Mysterious swarm of quakes rattling Alabama; unknown cause

This swarm of small quakes began in November with a 3.8 in Greene County, AL and was followed by one in December and another in January and then three in just a few hours in February. Now, they continue quite often but none of the quakes is as large as the first one in November. Residents are rattled because it's an area that doesn't usually get quakes, the last one prior to these...four decades ago. Fracking has been ruled out because there isn't any oil and gas activity in this particular part of Alabama.

The quakes could be linked to underground cracks, or faults, found in the area in recent years at varying depths, Ebersole said. But just what has been causing the ground to shake is unclear.

Swarm of quakes rattles rural Alabama

I only bring this up because it seems like there are many of these quakes in areas they shouldn't be, or were previously unknown to have a fault. I think of Connecticu and Virginia. There's also been a lot of activity in California, not to mention Oklahoma. Japan is also seeing a large uptick in quakes right now and there are other parts of the world.

It would be cool if some quake experts chimed in on why the increase in quake activity in the past few years or what their theories are. I read some where just the other day that back in the 50's and 60's there was an uptick in large quakes (above 8.0) and then the world went all the way till the 2004 quake that caused the massive tsunami before there was a quake above 8.3, and since then...there have been multiple large quakes. Not sure if this is true, can't even remember where I read it.

Either way, large quakes have increased in the last decade, as have these little quakes that I posted the article about. Volcano eruptions have also increased. Prior to two years ago, the average amount of eruptions per year was in the 50's or about once a week. In the last two years there have been 83 eruptions per year. That's a significant increase and this year is on pace to match that again. And then there is this thread about Toba, the super volcano, showing some signs of activity Toba emitting hot steam and gas

Once again, quake and volcano experts, please chime in with some theories on why the increasing quakes and volcanoes.

I'll close this OP with my own theory for you all to chew on. Here are two threads, one on earthquakes and the other on volcanoes.

How methane gas is responsible for increasing earthquakes

How methane gas is responsible for increasing volcanoes

a reply to: Rezlooper

I'm sure Forrest Gump is alright.

Second.

Once again, quake and volcano experts, please chime in with some theories on why the increasing quakes and volcanoes.

I'll try to get more info on the volcano & earthquake stuff, but right now I don't feel up to it. I am in such a state of mind at the moment that any new or unusual pressures might put me in a condition where I couldn't write anything at all. As I said before, I count on you to warn me if my stuff ain't up to par. For the first time in a hell of a long time I find myself facing the prospect of writing at length about something I don't want to write about, and it worries me. I'll see what i can do, but i'm not promising anything.

While Greene County is on the edge of Alabama's primary region for oil and gas production, state geologist Nick Tew said no such production or disposal work is going on in the area where the quakes are occurring.

So their is oil and gas activity 'nearby' but thats not it says officialdom.

mmm hmmm…

a reply to: PrinceJohnson

Thanks for response. Looking forward to your thoughts on it.

I read that as swarm of rattlesnakes. I need to go back to bed. But.. better swarm of quakes than swarm of snakes.

I tell you whut...this is the second time here at ATS that I have missread "swarm of quakes" as "swarm of snakes"...smh

This is a little odd for Alabama, but not entirely uncommon. I grew up a couple hours north of Greene County in Marion County and have heard of quakes from the older folks, but I never felt any down there. There is a fracture zone (Bahamas Fracture Seismic Zone) a bit south of Greene County. I wonder if it has something to do with that?

originally posted by: ladyinwaiting
I read that as swarm of rattlesnakes. I need to go back to bed. But.. better swarm of quakes than swarm of snakes.

Glad I'm not the only one.

My bet is on wastewater injection. Much like what is happening in Ok.

Alabama Wells

are these anywhere close to Louisiana and the cornhole thing?
(haven't heard much about that lately)

Finally found it.

Its the Class II wells that recent research has positively found a correlation with earthquakes. The well area is on the boarder with Mississippi so its ok to use mississippi data as well.

originally posted by: Legman
Finally found it.

Its the Class II wells that recent research has positively found a correlation with earthquakes. The well area is on the boarder with Mississippi so its ok to use mississippi data as well.

How far is that then from this swarm?

originally posted by: Rezlooper

originally posted by: Legman
Finally found it.

Its the Class II wells that recent research has positively found a correlation with earthquakes. The well area is on the boarder with Mississippi so its ok to use mississippi data as well.

How far is that then from this swarm?

Green county is in middle of two large areas.
oil and gas map

Problem is that this may or may not show wastewater wells... Those are harder to find for "some" reason.

originally posted by: SgtHamsandwich

originally posted by: ladyinwaiting
I read that as swarm of rattlesnakes. I need to go back to bed. But.. better swarm of quakes than swarm of snakes.

Glad I'm not the only one.

not meaning to derail the thread ... but at least all yours still kinda made sense ...
i read it as 'mysterious warm of quakes' .... i was trying to imagine for a moment what that could mean ... doh

anyway .. back to my corner

a reply to: Rezlooper

Strange. Nothing for Alabama has been showing on any seismological reporting site at any magnitude .

a reply to: Gothmog

Story says June 6 was the last quake in Greene county at 3.0 mag

originally posted by: Legman

originally posted by: Rezlooper

originally posted by: Legman
Finally found it.

Its the Class II wells that recent research has positively found a correlation with earthquakes. The well area is on the boarder with Mississippi so its ok to use mississippi data as well.

How far is that then from this swarm?

Green county is in middle of two large areas.
oil and gas map

Problem is that this may or may not show wastewater wells... Those are harder to find for "some" reason.

Seismologists say that its the wastewater injection that is causing the quakes and I don't know about all this but they believe these quakes that are caused by the process are where wells are on fault lines, such as the Dallas quakes. In the story they say there may be an unknown fault in Greene County but they don't know and they say there are no injection wells near there, and though I'm a strong believer in fracking causing quakes (think OK), I also think something else may be at play with some of the others, cuz there are so many areas of these small quakes and not all have frack wells to blame.

The seismologist uses the analogy of an air hockey table to describe what’s going on. If the air is turned off, the puck won’t move even if you push it. But when you pump in the air, it moves easily. With disposal wells sending fracking waste water deep underground, liquid and pressure are migrating into a “stuck” fault. “It wants to move but it can’t,” Frohlich tells StateImpact Texas. “Until you pump fluids in there and it slips.” Over 6 millions gallons of fracking waste water a month was pumped into each of the wells near the epicenters examined in the study.

How Fracking disposal wells cause quakes

a reply to: Rezlooper

You and I will always fall on opposite sides in fracking, but we can agree to disagree.

IMO the biggest harm to the U.S. Atm is wastewater injection and it is mostly ignored because these wells are so hard to track. They do not need the same oil gas permits.
And more research is backing up that it's the reinjection of water causing quakes. There is little fracking in ok comparatively BUT it is where the nation reinjects water.

originally posted by: Rezlooper
a reply to: Gothmog

Story says June 6 was the last quake in Greene county at 3.0 mag

Yeah , was wondering why no report. Thats why I started with strange...

a reply to: works4dhs

The Bayou Corne Sinkhole is kinda near Baton Rouge, and it has been quiet there recently. I live in Louisiana and haven't heard about it in months.