Curious To Know If THis Type Of EARTHQUAKE swarm Has Ever Happened In Canada Before?

Originally posted by Ghostfreak1

Originally posted by ascension211
Listen up people. I have been watching Earthquake patterns and this is highly unusual. Period. After shocks, yes they happen, but this many at this magnitude in this short a period. No. I have not seen that with any other Earthquakes in the last year.

Don't ask other people opinion if you're too close-minded and prefer to ignore other people's opinions if it's not what you want to hear.

Or, you could try this.......Don't comment on other people's opinions if you're too closed minded and prefer to ignore other people's opinions if its not what YOU think.

It works both ways. For the record, I have no opinion either way.

Originally posted by jaijlee

Originally posted by Ghostfreak1

Originally posted by ascension211
Listen up people. I have been watching Earthquake patterns and this is highly unusual. Period. After shocks, yes they happen, but this many at this magnitude in this short a period. No. I have not seen that with any other Earthquakes in the last year.

Don't ask other people opinion if you're too close-minded and prefer to ignore other people's opinions if it's not what you want to hear.

Or, you could try this.......Don't comment on other people's opinions if you're too closed minded and prefer to ignore other people's opinions if its not what YOU think.

It works both ways. For the record, I have no opinion either way.

it would work both ways if I had an opinion, but who said I have ? on this one my only opinion is regarding the original poster's lack of open mindness and will to hear only what he wants...

Originally posted by Ghostfreak1

Originally posted by jaijlee

Originally posted by Ghostfreak1

Originally posted by ascension211
Listen up people. I have been watching Earthquake patterns and this is highly unusual. Period. After shocks, yes they happen, but this many at this magnitude in this short a period. No. I have not seen that with any other Earthquakes in the last year.

Don't ask other people opinion if you're too close-minded and prefer to ignore other people's opinions if it's not what you want to hear.

Or, you could try this.......Don't comment on other people's opinions if you're too closed minded and prefer to ignore other people's opinions if its not what YOU think.

It works both ways. For the record, I have no opinion either way.

it would work both ways if I had an opinion, but who said I have ? on this one my only opinion is regarding the original poster's lack of open mindness and will to hear only what he wants...

See, now, this is where the members of this site fall down. Opinions are classed as gospel. And, some of us know that "gospel" is fiction. With that in mind, my opinion, your opinion and the OP's opinion are neither right or wrong. As educated as some of us might be, no one on this site posts anything without emotion involved. Everyone needs to assert their intelligence on this site to survive the inherent onslaught of abuse it generates if other members assert that we are wrong.

My assertion is that: No one is right, unless you can irrevocably prove otherwise. Some of the members here do. And some rant on about " pics or It didn't happen".

Think with an open mind. FFS!

all the replies seem to be harping on the use of the word "swarm" and NO ONE has bothered to even answer the question posed by the OP. everyone gets so excited about pouncing on someone around here.

i would also like to know if such a large amount of aftershocks, which almost seem swarm-like, have happened in this area before. is it highly unusual? or moderately unusual? or nothing at all unusual?

reply to post by ascension211


I would say this is unusual, yes.

But I base that on my own feelings only.
I think this area could become very dangerous.
Or nothing more could happen.

I lean towards more dangerous myself,
I really believe there is a reason why
I am not in that area of the world right now.

But then,
I'm just some guy.

This region of the Pacific:North America plate boundary has hosted 7 earthquakes of magnitude 6 or greater over the past 40 years – the largest of which was a M 6.6 earthquake in 2009, 80 km to the south east of the 2012 earthquake. In 1949, a M 8.1 earthquake occurred closer to the Pacific:North America plate boundary, likely as a result of strike-slip faulting, approximately 100 km northwest of the October 28th earthquake, near the northern extent of Haida Gwaii region (formerly Queen Charlotte Islands).

USGS Link

An 8.1 in 1949, would have to look up the quake history with it I guess to see what happened then.

OP- that region gets earthquakes from time to time, but has not had an earthquake this strong since 1940 (I read a report on CNN.com last night, I'll try to find it).
I'm a native PacNW'er and I'm more concerned with the Juan de Fuca plate. When that one goes, it's all bets off for the West Coast.

Ok so we had a flock of earthquakes, or a bakers dozen what does it matter.

Originally posted by LotusUprising
OP- that region gets earthquakes from time to time, but has not had an earthquake this strong since 1940 (I read a report on CNN.com last night, I'll try to find it).
I'm a native PacNW'er and I'm more concerned with the Juan de Fuca plate. When that one goes, it's all bets off for the West Coast.

it's beginning to get action near the northernmost bottleneck (Juan de Fuca)

hope you stay safe.
we are in Seattle so this is kind of scary for us. much more so for the island (vancouver!)

Originally posted by ascension211
Listen up people. I have been watching Earthquake patterns and this is highly unusual. Period. After shocks, yes they happen, but this many at this magnitude in this short a period. No. I have not seen that with any other Earthquakes in the last year.

I agree! I don't know why this is so hard to understand. Yes they are after shocks, but they don't generally occur this frequently and of this magnitude. This is very unusual and like you, I've been studying earthquakes for quite awhile. Although it's finally slowed down but still, that many in that time span.

Between the earthquakes and the storms forming, along with (900 mile wide) hurricane Sandy? I hope wherever you are, all of you, (please spread the word to family and friends) to make certain your emergency supplies are ready and for possibly days/weeks/longer without power.

Hang on folks, we're in for a bumpy ride.

I don't know the answer to the opening title BUT I think we are in a war.
But not like the last war, this one is using the usual EQs and natural events, amplifying them and now you have deaths and disasters.

It's going to be a bit hairy but if we can get to 31 Dec 12, than you should be alright if you have love and not hate.

It's all inter-related.

reply to post by KhufuKeplerTriangle


You stay safe too! I was in the '01 quake up there, scariest thing that I've ever experienced!

Just remember, you are where you are supposed to be.

Originally posted by phroziac
Just foreshocks and aftershocks. That is, of course, the edge of the continental plate and ocean plate. Theyll probably have aftershocks for months. Japan is still having aftershocks from 3/11. I say theyre lucky it happened now instead of building up pressure until it could shake out a 9.0!

I do wonder if sandy has anything to do with it. Theres been a major drought all summer, and now an unseadonable huricane? Hmmmmmmmm......mightvr put interesting stresses on the plate

As long as it does not get the juan de fuca moving or the undersea slide area or the San Andreas all which would effect us here in Ca/Or Border area moving!

op- i do think it's unusual as we haven't seen that many strong aftershocks in that area in along time... the only earthquake I ever experienced was in SE alaska... and being from kansas I thought that was freaky enough and I think it was only a 4.7 back in 2004 but small shocks up north are no big deal and they get them a lot..

I personally have never seen aftershocks at this frequency and strength before. I'm glued to my earthquake app. There was just another 6.3 at the same position, what I'm worried about is like Japan maybe that 7+ magnitude was just a foreshock and there are greater ones to come.

With Sandy and the elections - I'm worried. Something may be about to go down.

reply to post by PatriotGames2


I've felt this way for a while. I hope that we are wrong.

Geographically speaking these quakes are pocket change compared the the PNW's rough history as far as quakes go. This area is capable of Strike slip quakes reaching intensities that rival last years quake in Japan.

4.2 157km S of Masset, Canada 2012-10-28 23:11:18 52.613°N 132.443°W 13.8
4.7 189km S of Masset, Canada 2012-10-28 22:41:28 52.316°N 131.904°W 10.0
4.6 158km S of Masset, Canada 2012-10-28 21:38:19 52.602°N 131.893°W 24.7
5.1 166km S of Masset, Canada 2012-10-28 19:16:55 52.544°N 132.580°W 47.2
5.5 190km S of Masset, Canada 2012-10-28 19:09:56 52.315°N 131.860°W 14.8
5.4 151km SSW of Masset, Canada 2012-10-28 19:03:24 52.742°N 132.901°W 32.8
6.3 159km SSW of Masset, Canada 2012-10-28 18:54:21 52.633°N 132.701°W 8.2
5.1 184km S of Masset, Canada 2012-10-28 16:17:04 52.380°N 131.664°W 15.0
4.4 177km S of Masset, Canada 2012-10-28 15:48:45 52.427°N 132.261°W 10.0
4.4 191km S of Masset, Canada 2012-10-28 15:44:59 52.309°N 132.408°W 10.0
4.0 185km SSE of Masset, Canada 2012-10-28 15:42:21 52.404°N 131.422°W 10.0
4.3 135km S of Masset, Canada 2012-10-28 15:24:22 52.803°N 132.113°W 10.0
4.0 166km S of Masset, Canada 2012-10-28 15:10:34 52.516°N 132.066°W 10.0
4.4 177km S of Masset, Canada 2012-10-28 15:06:55 52.417°N 132.169°W 10.0
4.0 164km SSE of Masset, Canada 2012-10-28 14:14:28 52.588°N 131.440°W 7.7
4.2 154km S of Masset, Canada 2012-10-28 14:04:27 52.635°N 132.403°W 10.0
4.8 176km S of Masset, Canada 2012-10-28 13:09:14 52.432°N 131.882°W 10.2
4.1 127km S of Masset, Canada 2012-10-28 12:38:46 52.870°N 132.204°W 10.1
4.0 148km S of Masset, Canada 2012-10-28 12:18:00 52.689°N 131.870°W 9.8
4.1 161km S of Masset, Canada 2012-10-28 12:09:43 52.568°N 132.065°W 10.0
4.7 175km S of Masset, Canada 2012-10-28 11:53:21 52.438°N 132.201°W 10.5
4.8 180km S of Masset, Canada 2012-10-28 11:27:46 52.395°N 132.161°W 11.1
4.3 183km SSE of Masset, Canada 2012-10-28 11:17:22 52.400°N 131.565°W 10.6
4.0 172km S of Masset, Canada 2012-10-28 10:59:14 52.477°N 131.769°W 9.7
4.3 170km S of Masset, Canada 2012-10-28 10:50:32 52.484°N 131.945°W 10.3
4.7 157km S of Masset, Canada 2012-10-28 10:45:50 52.621°N 32.500°W 10.2
4.5 145km SSW of Masset, Canada 2012-10-28 10:23:09 52.753°N 132.678°W 10.2

An aftershock is a smaller earthquake that occurs after a previous large earthquake, in the same area of the main shock. If an aftershock is larger than the main shock, the aftershock is redesignated as the main shock and the original main shock is redesignated as a foreshock. Aftershocks are formed as the crust around the displaced fault plane adjusts to the effects of the main shock. Omori's Law The rate of aftershocks with time follows Omori's law.[1] Omori's law, or more correctly the modified Omori's law, is an empirical relation for the temporal decay of aftershock rates. In 1894, Fusakichi Omori published his work on the aftershocks of earthquakes, in which he stated that aftershock frequency decreases by roughly the reciprocal of time after the main shock. n(t) = \frac [K] [c+t] where: n(t) is the rate of earthquakes measured in a certain time t after the main shock, K is the amplitude, and c is the "time offset" parameter. The modified version of Omori's law, now commonly used, was proposed by Utsu in 1961.[2][3] n(t) = \frac [k] [(c+t)^p] where p modifies the decay rate and typically falls in the range 0.7–1.5. According to these equations, the rate of aftershocks decreases quickly with time. The rate of aftershocks is proportional to the inverse of time since the mainshock and this relationship can be used to estimate the probability of future aftershock occurrence.[4] Thus whatever the probability of an aftershock are on the first day, the second day will have 1/2 the probability of the first day and the tenth day will have approximately 1/10 the probability of the first day (when p is equal to 1). These patterns describe only the statistical behavior of aftershocks; the actual times, numbers and locations of the aftershocks are stochastic, while tending to follow these patterns. As this is an empirical law, values of the parameters are obtained by fitting to data after a mainshock has occurred, and they imply no specific physical mechanism in any given case. en.wikipedia.org...

Wow. I hope these people are doing okay? Just in the time I was writing this post they have had more. And the area north of that in Alaska seems to be doing some shaking. Last month it was California, but those swarms dont't seem to have the same intensity as this one. I have not seen this activity in Canada for the time I have been following patterns. Maybe they have had this before. i know that area has had earthquakes, but like this, in a 12-24 hour time frame?

The After Shocks/ Swarm I posted above is more of the same. Unusual to me. No matter what you call them.

all the replies seem to be harping on the use of the word "swarm" and NO ONE has bothered to even answer the question posed by the OP. everyone gets so excited about pouncing on someone around here. i would also like to know if such a large amount of aftershocks, which almost seem swarm-like, have happened in this area before. is it highly unusual? or moderately unusual? or nothing at all unusual?

Thanks for recognizing that.

4.2 157km S of Masset, Canada 2012-10-28 23:11:18 52.613°N 132.443°W 13.8
4.7 189km S of Masset, Canada 2012-10-28 22:41:28 52.316°N 131.904°W 10.0
4.6 158km S of Masset, Canada 2012-10-28 21:38:19 52.602°N 131.893°W 24.7
5.1 166km S of Masset, Canada 2012-10-28 19:16:55 52.544°N 132.580°W 47.2
5.5 190km S of Masset, Canada 2012-10-28 19:09:56 52.315°N 131.860°W 14.8
5.4 151km SSW of Masset, Canada 2012-10-28 19:03:24 52.742°N 132.901°W 32.8
6.3 159km SSW of Masset, Canada 2012-10-28 18:54:21 52.633°N 132.701°W 8.2
5.1 184km S of Masset, Canada 2012-10-28 16:17:04 52.380°N 131.664°W 15.0
4.4 177km S of Masset, Canada 2012-10-28 15:48:45 52.427°N 132.261°W 10.0
4.4 191km S of Masset, Canada 2012-10-28 15:44:59 52.309°N 132.408°W 10.0
4.0 185km SSE of Masset, Canada 2012-10-28 15:42:21 52.404°N 131.422°W 10.0
4.3 135km S of Masset, Canada 2012-10-28 15:24:22 52.803°N 132.113°W 10.0
4.0 166km S of Masset, Canada 2012-10-28 15:10:34 52.516°N 132.066°W 10.0
4.4 177km S of Masset, Canada 2012-10-28 15:06:55 52.417°N 132.169°W 10.0
4.0 164km SSE of Masset, Canada 2012-10-28 14:14:28 52.588°N 131.440°W 7.7
4.2 154km S of Masset, Canada 2012-10-28 14:04:27 52.635°N 132.403°W 10.0
4.8 176km S of Masset, Canada 2012-10-28 13:09:14 52.432°N 131.882°W 10.2
4.1 127km S of Masset, Canada 2012-10-28 12:38:46 52.870°N 132.204°W 10.1
4.0 148km S of Masset, Canada 2012-10-28 12:18:00 52.689°N 131.870°W 9.8
4.1 161km S of Masset, Canada 2012-10-28 12:09:43 52.568°N 132.065°W 10.0
4.7 175km S of Masset, Canada 2012-10-28 11:53:21 52.438°N 132.201°W 10.5
4.8 180km S of Masset, Canada 2012-10-28 11:27:46 52.395°N 132.161°W 11.1
4.3 183km SSE of Masset, Canada 2012-10-28 11:17:22 52.400°N 131.565°W 10.6
4.0 172km S of Masset, Canada 2012-10-28 10:59:14 52.477°N 131.769°W 9.7
4.3 170km S of Masset, Canada 2012-10-28 10:50:32 52.484°N 131.945°W 10.3
4.7 157km S of Masset, Canada 2012-10-28 10:45:50 52.621°N 32.500°W 10.2
4.5 145km SSW of Masset, Canada 2012-10-28 10:23:09 52.753°N 132.678°W 10.2
4.3 171km S of Masset, Canada 2012-10-28 10:10:27 52.482°N 132.248°W 10.3
4.3 123km S of Masset, Canada 2012-10-28 10:04:37 52.924°N 132.395°W 10.3
4.1 127km S of Masset, Canada 2012-10-28 09:52:58 52.892°N 131.733°W 10.0
4.4 127km S of Masset, Canada 2012-10-28 09:45:39 52.886°N 132.392°W 10.2
4.4 221km S of Masset, Canada 2012-10-28 09:41:16 52.029°N 132.187°W 10.0
4.6 196km S of Masset, Canada 2012-10-28 09:36:36 52.258°N 132.343°W 10.3
4.4 178km SSE of Masset, Canada 2012-10-28 09:22:49 52.467°N 131.439°W 10.7
5.3 206km S of Masset, Canada 2012-10-28 09:17:27 52.159°N 132.149°W 10.2
4.2 215km S of Masset, Canada 2012-10-28 09:15:48 52.102°N 131.653°W 10.0
4.5 208km SW of Masset, Canada 2012-10-28 08:47:58 52.901°N 134.629°W 10.0
4.3 216km S of Masset, Canada 2012-10-28 08:22:04 52.066°N 132.073°W 10.0
5.0 198km SSE of Masset, Canada 2012-10-28 07:25:22 52.270°N 131.493°W 10.6
4.9 140km S of Masset, Canada 2012-10-28 07:16:37 52.775°N 132.456°W 11.3
4.6 212km S of Masset, Canada 2012-10-28 07:12:14 52.109°N 132.221°W 10.0
4.4 231km S of Masset, Canada 2012-10-28 07:02:19 51.941°N 131.836°W 10.8
5.0 203km SSE of Masset, Canada 2012-10-28 06:16:53 52.268°N 131.212°W 11.5
4.5 139km SSW of Masset, Canada 2012-10-28 05:51:17 52.815°N 132.714°W 10.3
4.2 181km SSE of Masset, Canada 2012-10-28 05:47:08 52.429°N 131.451°W 10.1
4.1 248km S of Masset, Canada 2012-10-28 05:38:38 51.786°N 132.312°W 10.1
4.3 211km S of Masset, Canada 2012-10-28 05:21:36 52.139°N 131.571°W 10.0
4.3 169km S of Masset, Canada 2012-10-28 05:15:12 52.499°N 132.222°W 10.1
4.5 178km S of Masset, Canada 2012-10-28 05:02:49 52.409°N 132.165°W 10.3
4.3 180km S of Masset, Canada 2012-10-28 04:54:46 52.403°N 132.439°W 10.1
4.7 162km SSW of Masset, Canada 2012-10-28 04:41:05 52.592°N 132.670°W 10.0
4.6 140km SSW of Masset, Canada 2012-10-28 04:33:51 52.906°N 133.120°W 10.0
5.1 237km SSW of Masset, Canada 2012-10-28 04:25:17 52.019°N 133.370°W 10.1
4.8 202km S of Masset, Canada 2012-10-28 03:52:24 52.199°N 131.986°W 10.9
7.7 139km S of Masset, Canada 2012-10-28 03:04:10 52.769°N 131.927°W 17.5



Tried to line these up, hardly matters. This is not normal behavior for any a earthquake/aftershocks/swarms,
whatever you call them.




Wow. I hope these people are doing okay? Just in the time I was writing this post they have had more. And the area north of that in Alaska seems to be doing some shaking. Last month it was California, but those swarms dont't seem to have the same intensity as this one. I have not seen this activity in Canada for the time I have been following patterns. Maybe they have had this before. i know that area has had earthquakes, but like this, in a 12-24 hour time frame?




Adcension211

Well, in the vicinity of Queen Charlotte City BC, over the last 3 years; this area has had 3 significant recorded quakes. a 6.5 in 2009, and now the 7.7 and 6.3 (yes, I am considering this 6.3 to not be an aftershock but a separate event.) Now I know that this area is very active and I am happier to see a series of smaller quakes reduce in magnitude as time goes by. But this seems rather consistent. I live in Alberta, so an EQ to me is about as foreign as it comes, this is just my opinion.