Fast and Slow: Chile’s subduction zone moves in distinct ways
Though Chile is known for several major earthquakes, the Atacama seismic gap features slow movement that scientists seek to unravel.
Thorium spikes in Colorado streams could be caused by bedrock fractures
Changes in trace amounts of the element thorium in two Colorado catchments appear to be explained by subsurface fracturing. The cause of fracturing might be attributable to distant earthquakes.
Former intern finds curious signal in geyser eruption data
Seismic monitoring of Yellowstone’s Steamboat Geyser showed that signals appeared weaker in winter—because of snow cover.
Alaska earthquake data shows potential for early warning
During the summer of 2021, the magnitude 8.2 Chignik earthquake ruptured on the Alaskan coast, providing scientists, such as a team led by Parameswaran of University of Alaska Fairbanks, with a test case for a future early warning system for the region.
The Cascadia Slow Slip Phenomenon
The Cascadia Subduction Zone is not your typical subduction zone. It is characterized by unique “slow slip events” that occur in the intervals between megathrust earthquakes along the fault.
A Day is Not Always 24 Hours: How Earth’s Shifting Systems Cause Day Length Variation
Believe it or not, the length of each day is not always exactly 24 hours. Though the changes may be virtually undetectable to the regular person, scientists are uniquely aware of the lengthening and shortening of days over time.
Two High Magnitude Earthquakes “Wake up” Fault System in Southwestern Türkiye, Triggering Over 200 Aftershocks
On February 6th, 2023, Türkiye and Syria experienced the devastating effects of two large (magnitude 7.8 and 7.5) earthquakes, which triggered more than 200 aftershocks. A recent study led by first author, Gesa Maria Petersen, maps two fault zones using data produced from these earthquakes, uncovering never before mapped fault sections and ground motion along these faults.
Ol Doinyo Lengai: Unpacking the Mystery Below
Down at the southern end of the East African Rift in Tanzania lies the Ol Doinyo Lengai volcano, exceptional in that it is the only active volcano that erupts carbonatites— igneous rocks composed of >50% carbonate minerals.
Fiber-Optic Cable Technology: A New Way to Study Firn in Greenland
Researchers interested in determining the depth of the firn layer within a glacier might spend six hours drilling, extracting, and analyzing a core in frigid temperatures. Recent research poses a new method for determining firn layer depth based on an exciting technology finding expanding applications in seismology.
Fluids flowing beneath Cascadia
Subduction zones play a crucial role in recycling old oceanic crust, while also carrying water into Earth’s interior. Magnetotelluric imaging can help scientists better see where fluids have accumulated in the crust.