BajaNomad - Earthquake experts?

Earthquake experts?

DianaT - 12-31-2007 at 02:53 PM

As we mentioned on another thread, the earthquakes here in Bahia Asuncion are like none we have ever felt---and having lived most of our lives in the Los Angeles area, we have experienced many earthquakes.

There are the rolling ones where the ground looks like waves if you are outside. Then there are the real shakers that go on for several seconds that feel like several minutes, both of which can roar, and then there is always the wonderful sound of crashing dishes etc. Then there are the after shocks which create real tension just waiting to see how strong they will be. These are so very much different than any we have ever experienced.

Last night as we were sitting through another cluster of quakes---which don't seem to create the same fear level, we tried to think about to what we could compare them.

It feels like living next to a large artillery field. The little guns make a loud noise with a little ground shake, and then the big guns go off with a very loud boom---kind of like a very loud sonic boom and then the earth doesn't as much shake as it jolts.

We know that there were people from Mexico City here last year when there was a swarm of these strange quakes, but they just said it was a normal fault. We just can't believe that someone has not come down to really study these---of course, one is never sure when it will happen. But, they do seem to happen in clusters and according to Shari and others, these did not happen before last year.

Any opinions? Again, while other earthquakes have scared me half to death, these just don't have the same affect.

Just curious and would love to hear from some of you scientific people.

Diane

David K - 12-31-2007 at 03:01 PM

Just an opinion, but seems to be magma movement, ie. volcanic. The quakes are strong enough to damage buildings, but almost never show up on earthquake maps... ie. localized tremmors... And they go on from year to year. Wish we felt one when we were in town!

I would sure like to hear from a U.S. geological survey team member. There's got to be someone reading Nomad with a contact in volcanology or earthquake expertese.

Geo Rock is in L.A. Bay... I bet if she knew this was happening, she'ld take the family over to Asuncion tomorrow!

[Edited on 12-31-2007 by David K]

woody with a view - 12-31-2007 at 03:16 PM

Quote:

Any opinions? Again, while other earthquakes have scared me half to death, these just don't have the same affect.

don't worry....be happy. :lol:

DianaT - 12-31-2007 at 03:25 PM

Woody, yea---we are happy, just curious. At the suggestion of another nomad, we wrote a quick e-mail to Cal Tech in Pasadena---always some grad student hanging around looking for a project.

It will be interesting to see if they respond---it is so localized, but something is going on.

David, at the time you were here, they had stopped. Seems like they like fall and winter.

Diane

Mexitron - 12-31-2007 at 03:32 PM

I emailed a letter to Dr. Joanne Stock at Caltech when the quakes were happening some time ago; she is an expert on Baja geology and was interested in hearing about it but I guess it wasn't so unusual that she thought it needed checking out.

comitan - 12-31-2007 at 03:47 PM

Diane

Don't worry its just the whales hitting there heads in the tunnel on the way to the Sea Of Cortez. :light:

Having very little expertise

Sonora Wind - 12-31-2007 at 04:10 PM

Quote:

Originally posted by jdtrotter
Woody, yea---we are happy, just curious. At the suggestion of another nomad, we wrote a quick e-mail to Cal Tech in Pasadena---always some grad student hanging around looking for a project.

It will be interesting to see if they respond---it is so localized, but something is going on.

David, at the time you were here, they had stopped. Seems like they like fall and winter. Small Quakes along a right lateral or left laterial lift falt ( GOOD THING ) Small Quakes in an area of magma movement ( BAD THING ) :cool:

So are there volcanos near? Large cardera near by, or just some local minadknock movement? Check hot springs for increased or decreased activity. Note Cliff faces for exposed material that is without desert varnish, land slides and such. These can be indicaters as to where the movement is if on land. Ocean area is very difficult to know. But it sounds exciting

Diane

Socalz - 12-31-2007 at 04:19 PM

I'd think it would be a better scenario to have the fault release stress a little at a time than to build up and release all that energy at once and yes, I stayed at a Holiday Inn Express last night.

shari - 12-31-2007 at 05:10 PM

The "experts" tell us that it's good to let pressure off bit by bit....so we like these little tremors...yesterday there were only a couple which gets us all nervous and the problem here is ya just never know when a rip snorter will happen...it's day 6 of tremors now...a few every day. the siesmoligists say the faults aren't big enough to cause a major quake but that 6.3 caused alot of damage. I haven't taken the frames off the walls yet..although I took bottles off the top of fridge etc....getting ready for a bigger one...last year they started like this and got worse....hang on nomads!

shari - 12-31-2007 at 05:33 PM

Yes, that is exactly what they said when they had town meeting...don't worry be happy...not a problem. Totally normal stuff, won't get any bigger so just deal with it and get used to it...but we are building out of either wood or rock now after we found out we were in a quake zone...things to consider for sure. This is the Trotters first experience with this....we already went through 3 months of this so we're kinda used to it but I am bracing for an increase in activity.

CaboRon - 12-31-2007 at 05:46 PM

Quote:

Originally posted by comitan
Diane

Don't worry its just the whales hitting there heads in the tunnel on the way to the Sea Of Cortez. :light:

Ken Bondy - 12-31-2007 at 06:51 PM

Diane
I am not an expert in seismicity, nor a geologist, nor a geotechnical engineer, but I am a structural engineer and spent my entire career (45 years) based in California. So I know a little about the mechanics of earthquakes and a lot about how to design buildings to resist them. But I do know this -- lots of little earthquakes in one area make it MUCH less likely that there will be a BIG earthquake in that area. So enjoy the little bumps and shakes and don't worry

. ++Ken++

[Edited on 1-1-2008 by Ken Bondy]

ElFaro - 1-1-2008 at 06:03 AM

Has anyone considered asking any "old-timers" in the area if this has occurred in previous decades? There might be a rancher who remembers or they might have been told by their parents or grandparents of this happening in the past. At least you would know whether this is new or has happened before.

Roberto - 1-1-2008 at 04:26 PM

Didn't happen before Nomads started showing up in numbers? Coincidence, or signs of things to come? You decide. :lol:

Barry A. - 1-1-2008 at 08:19 PM

Quote:

Originally posted by Roberto
Didn't happen before Nomads started showing up in numbers? Coincidence, or signs of things to come? You decide. :lol:

NOMADS have always been "movers and shakers".

Bob and Susan - 1-2-2008 at 07:06 AM

wood "would" be better for the "flex"
but...

the termites!!!

also the quality of wood in baja does NOT
meet USA or canadian standards and... :light:

the expertise that the local construction people
have using "sticks" to build
is NOT as good as their experience
with concrete and stone :light:

repairs are easier here with concrete :saint:

DianaT - 1-2-2008 at 04:50 PM

The quakes don't really bother us, not like the ones in California. We just find it interesting that they just started last year and do feel and sound so very different.

Yes, it is our first experience with the quakes here---but have experienced lots of quakes in the past.

Heard back from a person at Cal Tech who is on vacation, but will respond when they return. There are always grad students hanging around looking for new places to study.

Just curious---certainly we are not going away! And yes, the whales are beginning to come, so maybe they are the problem.

Diane :lol:

[Edited on 1-2-2008 by jdtrotter]

shari - 1-3-2008 at 08:09 AM

We are building our new units out of all rock because during last years fairly big quakes, our block house cracked and shifted everywhere but the rock walls we have were perfect...not a crack or shift anywhere. For Nomads building here we suggest more rebar reinforcement and no cement roofs etc. wood houses were fine but termites are a real pain for sure. The quakes have slowed down the last couple days but still have some daily. I get nervous when they slow down....waiting for a doozie.