San Andreas Fault - Large Scale Movement Reported

There has been a report of large scale motion around the San Andreas Fault system.

Scientists have detected definitive movement around the San Andreas Fault system in California. Areas of land surrounding the fault have been shown to be rising and sinking, according to findings reported by the University of Hawaii. The study published in the journal Nature Geoscience found that parts of California surrounding the San Andreas Fault are symbiotically, if slowly, rising and sinking.

Source

New assessment revealed the pattern

To tease out such motions, the team used a comprehensive statistical technique to extract from the GPS data a pattern of large-scale, smoothly varying vertical motions of the local crust. “While the San Andreas GPS data has been publicly available for more than a decade, the vertical component of the measurements had largely been ignored in tectonic investigations because of difficulties in interpreting the noisy data,” said Howell. “Using this technique, we were able to break down the noisy signals to isolate a simple vertical motion pattern that curiously straddled the San Andreas fault.”

Confirmation of predicted motion

The pattern resulting from their data analysis was similar in magnitude and direction to motions predicted by previously published earthquake cycle model results led by co-authors Bridget Smith-Konter, associate professor at SOEST, and David Sandwell, professor at SIO. “We were surprised and thrilled when this statistical method produced a coherent velocity field similar to the one predicted by our physical earthquake cycle models,” said Smith-Konter. “The powerful combination of a priori model predictions and a unique analysis of vertical GPS data led us to confirm that the buildup of century-long earthquake cycle forces within the crust are a dominant source of the observed vertical motion signal.”

Source

I know there's been quite a bit of talk recently about this fault line, but this is some of the first hard evidence that there is something really going on around there.

Maybe this is a warning of things to come?
I guess California is way overdue for a big earthquake, but it's nonetheless scary, especially for those who live there.

a reply to: lydie15

This seems to be confirmation of an a priori prediction of vertical movements. I read nothing to suggest a 'big earthquake' and certainly nothing to be imminently concerned for. California is earthquake prone, that's old hat, and this research doesn't suggest anything other than business as usual and confirmation of something they (researchers) previously had hypothesized.

At any rate, thanks for sharing!

They should send Nancy Pelosi and Diane Feinstein in to investigate more closely.

a reply to: lydie15Im watching it too.

The problems are not going to involve California alone.

Locked and loaded: San Andreas fault ready to go, warns scientist

originally posted by: caterpillage
They should send Nancy Pelosi and Diane Feinstein in to investigate more closely.

Verrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrryyyyyyyyyyyyyy closely.

and

VERRRRRRRRRRRRRRRYYYYYYYYYYYYYYY DEEPLY.

Maybe a couple of miles or more? Maybe we could borrow a teleporter to get them there?

Without an entourage.

Without an asbestos suit.

And, as usual . . . without a clue.

Then, if they returned, we could require them to take at least 10 years to write up their report . . . in a sequestered location in Siberia somewhere.

a reply to: lydie15

If California falls into the Pacific before the election it can change the entire electoral college. Not to mention Diane Feinstein being swallowed up by the San Andreas fault is really damn appealing.

a reply to: Metallicus

Except . . .

I'd expect the San Andreas fault to spew her back out as soon as it realized what was polluting its

uhhhh . . . crack.

No self-respecting fault could tolerate contemplating having THAT carcass lodged in itself for the next several hundred years!

a reply to: lydie15
Read this yesterday. I don't think it displays things to come but rather that the systems are becoming more advanced for warnings. An advancement in the monitoring, which of course, is a very good thing considering the fault possibly includes Cascadia;

"Earthquakes Along The Cascadia And San Andreas Faults May Be Linked, Affecting Risk To San Francisco Bay Region"

(however)From 2008

Seismic activity on the southern Cascadia Subduction fault may have triggered major earthquakes along the northern San Andreas Fault in California,

Source

a reply to: lydie15

Interesting, thanks for sharing!

I wonder... if motion is happening fairly smoothly and evenly, does that mean there aren't currently many 'stuck' spots building potential energy?

In my head, that suggests less likelihood of the Big One in the near term... maybe I am missing something.

originally posted by: caterpillage
They should send Nancy Pelosi and Diane Feinstein in to investigate more closely.

They are already living on the "It's Not My fault. . . . Line"

GTFO California. It is good for America. California is long over due to become an island because people refuse to move.

I here by stake California as a new buffer island of the pacific.

a reply to: dreamingawake

Being an ignorant layman . . . and therefore able to think outside the dogmatic conventional box . . .

it seems quite logical to me that the Cascadia big quakes could influence the Northern San Andreas and vice versa.

Why not?

a reply to: BO XIAN

If Cascadia hits, send flowers to my avatar. I live on the coast.

originally posted by: DBCowboy
a reply to: BO XIAN

If Cascadia hits, send flowers to my avatar. I live on the coast.

HOW LOW on the coast?

How close and how high is the nearest hill?

How fast can you run uphill?

Maybe you need one of those multi-propeller hover craft sorts of things.

Better yet, why not just get one of the larger version survival spheres that's been posted about on ATS?????

We'd sure hate to lose you--particularly THAT way!

"Noah how long can you tread water?"

originally posted by: BO XIAN
a reply to: dreamingawake

Being an ignorant layman . . . and therefore able to think outside the dogmatic conventional box . . .

it seems quite logical to me that the Cascadia big quakes could influence the Northern San Andreas and vice versa.

Why not?

Same here but that's the only alluding to source that I've found where it's likely possible.

a reply to: BO XIAN

Close enough that I have a beautiful view of the ocean.

We all say it's the price we pay to live in a beautiful part of the country.

My last post will probably be, "Oh shi

originally posted by: DBCowboy
a reply to: BO XIAN

If Cascadia hits, send flowers to my avatar. I live on the coast.

From tsunami to liquification susceptibility;
Geolog ic Hazards Map

a reply to: dreamingawake

Oh well.

Chances are it won't hit for 200 years, give or take.

Thanks for the maps!

originally posted by: DBCowboy
a reply to: dreamingawake

Oh well.

Chances are it won't hit for 200 years, give or take.

Thanks for the maps!

No problem always a good resource.

IMO I'm not buying the whole "overdue" as it's been described lately with many fault lines in the news.

a reply to: DBCowboy

Sorry.

But NOPE.

It WILL hit within your lifetime.

imho, the trend curves for a list of calamities are all going to peak at roughly the same time period--though it is more or less impossible to guess that closely at all.

I wouldn't be surprised if it happened within 3-5 years. Some think 1-2 years. I'd be fairly surprised if it was beyond 5 years. and utterly incredulous if it went beyond 15-20 more years.