435 Event Olancha, CA Earthquake Swarm Reveals New Structure!

Olancha Earthquake Sequence Update

Olancha Earthquake Sequence Continues - 435 Events Through October 7th, Activity Beginning Oct. 3rd Reveals New Structure Orthogonal to Previous Olancha Sequence Structures

Report by the California Integrated Seismic Network (Caltech/USGS)
Anthony Guarino, Egill Hauksson, Ken Hudnut, Sue Hough, and Bob Dollar

Update 10/7/09 09:21AM PDT

The Olancha Sequence continues with several more events since Friday evening, ranging in magnitude from M1.0-M4.5.The events beginning October 3rd distinctly show a new trend on a cross fault between the two existing structures. The two existing structures trend NW-SE, whereas the new Oct. 3rd events trend southwest to northeast. This new structure is likely a conjugate fault with respect to the existing structures, as the geology in the area is rather complex.

The migration of activity toward the new structure offers insight to the complex geology of the area, although the trend of mapped faults (shown in light blue) do not share the same strike as either of the previous structures from this week, nor are they orthogonal to the newest structure. The recent M4.0 earthquake which occurred on October 6th was located on the most northeast edge of the sequence. This extends the region of seismicity slightly to the northeast, while the event is still part of the more recent SW-NE trend..

Northwestward motion of the Pacific Plate, relative to a fixed North American Plate, takes place mainly on the San Andreas fault system and other faults to the west of the Sierra Nevada. A portion of the deformation, however, passes inboard of the Sierra Nevada block and goes up the eastern side of the Sierra Nevada. The Sierra Nevada have been moving slowly northwestward as a result, pulling away from the Colorado Plateau. The Basin and Range Province has resulted from this crustal stretching, and some right-lateral shear along the eastern base of the Sierra Nevada occurs as well.

The Olancha activity, occurring on both NW-SE and SW-NE oriented faults, is taking place in a complex area where the Sierra Nevada range front also bends. This bend, combined with the right-lateral shear along the range front, has produced an extensional step in the fault system and the hole created has been filled with a sedimentary basin that is now filled by Owens Lake, which is now, for the most part, a playa or dry lake bed. Interestingly, this bend in the mountain range front also coincides with the highest peak, Mount Whitney, and the recent Olancha activity is near the southern end of the 1872 Owens Valley earthquake, which ruptured a system of faults that run through Lone Pine [ earthquake.usgs.gov... ].

Please visit link for more information:

www.scsn.org...

I recently established contact with Caltech in reference to a now-known problem with their station CI.CWC.

And as a bit of not widely known news to this article, Caltech has informed me that they currently have techs in the field installing new stations in the Olancha area in response to this latest swarm. And consequently that due to resource limitations, and known issues with some other stations in the Caltech network, they are effectively having to triage somewhat their focus on existing station repairs- in favor of these new station installations. So repairs may take a while longer than normal, due to these circumstances.

So clearly these recent events are raising some eyebrows in the seismological world, prompting at least one network that we know of to install more stations for closer monitoring.

Thank you for that information. Job well done.

I've been hearing about "the big one" coming in California all my life.

From your information it sounds like we could see quake activity in other states bordering California. Am I reading that right?

It doesn't sound good for our friends in the west.

Since there is nothing constant but change we have to accept that we will have quakes and other conditions.

Keep us informed.

S&F

Originally posted by dizziedame
From your information it sounds like we could see quake activity in other states bordering California. Am I reading that right?

As a result of this? Not sure, but I don't think so. The area is surrounded by mountains, and it is a pretty good ways to Nevada. Plus I don't see how any of these faults would tie in to anything over the mountain ranges into Nevada. Beatty, Nevada might feel some of the larger of these quakes, but that's about it.

Interestingly, and sadly, that very station, CI.CWC is about the closest there was to this location. It appears to me the digitizer is still operating fine for the most part on the BHZ channel- and so we are still seeing the quakes here in GEE.

So check this out. You are now standing right in the middle of an earthquake swarm.

[atsimg]http://files.abovetopsecret.com/images/member/493a0e356b43.png[/atsimg]

I got the exact spot on the maps and got a street view of right where these swarms are occurring, standing in the road on 190. Look at all those cracks in the pavement.

And this just in from Caltech:

A brand new station just went on line today in this area. I am trying to find out more about it, but as of yet it does not appear to be listed in GEE. It is not on the CI network either, which I thought was a bit strange, but that could be due to a lot of reasons. We'll see, more info as I find out.

[edit on Fri Oct 9th 2009 by TrueAmerican]

Thanks for the Post TrueAmerican...

As always I look forward to more!
Keep up your efforts!

reply to post by StoneGarden


You're welcome.

Sadly right now I believe the GEE servers are down, so I ain't got jack. I hate it when that happens!

nice job , i gave ya stars ...., cali im always worried about ,

I feel this ATS thread is more than related ... Owen's Lake ... titled "180 Deg Slip-Strike Eq in SoCa"

www.abovetopsecret.com...

reply to post by Trexter Ziam


Umm, did you actually read that thread, or just look at the stars and flags? No disrespect to my new found friend Hx3_1963, but unfortunately that thread was based upon the faulty BHE and BHN channels of CI.CWC station, and resulting speculation of symmetrical patterns on those channels.

And seeing as maybe you obviously didn't read that thread, then it would probably be a good idea if you did.

I felt it might be prudent to get some official information from the California Integrated Seismic Network (Caltech/USGS) regarding this swarm. The fact that there appears to be a new fault discovered here according to them was news deserving of its own thread I felt, if that's what you mean.

Originally posted by TrueAmerican
reply to post by Trexter Ziam

 

Umm, did you actually read that thread, or just look at the stars and flags? No disrespect to my new found friend Hx3_1963, but unfortunately that thread was based upon the faulty BHE and BHN channels of CI.CWC station, and resulting speculation of symmetrical patterns on those channels.

And seeing as maybe you obviously didn't read that thread, then it would probably be a good idea if you did.

I felt it might be prudent to get some official information from the California Integrated Seismic Network (Caltech/USGS) regarding this swarm. The fact that there appears to be a new fault discovered here according to them was news deserving of its own thread I felt, if that's what you mean.

Actually YES, I did read the thread the other day and even checked the Owen's Lake area on maps afterwards ... plus, it's interesting history.

No, I don't even "play" the "stars and flags" game myself. I'm immunized against the ATS groupie star propaganda.

I still feel the thread is related to this one; though, I in no way implied this as a duplicate thread. I agree, a new fault named, and it's interesting lay deserves a thread.

I still say it was interesting to me to see Hacker March 1963's observations turned out to be something relevant to this thread.

www.abovetopsecret.com...

Originally posted by TrueAmerican

I got the exact spot on the maps and got a street view of right where these swarms are occurring, standing in the road on 190. Look at all those cracks in the pavement

The cracks in the pavement mean little, The secondary roads in Inyo county are mostly desert mix and the heat (pavement temps over 150º) crack desert mix within a couple years like that. And its been over 15 years since they repaved 190 in that area.

I wonder if the hot water flow at Dirty Socks mineral spring has changed any.
36º 19' 46.09"N 117º56' 57.74"W
www.panoramio.com...
Many times spring flows will change with earthquakes in the area.

[edit on 8-10-2009 by ANNED]

Originally posted by ANNED
The cracks in the pavement mean little, The secondary roads in Inyo county are mostly desert mix and the heat (pavement temps over 150º) crack desert mix within a couple years like that. And its been over 15 years since they repaved 190 in that area.

Aww geez, can't even have a little fun around here. OF COURSE I know the cracks in the pavement weren't due to... :shk: oh just nvm.

I wonder if the hot water flow at Dirty Socks mineral spring has changed any.
36º 19' 46.09"N 117º56' 57.74"W
www.panoramio.com...
Many times spring flows will change with earthquakes in the area.

Now that's actually a useful comment, thanks. I was doing a little reading up on that area to check on the geological features. I saw that some areas around there appear to be "masked" or hidden by google maps. So I was wondering about any military activity there near the swarm. Do you know of any?

edit:

Also, a 4.4 mag just hit at same spot-

earthquake.usgs.gov...

[edit on Fri Oct 9th 2009 by TrueAmerican]

Thanks fer lookin' out TZ...

www.abovetopsecret.com...
There are major 180 Deg N/S E/W slip/strike motions going on right now!!!

www.abovetopsecret.com...
The quakes are 180 degrees out of phase n/s e/w with constant z movement...

To me indicates a slip/strike is likely...

www.abovetopsecret.com...
what you are seeing is a north-west to south-east movement, in essence - a slippage on the fault line with little up/down movement.

www.abovetopsecret.com...
The two existing structures trend NW-SE, whereas the new Oct. 3rd events trend southwest to northeast.

The Olancha activity, occurring on both NW-SE and SW-NE oriented faults, is taking place in a complex area where the Sierra Nevada range front also bends.

So, even without benefit of a fully functional Seismometer, I was able to ~gleen~ something...that was later Confirmed by the article stated above...

Everyone gets lucky sometimes...

No foul...no harm...

reply to post by Hx3_1963


Honestly man I don't know how you are trying to tie what you said in your thread to the analysis given here by Caltech. I don't see anywhere where they say they expect a major slippage or fault rupture on this new fault. They are merely pointing out that a new "conjugate" fault has emerged, due to movement of the two continental plates.

The 180 degree theory, again, was simply a misunderstanding of what was really occurring at CI.CWC- a malfunction of the digitizer on the BHE and BHN channels.

But still, who knows, the whole damn thing could give way and CA will get it's "Big One." Always the chance of that. Which is why I prefer the east coast.

[edit on 10/9/2009 by Hx3_1963]