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Nevada Earthquake Swarm Increases Chance of Larger Quake

Posted by samzenpus on from the whole-lot-of-shaking-going-on dept.

An anonymous reader writes Hundreds of small earthquakes have been gaining in strength in northwestern Nevada. The Nevada region bordering California and Oregon was hit by 18 quakes in less than 24 hours, with magnitudes measuring from 2.7 to 4.5. According to CNN: "This does not necessarily mean a big one will come, state seismologists said, but they added that it's good to be prepared, just in case. Seismologists refer to such quake groupings as swarms, and the U.S. Geological Survey has detected them regularly. They can produce thousands of small tremors."

17 of 65 comments (clear)

  1. hm... by notequinoxe · · Score: 3, Interesting

    Sounds like fracking to me....

    1. Re:hm... by RevGregory · · Score: 4, Informative

      One would think that the quakes would be on the faults where the fracking sites in Nevada are rather than a completely unrelated set of faults 400 miles away where they aren't.

    2. Re:hm... by Charliemopps · · Score: 3, Insightful

      Sounds like fracking to me....

      Given that fracking was illegal in Nevada until about a month ago, I'd say you're wrong.

    3. Re:hm... by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 2, Informative

      Nevada is a tectonically active area undergoing substantial amounts of stretching (purple dots = historical quakes). It's the whole reason for the "basin-and-range" topography that typifies the region. But, no, it sounds like hydraulic fracturing?

    4. Re:hm... by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 2, Informative

      Highly unlikely. According to this map of oil and gas potential in Nevada [PDF], there aren't any oil and gas wells in that part of the state (western edge of Sheldon National Antelope Refuge), and even the oil and gas potential in that area is essentially nil due to the geology, such as the presence of an old volcanic caldera there (the northwesternmost red blob is practically on top of the area of the earthquake swarm). The conodont samples referred to on that map are a way to assess how much the local rocks have been heated. To the east of the earthquake area the square dots are red, indicating the rocks are thoroughly roasted. Other geology maps indicate the area is mostly volcanic and intrusive igneous rocks. There's no oil and gas drilling there. Zip.

      Nevada being a rather tectonically active area, suspecting it is from hydraulic fracturing is pretty unlikely in the first place. I know hydraulic fracturing is the favorite punching bag of people these days for anything related to any geological hazard, but there are plenty of natural causes before leaping to that conclusion.

    5. Re:hm... by ArcadeMan · · Score: 3, Funny

      I blame plumbers everywhere.

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    6. Re:hm... by Archangel+Michael · · Score: 2

      How about ... it is a fucking Volcano zone? (near Lassen, Shasta). No, it must be Fracking!

      --
      Agent K: A *person* is smart. People are dumb, stupid, panicky animals, and you know it.
  2. SubjectsInCommentsAreStupid by lesincompetent · · Score: 4, Informative

    L'Aquila, Italy, 2009.
    Mistakes must not be repeated.

  3. Preferable to Rarer, Larger Quakes by Egg+Sniper · · Score: 2

    I was in Reno for the small swarm mentioned in the article; only a couple were even perceptible. I've also lived through a couple large earthquakes. I'd prefer little tremors all year round over the more damaging one-offs.

    Of course, I'm also the type of person who would rather be in (another) earthquake than a tornado or hurricane (neither of which I've experienced). The devil you know, I suppose.

    1. Re:Preferable to Rarer, Larger Quakes by dtmos · · Score: 4, Insightful

      Having been in all three (well, I wasn't exactly inside the tornado, but it was much too close for comfort), I agree that the earthquake is the choice of the lot -- if one has to be in one of the three.

      However, if the question is, "Which would you rather live in -- an earthquake-, tornado-, or hurricane-prone area?", my answer would be the hurricane-prone area, because these days they're by far the most predictable and, therefore, escapable. I'm comforted by the fact that should one appear, I will have enough warning to be elsewhere when it hits. It's a lot harder to say that about tornadoes and earthquakes.

    2. Re:Preferable to Rarer, Larger Quakes by Charliemopps · · Score: 2

      I'd disagree on that. I've been through Hurricanes and tornadoes myself. They are relatively easy to prepare for. Don't live in a flood plane (New Orleans!?!?!) You can get hurricane straps at Home Depot for 50 cents each and do your whole house for under $50 on a Sunday. Buy a house with a basement so you have somewhere to shelter and you're good. Most importantly, hurricanes and tornadoes have an upper limit to their strength. You could get hit with the strongest of either (or both in some cases) and at worst, your house is gone but you're safe in the basement on high ground because you were smart. Earthquakes have no upper limit and you have no time to get to shelter. Your entire house could literally end up sitting in molten lava when it's over, but more likely some heavy thing falls on you... no thank you.

  4. Re:Anybody notice? by MRe_nl · · Score: 2

    "Increases chance" is not the opposite of "does not necessarily mean".
    "There is a slightly elevated risk of a larger earthquake while the swarm is active" said seismologist Ian Madin from neighboring Oregon.

    --
    "Kill 'em all and let Root sort 'em out"
  5. Que the stories... by __aaclcg7560 · · Score: 2

    California slides into the ocean. Lex Corp opens new beach front developments in Nevada. Superman is dead.

  6. OBVIOUSLY by l0n3s0m3phr34k · · Score: 4, Funny

    The Yucca deposit has "attracted" Something that is slowly burrowing it's way through the Earth towards it.

  7. Yellowstone hotspot/McDonalds/Impact Crater by __aapopf3474 · · Score: 3, Funny

    The area is near where the Yellowstone hotspot was over 16 million years ago.

    Also, this area was the furthest from a McDonalds in 2010.

    South of the swarm area, in the Black Rock Desert, was a suspected impact crater.

    Sounds like the start of a bad horror movie.

    1. Re:Yellowstone hotspot/McDonalds/Impact Crater by eyepeepackets · · Score: 3, Interesting

      Glad to see someone else made the connection between this location and the Yellowstone hotspot. In terms of geologic time, this entire area is really "hot" and prone to large events of various types. Having a concentrated earthquake swarm in this area is worrying, especially since I live in Boise....

      I was living in Portland during the whole Mt. St. Helens cycle in the late '70s/early '80s and the only adult nightmares I've ever had involve geologic events: It's hard to fully appreciate such things until you've experienced them.

      --
      Everything in the Universe sucks: It's the law!
  8. The govt dept full of evil villains. by CODiNE · · Score: 3, Funny

    the U.S. Geological Survey has detected them regularly. They can produce thousands of small tremors."

    The USGS is not one to be messed with.

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