Friday, May 6, 2016

New Madrid Significant Earthquake Simulator

New Madrid Significant Earthquake Simulator

USGS simulates how a 7.7 Magnitude New Madrid earthquake would look like – Sign of doom?

This video shows a computer simulation of a magnitude 7.7 earthquake in the New Madrid Seismic Zone.

But I really wonder why the USGS simulates such cataclysmic event. Is there something we don’t know going on?

 

The new simulations of 1811-1812 New Madrid earthquake show strong and prolonged ground shaking....

And the lead researcher to add:
Based on our simulations, were the 1811-1812 earthquakes to repeat today, more than 8 million people living and working near the New Madrid seismic zone would experience potentially damaging ground shaking at modified Mercalli intensities ranging from VI to VIII
Moreover:
Strong ground shaking in the greater Memphis metropolitan area could last from 30 seconds to more than 60 seconds, depending on the magnitude and epicenter of a potential seismic event

That’s really incredible. Let’s hope we don’t have to find out just how bad it would be anytime soon.
The research study entitled:”Ground‐Motion Simulations of 1811–1812 New Madrid Earthquakes, Central United States” was published in the Bulletin of Seismological Society of America