Why researchers are carpeting the Denali Fault with almost 200 earthquake sensors

A team of five, including seismologist Carl Tape of the Geophysical Institute, installed almost 200 of the instruments during three sunny days in mid-April. They favored shoving the seismometers into ground at the base of spruce trees, where there was less snow to shovel and ample soil to receive the spikes.

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They already know huge earthquakes happen on the fault. A rupture there caused a magnitude-7.9 earthquake on Nov. 3, 2002, tearing a 200-mile line across the face of Alaska, through soil and glacial ice.

The fault is an ancient trench through central Alaska maintained by Earth's crustal forces shoving in opposite directions. Framed by the mountains of the Alaska Range, the Denali Fault is easy to spot on a map.

Why researchers are carpeting the Denali Fault with almost 200 earthquake sensors

I live in Alaska and the general consensus around here is that "the big one" (regarding earthquakes) is going to happen real soon. I think this is the University of AK getting ready for something and just telling the public that it's "for research".

I have noticed a lot more frequent and larger earth quakes in Alaska lately....and i thought I read there a volcano erupting there too? ....as for the students at University of Ak ...it sounds to me like research. If they knew something about a big one coming soon, I would think you'd see other researchers there too,not just the students ....but that being said....I do believe !myself, that Alaska could have a big quake .

Thanks for the head ups up on the info. I wonder if it could be triggering, if another Denali Quake happens such as one similar to the 2002 EQ, to the Cascadia subduction zone mega thrust fault.

Due to the shallow depth of the focus of the earthquake at 4.20 km, the quake was felt at least as far away as Seattle and it generated seiches on bodies of water as far away as New Orleans.[2] About 20 houseboats were damaged by a seiche on a lake in Washington State.[2]

-wiki

Here is where the Denali Fault is.





The Denali Fault is a major intracontinental dextral (right lateral) strike-slip fault in western North America, extending from northwestern British Columbia, Canada to the central region of the U.S. state of Alaska. Alaska’s network of faults is a result of tectonic activity; the Pacific Plate is actively subducting (sliding under) the North American Plate, and the Denali Fault is located on the boundary between the two plates. The fault's rate of displacement varies from 1 mm to 35 mm per year.

Rupture in South-Central Alaska—The Denali Fault Earthquake of 2002 (USGS)

Major earthquake shakes Alaska (CNN)

a reply to: JDesmond

I think this is the University of AK getting ready for something and just telling the public that it's "for research"

How does installing seismometers get one ready for something?

Aren't seismometers used to get data? You know, like for research?

I should mention that in 2002 the earthquake knocked out all lines of communication from Fairbanks and I think most/all of the highways were split apart. They fixed it all pretty quickly, but it was chaos in Fairbanks for about 3 days.

I watch the USGS, There have been a lot of Alaska earthquakes recently. I am not sure about that being 'a lot' in regard to historically. Does anyone know this?

a reply to: Phage

I think they suspect another huge earthquake coming pretty damn soon. A few seismometers is one thing (they already have other planted ones out there), but to add 200?! That's a questionable number to me.

We already had a test run of a food shortage in January. Local News Article

a reply to: JDesmond

You don't need instruments on site to see the "big one." Big ones are "heard" across the planet.


But you do need a lot of instruments to precisely locate and map little ones. And thereby gain some understanding of the structure of the fault.

originally posted by: JDesmond
a reply to: Phage

I think they suspect another huge earthquake coming pretty damn soon. A few seismometers is one thing (they already have other planted ones out there), but to add 200?! That's a questionable number to me.

We already had a test run of a food shortage in January. Local News Article

Alaska has a lot of earthquakes. How many seismometers are usually out?

200 and 'a lot' are still not in comparison to anything.


The local news article was about a barge coming from seattle with mechanical problems. No related.

a reply to: reldra

They're all over the state. Usually it's the USGS and the University of Alaska that puts them out. Let me see if I can find some numbers.

originally posted by: JDesmond
a reply to: reldra

They're all over the state. Usually it's the USGS and the University of Alaska that puts them out. Let me see if I can find some numbers.

ok

TrueAmerican is one to ask if the earthquakes in Alaska are increasing, if the increase in seismometers mean anything,

I beleive part of Alaska is part of the Ring of Fire, but not all of it.

I have seen some earthquakes in Alaska inland, recenly I think that had a deep depth. Those are less dangerous.

a reply to: JDesmond

USArray - Transportable Arrays The Incorporated Research Institutions for Seismology (IRIS) is deploying 261 seismograph stations in Alaska and Yukon as part of EarthScope’s Transportable Array.


The Alaska Volcano Observatory keeps constant watch over 41+ active volcanoes through seismic stations. (AVO & USGS)

Here's a map of all the active seismograph stations in Alaska. (IRIS)

a reply to: reldra

There are just 2 in chignik lake that may cause looking after the area. Thee was one shalow one but it was near a volcano, Tanaga volcano, waaaaaayyy out in the ocean. And robably because it is a volcano.

I really don;t see anything unusual for Alaska.

a reply to: JDesmond

261 more have been placed. It looks like for research. Nothing odd has happened to say they were placed for any other reason.

originally posted by: reldra

originally posted by: JDesmond
a reply to: reldra

They're all over the state. Usually it's the USGS and the University of Alaska that puts them out. Let me see if I can find some numbers.

ok

TrueAmerican is one to ask if the earthquakes in Alaska are increasing, if the increase in seismometers mean anything,

I beleive part of Alaska is part of the Ring of Fire, but not all of it.

I have seen some earthquakes in Alaska inland, recenly I think that had a deep depth. Those are less dangerous.

The Northern Hemisphere is heating up. Summer is coming. And , yes there are always earthquakes in Alaska. The numbers seem to die down to almost nothing in Deember or so. Then about March-April become active again

RSOE EDIS

Visit the page every now and then during the year. Frightening sometimes.But usually that is the norm.

a reply to: JDesmond

can someone help me here? just bought two model 151 seismograph sensors...small black box, bubble level on top, cable with multiple contacts, it may be 3 axis, has a north arrow on it. 70 bucks for two. But no manual or pin out.
any ideas on electrical characteristics

a reply to: JDesmond

can someone help me here? just bought two model 151 seismograph sensors...small black box, bubble level on top, cable with multiple contacts, it may be 3 axis, has a north arrow on it. 70 bucks for two. But no manual or pin out.
any ideas on electrical characteristics

a reply to: darkstar57

Just google "seismometer 151". There are several different ones, but I saw a lot of manuals/data sheets.

a reply to: AdmireTheDistance
well thank you... i did a search using seismograph and 151, nothing but the original on ebay, but your term, immediately yielded a trimble model..