but hey – great stuff! And it’s free, okay, it’s tax money… On Facebook, students are already stating that they will have a very easy mapping course next year. I can only hope that classical mapping (with compass, a map made up of paper, hammer, hand lens, acid and all that 20th Century stuff) will remain a basic course for all geoscience students. I’ve seen a geological compass app for a smartphone in the field recently, but it worked on very few hardrock surfaces only, because the owner didn’t want to dirty his mobile…
Read moreWhat’s up? The Friday links (38)
Annals of Geophysics (former Annali di Geofisica) published a special volume “Geoethics and geological culture. Reflections from the Geoitalia Conference 2011“. This is pretty interesting for us bloggers, topics include:
- Geoethics and geological culture: methods, goals and values able to influence society
- Geoethical implications in risks and geo-resources management
- Communication and education related to geosciences in a geoethical perspective
- Geoheritage and geodiversity as values for sustainability
Even more interesting for me is a special issue yet to come: “The Emilia seismic sequence of May-June, 2012: preliminary data and results”. Paper submission deadline: July 22, 2012.
Read moreGeo-sites meme: 101 American Geo-Sites You’ve Gotta See
1Callan Bentley from Mountain Beltway had the idea to list the 101 American Geo-Sites mentioned in Albert B. Dickas’ book and to mark those he has already visited. The whole thing became kind of popular in the geoblogosphere, and this KMZ by one of Callan’s readers allows to explore the 101 outcrops one definitely has to visit in the US. So now here’s my list, in bold the places I’ve visited (as you will see, there are far much still to be seen than I’ve already visited!):
- Wetumpka Crater, Alabama
- Exit Glacier, Alaska
- Antelope Canyon, Arizona
- Meteor Crater, Arizona
- Monument Valley, Arizona
- Prairie Creek Pipe, Arkansas
- Wallace Creek, California
- Racetrack Playa, California
- Devils Postpile, California
- Rancho La Brea, California
