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sexta-feira, 5 de agosto de 2011

#Richter "10": Where and When? #earthquake


Dia da Terra



http://www.usgs.gov/

Q: What is the biggest earthquake ever?

A: Since 1900, the earthquake in Chile on May 22, 1960, is the biggest in the World with magnitude 9.5 Mw.

Probabilities.

Most earthquake probabilities are determined from the average rate of historical events. Assuming the annual rate is constant, one can make a probability statement about the likelihood of such an event in the next so-many years. These probabilities might range from one in thirty to one in three hundred.

For some faults, historical occurrences are not available, but rate of slip along the fault can be estimated. Assuming a particular magnitude, one can estimate the number of years it would take to accumulate the required amount of slip. This estimate can be used to give an annual rate and used in the same manner as historical rates. These probabilities might range from one in three hundred to one in three thousand.

Finally, given a large event, there is a declining rate of aftershocks. From this rate, the probability of an aftershock can be determined. These probabilities might be larger than one in thirty.

Predictions.

Predictions usually occur as a result of some event supposed to be indicative of an earthquake occurring in the near future. Such an event may be a swarm of small earthquakes, increasing amounts of radon in local water, unusual behavior of animals, increasing size of magnitudes in moderate size events, or a moderate-magnitude event rare enough to suggest that it may be a foreshock.

Unfortunately, most such precursors frequently occur without being followed by an earthquake. This means that the forecast must be made in probabilistic terms. Estimates of such the probabilities seem to be no greater than one in three, to one in ten and hence the forecasts have low reliability. A succession of unreliable forecasts is likely to do more harm than good.

One might hope that before a major earthquake several such precursor would occur. This might increase the reliability of a forecast. An earthquake forecast was made in China several decades ago, based on small earthquakes and unusual animal activity. People were able to sleep outside of their homes and thus were spared when the main quake struck and caused widespread destruction.

However, unfortunately, many earthquakes are preceded by no precursory events whatsoever. The next large Chinese event was entirely unheralded and scores of thousands of Chinese died.

(contributed by Dave Perkins)
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  • 48 Conterminous States [ 2008 | 2002 | 1996 ]

    US Conterminous 48 States
    The U.S. Geological Survey (USGS) National Seismic Hazard Maps display earthquake ground motions for various probability levels across the United States and are applied in seismic provisions of building codes, insurance rate structures, risk assessments, and other public policy. This update of the maps incorporates new findings on earthquake ground shaking, faults, seismicity, and geodesy. The resulting maps are derived from seismic hazard curves calculated on a grid of sites across the United States that describe the frequency of exceeding a set of ground motions.
    2008 Hazard Map (PGA, 2% in 50 years)
    Download Formats : [ EPS | PDF | JPG ]
  • Alaska [ 2007 | 1999 ]

    Alaska
    Probabilistic seismic hazard maps have been prepared for Alaska portraying ground motion values (peak ground acceleration and spectral amplitude at periods of 0.2, 0.3 and 1.0 seconds) at probabilities of exceedance of 2% and 10% in 50 years. Preparation of these maps followed the same general strategy as that followed for the U.S.G.S. seismic hazard maps of the contiguous United States, combining hazard derived from spatially-smoothed historic seismicity with hazard from fault-specific sources.
  • Hawaii [ 1998 ]

    Hawaii
    Probabilistic seismic hazard maps were prepared for Hawaii portraying peak horizontal ground acceleration and horizontal spectral response acceleration for 0.2, 0.3, and 1.0 second periods with probabilities of exceedance of 10% in 50 years and 2% in 50 years. This particular data set is for horizontal spectral response acceleration for 1.0 second period with a 10% probability of exceedance in 50 years. All of the maps were prepared by combining hazard derived from spatially- smoothed historic seismicity with hazard from fault-specific sources.
  • Puerto Rico & the U.S. Virgin Islands [ 2003 ]

    PRVI
    We present results of a new probabilistic seismic hazard assessment for Puerto Rico and the U. S. Virgin Islands (PRVI). The study area is located along the boundary between the northeastern Caribbean Sea and the Atlantic Ocean, at the intersection of the Greater and Lesser Antilles Island chains. These islands demarcate the boundary between the North American and Caribbean tectonic plates, with the North American plate moving west-southwestward relative to the Caribbean plate.

USGS Urban Hazard Maps

  • Seattle Urban Seismic Hazard Maps [ 2007 ]

    Seattle
    The USGS has produced a new series of earthquake hazard maps for the City of Seattle. These ‘urban seismic hazard’ maps provide a much higher-resolution view of the potential for strong earthquake shaking than previously available. This new view is particularly important for Seattle, which sits atop a sedimentary basin that strongly affects the patterns of earthquake ground shaking and therefore, of potential damage.
  • Memphis, Shelby County Seismic Hazard Maps [ 2004 ]

    Memphis
    Memphis, Shelby County, Tennessee, is located where damaging earthquakes are only moderately likely, but the consequences of earthquakes, mainly from the New Madrid seismic zone, can be very high. This densely populated urban area is built on a 1-kilometer-thick sequence of sediments deposited in a trough known as the Mississippi embayment. This thick pile of sediments significantly affects earthquake ground motions. We, the authors, have generated a suite of seismic hazard maps for a six-quadrangle area in Memphis, Shelby County, Tennessee, that accounts for these effects. These maps and their derivative products represent the collaborative efforts of the U.S. Geological Survey (USGS) and its partners.
  • Liquefaction Hazard in Oakland, California [ 2002 ]

    Oakland Liquefaction
    The liquefaction hazard map predicts the approximate percentage of each designated area that will have surface manifestations of liquefaction during an M7.1 earthquake on the Hayward fault. An earthquake of this magnitude is expected if the whole Hayward fault ruptures in a single event (Working Group on California Earthquake Probabilities, 1999). This event dominates the deaggregated hazard near the eastern shore of San Francisco Bay.

Other Foreign Maps and Documentation

  • Southeast Asia [ Tectonophysics Vol 390 pp. 141—158 ] [ Earthquake Summary Poster ] [Documentation ]

    Sumatra
    The ground motion hazard for Sumatra and the Malaysian peninsula is calculated in a probabilistic framework, using procedures developed for the US National Seismic Hazard Maps. We constructed regional earthquake source models and used standard published and modified attenuation equations to calculate peak ground acceleration at 2% and 10% probability of exceedance in 50 years for rock site conditions. We developed or modified earthquake catalogs and declustered these catalogs to include only independent earthquakes. The resulting catalogs were used to define four source zones that characterize earthquakes in four tectonic environments: subduction zone interface earthquakes, subduction zone deep intraslab earthquakes, strike-slip transform earthquakes, and intraplate earthquakes.
  • State of Gujarat, India [ Tectonophysics Vol. 390 pp.105—115 ]

    India
    We test the sensitivity of seismic hazard to three fault source models for the northwestern portion of Gujarat, India. The models incorporate different characteristic earthquake magnitudes on three faults with individual recurrence intervals of either 800 or 1600 years. These recurrence intervals imply that large earthquakes occur on one of these faults every 266—533 years, similar to the rate of historic large earthquakes in this region during the past two centuries and for earthquakes in intraplate environments like the New Madrid region in the central United States.
  • Afghanistan [ Hazards | Other USGS Projects ]

    Afghanistan
    Afghanistan is located in the geologically active part of the world where the northward-moving Indian plate is colliding with the southern part of the Eurasian plate at a rate of about 1.7 inches per year. This collision has created the world's highest mountains and causes slips on major faults that generate large, often devastating earthquakes. Every few years a powerful earthquake causes significant damage or fatalities.
  • Global Seismic Hazard Assessment Program [ GSHAP ]

    GSHAP
    The Global Seismic Hazard Assessment Program (GSHAP), a demonstration project of the UN/International Decade of Natural Disaster Reduction, was conducted in the 1992-1998 period with the goal of improving global standards in seismic hazard assessment. The GSHAP Global Seismic Hazard Map has been compiled by joining the regional maps produced for different GSHAP regions and test areas; it depicts the global seismic hazard as peak ground acceleration (pga) with a 10% chance of exceedance in 50 years, corresponding to a return period of 475 years.
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    Richeter "10"
    My personal comment: 
  • Since July 2010 the number of occurrences of earthquakes increased significantly on Planet Earth ... 

  • Not only the number of occurrences, but rose in the overall annual average, the intensity, or magnitude, earthquakes ... 

  • Another detail that stands out is the different places, unusual, in which earthquakes are occurring, I cite the example of several instances in Brazil ... 

  • The studies by experts indicate a significant change in the axis-of-the-Earth, which is certainly influencing the movement of tectonic plates ... 

  • The mysterious death of animals in different regions ... 

  • The magnetic disorientation of many animals ... 

  • The increase of electrostatic energy in the atmosphere ... 

  • The strong and continuous tectonic movements in Japan .. 

  • The changing habits of some individual animals, chickens, snakes and ants ...
    Erupting volcanoes ... 

  • Rise in sea levels ... 

  • Melting glaciers ... 

  • Consequences of the greater amount of methane in the atmosphere ...
    Heating mantle ... 

  • Consequences of major floods, creating greater driving force on the plates hit ... 

  • The increase and change in the diameter of planet Earth ... 

  • Changing ocean currents ... 

  • Changes in the direction of the currents of planetary winds ... 

  • Increased incidence of temperature changes in different regions ... 

  • The data listed above if they are connected, and it is likely, are influencing the Earth's tectonic movement, raising the specter in the second half of 2011, there is an earthquake of magnitude 10. 

  • is urgently needed research, study, think, analyze all available data in order to prevent material damage and losses of millions of lives. 

  • The earthquake in Japan in March 2011 showed the consequences related:
    Tsunami overwhelming ... 

  • Damage and leaks in nuclear power plants ... 

  • Contamination of water and food ...
    future illness ... 

  • Failure of service capacity and help victims ... 

  • Absence of an effective warning system ... 

  • Damage to the economy of the country ..


    The strong earthquakes that occurred in the first half of 2011, according to the USGS chart above mentioned, shows that a change is occurring geological structure on Planet Earth, and at this moment, we ignore the possible consequences, given the large urban areas of improperly installed high geological risk, without citing examples, not to be accused of being alarmist ... 

  • Every effort should be undertaken in order to investigate, predict and warn of future geological events ... 

    RUI SANTOS DE SOUZA


  • Brazil, Curitiba, August 5, 2011 - 20h: 01

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