Latest Study: New Madrid fault zone alive and active

I remember a few years ago, this was the talk for a while -- the gloom and doom -- catastrophe for the surrounding areas
Talk about how the Mississippi River would flood all the lower states if a SHTF scenario were to happen due to a major EQ
Then it kinda went away especially after Dec.21, 2012 came and went

Well, here it is again in the news.....

LOS ANGELES (AP) — The New Madrid fault zone in the nation's midsection is active and could spawn future large earthquakes, scientists reported Thursday.

It's "not dead yet," said U.S. Geological Survey seismologist Susan Hough, who was part of the study published online by the journal Science.

Researchers have long debated just how much of a hazard New Madrid (MAD'-rihd) poses. The zone stretches 150 miles, crossing parts of Arkansas, Illinois, Indiana, Kentucky, Mississippi, Missouri and Tennessee.

Study: New Madrid fault zone alive and active

The last major Earthquakes in that area registered about a 7.7 magnitude that spawned powerful jolts that rattled the central Mississippi Valley back in 1811-1812

The New Madrid is less understood since it's in the middle of the continent, far from plate boundaries, where as the San Andreas fault occurs along boundaries of shifting tectonic plates

At first they thought that the New Madrid fault might be going dormant based on GPS readings that showed little strain accumulation at the surface

However, the latest study suggests otherwise. Hough and USGS geophysicist Morgan Page in Pasadena, Calif., analyzed past quakes in the New Madrid region and used computer modeling to determine that the continuing tremors are not related to the big quakes two centuries ago.

"Our new results tell us that something is going on there, and therefore a repeat of the 1811-1812 sequence is possible," Hough said.



*But have no fear*
The USGS estimates there's only a 7 to 10 percent chance of that happening in the next 50 years or so



www.smithsonianmag.com...

The U.S. Geological Survey considers the earthquake hazard level for this area to be high. However, scientists have struggled to understand exactly what’s going on beneath the surface and what it might mean for the future.

reply to post by snarky412


For those of us that live in the upper and middle Mississippi River valley's - we watch -

We know that the bayou corne sinkhole, and the maconda "valcano" rupture in the gulf of mexico are tied into - maybe the gov't setting off this huge fault line?

The geography is very different than on the california fault lines - it's hard rock, granite - that a "smaller quake" would set off farther reaching catastrophic damage. I live in part of the sand geography - it will be like quick sand, I believe, in the upper quadrants of the Mississippi River area - there's a term for it - Liquidating? - the term escapes me at the moment....

Geography is a very interesting subject.... limestone and salt caverns....

reply to post by snarky412


One word...."Recycle!"

reply to post by Happy1

For those of us that live in the upper and middle Mississippi River valley's - we watch -

That's why I wanted to post this, for people that live near the EQ zone
To let people know the scientists are still unsure about the New Madrid fault

Also, didn't they halt the fracking in northern Arkansas for a while due to the numerous light tremors it was causing??

We work south of there [LA] so this is of interest for us as well as many of our friends

reply to post by Infiniteone2556

One word...."Recycle!"

If you are referring to the topic at hand, yes....

But this is the latest news surrounding the New Madrid fault that scientists are revealing

Before, they thought it was 'going dead'
Now new tests say differently

So, this is just the latest update for those that are interested

reply to post by snarky412


Have you ever looked into the bayou corne sinkhole?

There's a long thread that hasn't been up-dated here - and the forbidden website has updates also - I guess with ENE?

There's a lot of info - and it's scary - and I believe it is all connected.

Don't know about the halting of fracking - but I don't think they're going to do that -

Also, the West Virginia water poisoning with questionable ( maybe explosive) chemicals? Makes me think they really want to blow a huge channel between the USA.

See the "earth changes" Future Naval Map - on the internet - it's been around a long time.

Seaway up to the great lakes - "flooding" of a lot of farm land after the last mississippi river flood and buying out farmland, tearing down levees - brought to you by George soros........

reply to post by snarky412


There are also reports all up and down the fault line of people hearing and feeling loud booms and even trumpet sounds.This was also reported before the 1800's quakes by the few people that lived in the area at the time.We that live by it,know it,watch it,and wait.

reply to post by snarky412


I've read that fracking in the area may also set off an earthquake, though the studies haven't been finalized, but the suspisions are there.

Why is it called New Madrid?

Nephalim
Why is it called New Madrid?

Named for the Missouri town, I'd imagine...

New Madrid, Missouri

The weather systems seem to concentrate around the general area of the fault as well, the winter storms, tornados.
I wonder if the worsening weather, stronger colder winds and rain/snow, put pressure downwards on the fault line...

I have posted this many times with regards to how the New Madrid earthquake would effect surrounding areas if it did happen, good read if nothing but preparation and how you might be impacted depending on where you are.

New Madrid Study of Effects

reply to post by Happy1

there's a term for it - Liquidating? - the term escapes me at the moment....

The term you are trying to think of is "Liquefaction."

Liquefaction is a phenomenon in which the strength and stiffness of a soil is reduced by earthquake shaking or other rapid loading. Liquefaction and related phenomena have been responsible for tremendous amounts of damage in historical earthquakes around the world.

Liquefaction occurs in saturated soils, that is, soils in which the space between individual particles is completely filled with water. This water exerts a pressure on the soil particles that influences how tightly the particles themselves are pressed together. Prior to an earthquake, the water pressure is relatively low. However, earthquake shaking can cause the water pressure to increase to the point where the soil particles can readily move with respect to each other.

It's extremely dangerous in the NMSZ

I've taken a pretty in depth look at the happenings here prior and am not surprised that they are finding that there is still active seismicity in the area.

The results indicate that Tennessee, Arkansas, and Missouri are most severely impacted. Illinois and Kentucky are also impacted, though not as severely as the previous three states. Nearly 715,000 buildings are damaged in the eight-state study region. About 42,000 search and rescue personnel working in 1,500 teams are required to respond to the earthquakes. Damage to critical infrastructure (essential facilities, transportation and utility lifelines) is substantial in the 140 impacted counties near the rupture zone, including 3,500 damaged bridges and nearly 425,000 breaks and leaks to both local and interstate pipelines. Approximately 2.6 million households are without power after the earthquake. Nearly 86,000 injuries and fatalities result from damage to infrastructure. Nearly 130 hospitals are damaged and most are located in the impacted counties near the rupture zone. There is extensive damage and substantial travel delays in both Memphis, Tennessee, and St. Louis, Missouri, thus hampering search and rescue as well as evacuation. Moreover roughly 15 major bridges are unusable. Three days after the earthquake, 7.2 million people are still displaced and 2 million people seek temporary shelter. Direct economic losses for the eight states total nearly $300 billion, while indirect losses may be at least twice this amount.

Impact of New Madrid Seismic Zone Earthquakes on the Central USA, Vol. 1 and 2

That was issued in 2009, I think that is we reexamined that today, we'd find the dollar losses quite a bit more.

That is one scary beast we've got in the middle of our country and no knowing when it will decide to rumble again, using current methodologies and techniques as the USGS does.



Don't forget to add the map of nuclear power plants to the NMSZ map:



Makes you feel all warm and squishy inside, doesn't it?

reply to post by snowspirit


As I recall reading in books over the years (audio), they've found evidence from the deep mines in this area of the country that the New Madrid moves in cycles. It's quite a thing when it goes as the first person accounts from the last time describe the set of quakes.

reply to post by jadedANDcynical


Fully agree, so does'nt Fracking merely create a series of - well for easy to explain - a sort of Capillary vein in what was otherwise solid rock and in time like today, its this that gives birth to zones that so easily Flood as seen nowadays.

reply to post by Happy1

Don't know about the halting of fracking - but I don't think they're going to do that -

Hey, this is from 2011 but here's one article on temporarily shutting down fracking for a while in Arkansas



'Fracking' Disposal Sites Suspended, Likely Linked To Arkansas Earthquakes

LITTLE ROCK, Ark. -- Two natural gas companies have agreed to temporarily suspend use of injection wells in central Arkansas where earthquakes keep occurring.

The commission says there is likely a link between the wells and the earthquakes. There have been more than 800 quakes in the area in the past six months and a magnitude 4.7 quake – the strongest in Arkansas in 35 years – hit there Sunday.

I'm sure they're back at it by now
But maybe they'll be more cautious as far as the stability around the area is concerned