Tag: tectonics
The 2023 Turkey Earthquakes: “It Felt Like It Would Never Be Over”
Turkey and Syria are reeling after being struck by two enormous earthquakes in quick succession. Both earthquakes occurred along the East Anatolian Fault Zone; between them and their aftershocks, the damage is catastrophic, and the death toll is already in the thousands and rapidly climbing.
The first earthquake, striking near Gaziantep at 4:17 am local time, was measured by the USGS as a M7.8. At first, it wasn’t clear whether this earthquake struck within the East Anatolian Fault Zone (EAFZ) or the Dead Sea Transform fault zone. As of this writing, it appears it was located within the EAFZ.
The second earthquake struck near Ekinözü at 1:24 pm local time, and measured as a M7.5. Though it was 95 kilometers northeast of the initial quake and on a separate fault, it qualifies as an aftershock instead of a stand-alone earthquake. More on that later in this post.
We won’t have a clear picture of precisely which faults were involved, the details of the earthquakes, and the implications for the region going forward for months, possibly longer. Once we have some solid science, I’ll write up a properly detailed post for you. For today, I’ll go over some of the best available science, share some sobering videos, and provide ways you can help people in the affected region. (more…)
Rainbows Over Geology
Are you ready for some spectacularly beautiful images? It’s a tough time: of course you need some beauty in your life. Allow me to provide!
In between pandemic lockdown preparations, I’ve been spelunking the USGS website and watching the OG Knight Rider. K.I.T.T. is absolutely marvelous, but not quite as beautiful as some of these images I’m finding. USGS scientists are pretty talented photographers! And while most of the photos they take in the field are for strictly scientific purposes, they also turn their lenses to capture the ephemeral beauty that happens geology and meteorology combine.
I’ve lightly edited these photos to enhance their awesomeness. You can click the link in the titles to see the originals.
“The Earthquake Was So Strong, And It Was Very Long:” The 2020 Aegean Sea Earthquake
The geologic story of the Mediterranean is seismic. Tectonic or volcanic, earthquakes abound. A look at any seismic monitoring page for the region will show a cacophany of tremors, most never felt. But every few years, sometimes more than once a year, stressed faults fail catastrophically, and the human toll is grim.
On October 30th, 2020, the 40 kilometer Samos Fault, just offshore from the Greek island of Samos, slipped at a depth of about 21 kilometers, unleashing a devastating earthquake that has been variously measured at M6.7, M6.9, and M7.0. The intensity reached VIII on the Mercalli scale. This was the largest magnitude the fault is capable of, and many witnesses said it’s one of the longest earthquakes they’ve experienced. One said the shaking lasted 25 seconds. That becomes an eternity when you’re trying to find safety. (more…)