NO Actual Lightning in this shot, and nobody hurt here. . . scene just lights up and folks react and leave the scene. One lady stops and turns her bike around. Sorry for those hurt and loss of one of our friends there! God Bless!!!
Tuesday, July 29, 2014
Saturday, July 12, 2014
Geophysicists Concerned as Oklahoma's Earthquake Total Surpasses California's!!!!! Great Story borrowed from "Accuweather.com"
By Michael Kuhne, AccuWeather.com Staff Writer on July 11, 2014; 4:29 AM
Frequent, rumbling tremors beneath the earth may be a common occurrence in California, but Oklahoma has now surpassed the state in the number of earthquakes felt this year-a trend that is surprising geophysicists and raising concern. "It is actually very surprising to us as well," Pasadena, California-based U.S. Geological Survey Geophysicist Elizabeth Cochran said. Between 1975 and 2008, only an average of two earthquakes with a magnitude of 3.0 or greater would occur each year in Oklahoma. Since 2009, the number of quakes has climbed exponentially, and there are no signs of slowing.
"There has been a dramatic increase in that time," Cochran said. "We're seeing a very steep increase with 183 quakes occurring in a six-month period." Between October 2013 and April 2014, 183 earthquakes occurred with a magnitude of 3.0 or higher, and continue to occur with an average depth of 3 miles. Between 1975 and 2008, a total of 40 earthquakes with a magnitude of 3.0 or greater occurred, according to a USGS study. Cochran said the rate will continue to climb in the future based on the current data.
The cause for this increase does not appear to be natural and has likely been induced by fluid injection, part of the crude oil and gas industry's disposal of wastewater through the creation of wastewater wells. Changes in pressure near faults in Oklahoma that surpass the fault's critical pressure threshold are likely the cause of the seismic activity surge. The injection of wastewater fluids deep into the ground can lubricate existing, dormant faults and change the stress and pressure of the fault, leading to increased seismic activity, Cochran said. "These quakes tend to be shallower," she said. "At this point, we do not think this is a natural variation."
According to a recent research study Cochran cited, not only has the rate of occurrence increased, but the rate in which earthquakes have the potential to ignite other quakes. "There is a fundamental change in the seismicity and statistically they differ from natural earthquake sequences," she said. While there are currently a number of studies being conducted on the increased activity in Oklahoma, earthquakes caused by injection tend to occur more frequently in areas than they once did, have a shallower depth than tectonic quakes that occur at the basement rock, along with epicenters in proximity to wastewater wells, she said. "These are the key things we look at," Cochran said. "[Fluids] may run into a fault and decrease the strength of that fault, essentially allowing it to slip.
According to Cochran, there are thousands of wastewater injection sites across the state, and many more across the country, but understanding the physics behind why some areas have seen dramatic increases and others have not depends on understanding a variety of variables. Cochran said the rate in which injection occurs, the volume of fluid injected and the existing state of the geology may all play a role.
The largest event in the state to occur in the past century was a 5.6-magnitude quake that struck Oklahoma in November 2011. "That was the largest event linked to injection," Cochran said. With the growing number of quakes in the region, the hazards associated with an even larger event occurring near a major metropolitan area have geophysicists concerned. "That is our big concern," Cochran said. "There is an increased probability of a larger event occurring." With the increased frequency of quakes in the region, the potential for a larger, damaging earthquake is more and more likely, she added. "We're just lucky that it [5.6 quake] did not occur in a major metropolitan area," she said, adding it struck about 45 miles from Oklahoma City. Earthquakes cannot be predicted in advance and can occur without warning. "The best we can do is make a long term forecast," she said.
Thank-You to Accuweather.com for this story!!! EQ Guy
LINK To Original Story@ http://www.accuweather.com/en/weather-news/oklahoma-earthquakes-wastewater-wells-fluid-injection/29640426
Frequent, rumbling tremors beneath the earth may be a common occurrence in California, but Oklahoma has now surpassed the state in the number of earthquakes felt this year-a trend that is surprising geophysicists and raising concern. "It is actually very surprising to us as well," Pasadena, California-based U.S. Geological Survey Geophysicist Elizabeth Cochran said. Between 1975 and 2008, only an average of two earthquakes with a magnitude of 3.0 or greater would occur each year in Oklahoma. Since 2009, the number of quakes has climbed exponentially, and there are no signs of slowing.
"There has been a dramatic increase in that time," Cochran said. "We're seeing a very steep increase with 183 quakes occurring in a six-month period." Between October 2013 and April 2014, 183 earthquakes occurred with a magnitude of 3.0 or higher, and continue to occur with an average depth of 3 miles. Between 1975 and 2008, a total of 40 earthquakes with a magnitude of 3.0 or greater occurred, according to a USGS study. Cochran said the rate will continue to climb in the future based on the current data.
The cause for this increase does not appear to be natural and has likely been induced by fluid injection, part of the crude oil and gas industry's disposal of wastewater through the creation of wastewater wells. Changes in pressure near faults in Oklahoma that surpass the fault's critical pressure threshold are likely the cause of the seismic activity surge. The injection of wastewater fluids deep into the ground can lubricate existing, dormant faults and change the stress and pressure of the fault, leading to increased seismic activity, Cochran said. "These quakes tend to be shallower," she said. "At this point, we do not think this is a natural variation."
According to a recent research study Cochran cited, not only has the rate of occurrence increased, but the rate in which earthquakes have the potential to ignite other quakes. "There is a fundamental change in the seismicity and statistically they differ from natural earthquake sequences," she said. While there are currently a number of studies being conducted on the increased activity in Oklahoma, earthquakes caused by injection tend to occur more frequently in areas than they once did, have a shallower depth than tectonic quakes that occur at the basement rock, along with epicenters in proximity to wastewater wells, she said. "These are the key things we look at," Cochran said. "[Fluids] may run into a fault and decrease the strength of that fault, essentially allowing it to slip.
According to Cochran, there are thousands of wastewater injection sites across the state, and many more across the country, but understanding the physics behind why some areas have seen dramatic increases and others have not depends on understanding a variety of variables. Cochran said the rate in which injection occurs, the volume of fluid injected and the existing state of the geology may all play a role.
The largest event in the state to occur in the past century was a 5.6-magnitude quake that struck Oklahoma in November 2011. "That was the largest event linked to injection," Cochran said. With the growing number of quakes in the region, the hazards associated with an even larger event occurring near a major metropolitan area have geophysicists concerned. "That is our big concern," Cochran said. "There is an increased probability of a larger event occurring." With the increased frequency of quakes in the region, the potential for a larger, damaging earthquake is more and more likely, she added. "We're just lucky that it [5.6 quake] did not occur in a major metropolitan area," she said, adding it struck about 45 miles from Oklahoma City. Earthquakes cannot be predicted in advance and can occur without warning. "The best we can do is make a long term forecast," she said.
Thank-You to Accuweather.com for this story!!! EQ Guy
LINK To Original Story@ http://www.accuweather.com/en/weather-news/oklahoma-earthquakes-wastewater-wells-fluid-injection/29640426
Friday, July 11, 2014
3.9 Richters Strikes 20 MIles Southwest of Island of Jersey, UK!!!!!
Now what I found to be the most interesting part of this particular earthquake, besides it having a fairly huge felt report that you can see below, is the fact that on this felt report for Jersey, UK. . . also appears the fact that it was ALSO felt in Guernsey, UK!!!!! Long I have known that both of these two islands just so happen to be the exact very islands where we get all of our Jersey and Guernsey cows, but until now had not given too much thought to the fact that the existence of these two breeds of cows might owe at least a little something to Plate Tectonics!!!
So, here is that felt report for a 3.9 Richters Earthquake that struck offshore from England and please feel free to give some thought to what way the two islands are connected or perhaps where all of the other cows such as the Jerseys and Guernseys might have ended up in the movement of all those tectonic "Micro-Plates" over around England. Did England also have cows that evolved into yet other species? France? And where were the Longhorns evolving while all of this was going on? How long ago? Was there a time when all these cows came from one prehistoric cow family???
(Felt Report Updated 8:30pm Pacicic on 7-11)
City.........Country, Etc..................................#.....Km
Binic, Bretagne, France.............................1.....61 km
Kingsbridge, England, United Kingdom..............1....158 km
La Richardais, Bretagne, France......................1.....68 km
Plouguiel, Bretagne, France...........................1.....62 km
Saint Helier, Saint Helier, Jersey.....................1.....34 km
Saint Martin, Saint Martin, Jersey....................1.....39 km
Saint Peter, Saint Peter, Jersey...................1.....30 km
Saint Peter Port, ", Guernsey and Alderney......11.....41 km
Saint Saviour, Saint Saviour, Jersey.................4.....35 km
Torteval, Torteval, Guernsey and Alderney........4.....38 km
Trinity, Trinity, Jersey......................................1.....36 km
This is also happening in the middle of the July 2014 Full Moon Window which Officially started just a couple hours ago and so keep watching for more shaking at Jersey, Guernsey and other places and you can see todays regular EQ Blog @ http://earthquakealert.blogspot.com/2014/07/looks-like-something-might-be-shaking.html
Thank-You for Reading!!! EQ Guy
So, here is that felt report for a 3.9 Richters Earthquake that struck offshore from England and please feel free to give some thought to what way the two islands are connected or perhaps where all of the other cows such as the Jerseys and Guernseys might have ended up in the movement of all those tectonic "Micro-Plates" over around England. Did England also have cows that evolved into yet other species? France? And where were the Longhorns evolving while all of this was going on? How long ago? Was there a time when all these cows came from one prehistoric cow family???
(Felt Report Updated 8:30pm Pacicic on 7-11)
City.........Country, Etc..................................#.....Km
Binic, Bretagne, France.............................1.....61 km
Kingsbridge, England, United Kingdom..............1....158 km
La Richardais, Bretagne, France......................1.....68 km
Plouguiel, Bretagne, France...........................1.....62 km
Saint Helier, Saint Helier, Jersey.....................1.....34 km
Saint Martin, Saint Martin, Jersey....................1.....39 km
Saint Peter, Saint Peter, Jersey...................1.....30 km
Saint Peter Port, ", Guernsey and Alderney......11.....41 km
Saint Saviour, Saint Saviour, Jersey.................4.....35 km
Torteval, Torteval, Guernsey and Alderney........4.....38 km
Trinity, Trinity, Jersey......................................1.....36 km
This is also happening in the middle of the July 2014 Full Moon Window which Officially started just a couple hours ago and so keep watching for more shaking at Jersey, Guernsey and other places and you can see todays regular EQ Blog @ http://earthquakealert.blogspot.com/2014/07/looks-like-something-might-be-shaking.html
Thank-You for Reading!!! EQ Guy
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