Earthquake Swarm in Arkansas Intensifies. Memphis, Tennessee could be epicenter for the next big one

I have been following this thread daily since the first post. First off, I have to say thank you to Robin Marks for your research and dedication to this thread; and Puterman for all that he contributes as well. Also to Susan Frey for her continued updates and up to the minute reports from Arkansas.

Robin, I dont know if tonight was the first showing of this or not but as I was flipping channels, I stopped on National Geographic and they were showing a 2011 documentary called "Countdown to Catastrophe: Megaquake". The minute I began watching (about 60 minutes ago), they were discussing the quake swarms in Arkansas and the New Madrid Fault and that the fault seems to be getting re-activated. They talked about this fault being due for a big quake. Also.......I could not help but think of this thread as they interviewed people who said that memphis is basically "sitting on a spring ready to release". They talked about liquification, the rift, sandblasts from the big quake of 1811 and 1812 and that this area of the country is one of the weakest points of the country.

This Nat Geo documentary seems to agree with your theory about Memphis being one possible location likely for a big quake. The documentary also talked about their theory that seattle area may be the most likely place in the US for a megaquake.

channel.nationalgeographic.com...

(This is my first post ever. I'm still learning my way with this so please go easy on me if I haven't posted perfectly)

Originally posted by Robin Marks
I hate saying this, but it's true. You cannot trust the USGS.

The Arkansas swarm has been occuring since early in the fall, and there were quakes before that.
During a public meeting in the fall, Scott Ausbrook's told the meeting the quakes could be natural. He explained that there could be a link with the injection, but that there was no proof.

Scott Ausbrook repeated this statement right up until the emergency meeting. Even though there was enough evidence to conclude a high likelyhood that the injection was to blame. Scott Ausbrook, just before the emergency meeting, was saying that it would take another six months to determine if the injections were to blame. He was willing to let the injections continue while he and the USGS did some more studies. If it wasn't for the political pressure, he and the USGS would be content to keep the injection wells pumping.
Stupid.

edit on 13-3-2011 by Robin Marks because: (no reason given)

This is because the gas companies paid Mr. Ausbrook big dollars to tell them what was under the ground before they started drilling in the first place. He told them the place to drill, the mineral rights to purchase etc.
Now if he tells them ... ooops sorry I made a mistake, and looks like you are making earthquakes ... Yep you're right.
makes him pretty stupid.

Originally posted by Hope4Good
I have been following this thread daily since the first post. First off, I have to say thank you to Robin Marks for your research and dedication to this thread; and Puterman for all that he contributes as well. Also to Susan Frey for her continued updates and up to the minute reports from Arkansas.

Robin, I dont know if tonight was the first showing of this or not but as I was flipping channels, I stopped on National Geographic and they were showing a 2011 documentary called "Countdown to Catastrophe: Megaquake". The minute I began watching (about 60 minutes ago), they were discussing the quake swarms in Arkansas and the New Madrid Fault and that the fault seems to be getting re-activated. They talked about this fault being due for a big quake. Also.......I could not help but think of this thread as they interviewed people who said that memphis is basically "sitting on a spring ready to release". They talked about liquification, the rift, sandblasts from the big quake of 1811 and 1812 and that this area of the country is one of the weakest points of the country.

This Nat Geo documentary seems to agree with your theory about Memphis being one possible location likely for a big quake. The documentary also talked about their theory that seattle area may be the most likely place in the US for a megaquake.

channel.nationalgeographic.com...

(This is my first post ever. I'm still learning my way with this so please go easy on me if I haven't posted perfectly)

Fantastic Documentary. Thank you for posting this. I have seen this before and it is very informative.
They usually aire these specials twice in one night for pacific time so if you have not seen this, try to watch it.

reply to post by kimsie


On DirecTV it will be airing again 3/20 8 am cst.

Originally posted by maybee

Originally posted by kentuckycowboy2
reply to post by HadEnough

 

I was wondering about this as I felt a swaying here in Eastern KY at 9:09 AM this morning but could not find anything on any of the USGS showing any quakes . It is the first time I have felt anything other than mine blast which this was not . It was just a genital sway of maybe three times while I was quietly siting in my computer chair looking at the web & I have to say I don't know weather we could feel small quakes from ARK or not I've never before & I've been on this forum since page one . Any one know of a small quake close to eastern Ky near the Va boarder that was not logged to USGS ?
John

I am by no means a spelling Nazi, but I'm guessing you meant a "gentle" sway.

2nd line.

Admittedly, I would be adept at being employed as one..... and have to confess, THAT one in particular put a smirk on my face after noting the poster's gender.

Originally posted by Karalyne
reply to post by kimsie

 

On DirecTV it will be airing again 3/20 8 am cst.

Cascadia Mega Quake Pt 1 or 5
www.youtube.com...

Using the Quake 3-D proram I noticed that there had been a 3.8 EQ in TX approx 12 hours ago. That is the first quake I've seen since downloading the program that is East of California Coast, with the exclusion of 1one 2.8 at NMSZ that I posted previously on 3/12/11.

Magnitude 3.8
Date-Time Sunday, March 13, 2011 at 20:16:21 UTC
Sunday, March 13, 2011 at 03:16:21 PM at epicenter
Time of Earthquake in other Time Zones

Location 32.954°N, 100.810°W
Depth 5 km (3.1 miles) set by location program
Region WESTERN TEXAS
Distances 27 km (16 miles) NNE of Snyder, Texas
65 km (40 miles) NW of Sweetwater, Texas
120 km (74 miles) SE of Lubbock, Texas
416 km (258 miles) NW of AUSTIN, Texas

Location Uncertainty horizontal +/- 9.3 km (5.8 miles); depth fixed by location program
Parameters NST= 12, Nph= 12, Dmin=115.1 km, Rmss=0.96 sec, Gp= 94°,
M-type="Nuttli" surface wave magnitude (mbLg), Version=5
Source USGS NEIC (WDCS-D)


Event ID us2011ikf2

earthquake.usgs.gov...

With the Japan Nuc situation I took a look over at the Nuclear regulatory commission site and got lost reading for hours.

I discovered that they have been discussing the reality of an EQ happening along the NMZ since 2005. Between 05 and 08 they revamped some of the security issues and then in Sept. 2010 they came to a more serious conclusion that the older models from 08 were not going to be correct as they were based on figures form the 1811-12 and those would be nowhere as close to what they need to model the safety regulations for at present.

In 05-08, they figured that it would be around the same 7. or perhaps a little larger which would be safe enough with the 2 basic types of EQ's and the way the facilities were built with that in mind.

Something in SEPT. changed everything and they are now working towards newer ways to upgrade what they currently do have in place to secure during a major EQ.

This is what I have always intrinsically been bothered by, not surviving the house toppling down or getting caught in a major one, but the ability for the nuclear facilities to withstand a major EQ or the aftermath of a mega eruption/quake and not have problems far worse than what we see happening in Japan.

Sorry if this does not make wordy sense, I know... But I off to bed just wanted to let you know it is just one more piece to this ugly picture.

MAP 4.4 2011/03/14 07:52:18 40.286 49.124 65.6 AZERBAIJAN
earthquake.usgs.gov...

MAP 4.8 2011/03/14 07:55:10 27.757 56.823 21.1 SOUTHERN IRAN
earthquake.usgs.gov...

reply to post by Hope4Good


I am so glad I have so many new members visiting our thread. Welcome. I'm just glad we can help you by providing a place for you to find information. And provide you a place to share your feelings and experiences.

Don't be a stranger.

Is anyone else having trouble pulling up the webicorders?
I'm also experiencing trouble when trying to get to the Yellowstone webicorders?
It's nothing serious, just curious.

reply to post by Robin Marks
Could this be related? I don't know.

Thread

reply to post by SunflowerStar


Putting them on Fracking Arkansas

You need to add http://

The animated GIF
frackingarkansas.files.wordpress.com/2011/03/arkansas-growth.gif
Latitude/Longitude
frackingarkansas.files.wordpress.com/2011/03/arklatlon.png
Depth
frackingarkansas.files.wordpress.com/2011/03/arkdepth1.png

2.1 in Arkansas-took them an hour to post it.

reply to post by katfish


You had to note that did you?
Tongue in Cheek.
'Cause you set me off.

I know why I so anxious yesterday. Well, that's a complex answer because there were so many reason to be upset. I won't even mention the other obvious stressful events that have disturbed so many.

There is no way to remove those thoughts. Tradegy and crisis will do that you ya. But my personal stress came from my observation of the USGS system I realized that I was the only real earyl warning system. Somehow, I had this unrequested responsiblity. Saturday night there was a 2.5+ quake that was not updated until later in the morning. Then later that day I noticed one that I thought was 2.5+, but there was geologist reviewing them.

There was a 2.6 magnitude, yet it wasn't posted until today. I was under the assumption that the USGS was alerted when the computer generated a report showing a quake with a magnitude greater than 2.5. Then the geologist would review it and post it. I figured no one was going to post a quake in the middle of the night. But then they weren't following up later in the day. So, this means if there is a bunch of quakes in the middle of the night, or on weekends, there will be no timely updating. Those that rely on the USGS email alert system are assuming that the updates are current. This is not fact. There is a long delay and is dependant on the availibility of a geologist. I hope the geologist in charge isn't unavailble when all hell breaks loose on a weekend in the middle of the night.

I was right to tell you to keep watching for yourselves. You have no early warning. You will not get any kind of warning from the USGS. You will be notified of developments when you feel them, or when the world wakes up. So, self-reliance is your best bet for survival. ( i was going to write, keep your ear to the ground, but i then erased it, ignore this) If there is a major event, you will have to make that determination and set your emergency plan into effect. I am urging you to do all you can to prepare. Practise your drills.

Here's what I know to be fact.

The newly discover fault in Arkansas is still active.
The activity has decreased since the emergency stopage of the injection wells.
The fault is bigger than once thought. It's twice as long.
Initial assessments of the possibilty of a large earthquake has been revised, now the USGS thinks a earthquake as large a 6 magnitude could occur on this fault.

In Japan, experts say they were surprised by the magnitude of the earthquake. Their risk assessments had the maxium for such an event at a much lower magnitude. Lesson: the experts often under-estimate nature's forces.

And systems fail. Even multiple systems fail. Backups don't have backups to the backups. There was no redundant blowout preventor. There was not a series of redundancies to the cooling systems. They limit the redundancies because of risk assessments. And because it hurts profits, it hurts the bottom line.

Calculated risk.

Our modern world in a nut-shell.

reply to post by antar


I have a question about the Nuclear regulatory commissions newer concerns since September 2010, Is this possibly related to the Fracking going on which is in direct alignment with fissures connected to NMZ?

"If" this is so, then why would they continue to allow such practices that could endanger the lives of 300,000,000 people and send plumes in a meltdown scenario drifting to the rest of the planets continents?

This takes me back to last July and August when we knew that after the BP disaster many problems were beginning to rear their ugly heads and that reports were flushing in of people who were sickened, aquatic and fowl, life dying and of possible connections to the NMZ.

When International shareholders place the value of the monetary over life in general there is no limit to stupidity, but would they actually go as far as to be party to an event so catastrophic it would end life as we know it?

This really bothers me and as we keep looking at the magic tricks being played for us, what is the slight of hand capable of and just how much preparation can they make to prepare for something much larger than the NM quake of 1811?

Where are they getting their facts and data, and why is this not somehow being leaked by anyone in the know?

reply to post by Robin Marks


I am beginning to think that for the past several years the USGS has become a political red herring, a pacifier for the public interest as we gear up towards the solar maximum and whatever devastation they have somehow managed to conceal from the public.

How can we infiltrate the truth? They do know and yet are unwilling to upset commerce and continuity of spending by the American people to allow those who can to vacate the areas which will be hardest hit when this all goes down.

USGS is fast becoming an unreliable source no matter how much we rely on it for factual data.

reply to post by antar


You raise lots of good points. The brievity of my reply is not to suggest your concerns are trite.

It's just that it's simple really. We are addicted to energy.
It's the reason Japan built reactors on big faults.
It's the reason the Deep Horizon was so deep.
It's the reason they are fracking and injecting fluids in know siemic areas.

The machine needs juice.
Just like the bee needs nectar.

reply to post by antar

USGS is fast becoming an unreliable source no matter how much we rely on it for factual data.

Based upon what evidence? All earthquakes are reported. They may take a while to get onto the screen and even then there may be amendments days, weeks or sometimes months after.

The purpose of the USGS is NOT to supply the public with instant information.

Personally I think we all owe an extreme debt of gratitude to the USGS that they provide ANY public information at all. In many countries THIS DOES NOT HAPPEN.

Indeed in many countries all the citizens have to go on IS the USGS/NEIC/IRIS.

It is not a God given right to see this information - be grateful that you can.

Let me jump in the middle. I understand both sides of this issue. The problem is one of public misperception.
And this is best illustrate during a meeting in Arkansas concerning the earthquakes. When the public wanted more information to be prepare and notified. Scott gave them the UGSG email alert system. So the public thinks this is where they should turn when they want information about what's going on.

In the United States, there are many disasters and the public relies on goverment agencies to alert the public and prepare for disaster. NOAA and all the local governments coordinate to inform citizens of danger. So there is a role for scientific agencies to share their information with the public.

The problem is that the public thinks the USGS will serve this purpose to warn of an earthquake. They don't do that. The USGS will warn of a flood. But they will not act in the same way because they believe they cannot predict earthquakes. So informing the public is an afterthought. The only way the USGS works with the public is with their Earthquake Preparedness Programs.

The USGS is not censor data or hiding it. It's just they are not concerned with keeping the public informed on a minute by minute basis.

I just hate the differing policies. California is instantly notified of quakes. And yet Arkansans are made to wait. As with other networks. It's an confused system with no clear plan. I just wish they'd issue all the information all the time and be more timely in their updates.

So there is no cover up. But niether is the USGS going to be an early warning system like a tornado siren.

When it comes to earthquakes. You're on your own.

Forgot to say, along with flood warnings, the USGS will issues alerts for tsunamis, but they cannot predict the earthquake that caused it. After a big quake, the can warn of aftershocks.

The best you'll get from the USGS when it comes to earthquakes, it's probabilities and risk assessments.