It is also important to note that there are 15 nuclear reactors along the new madrid fault zone. The source of all this anxiety is the fabled new madrid seismic zone. Epicenters of earthquakes since 1974 shown by red dots. Fun and educational resources including science fair ideas and earthquake science you can understand. Geological survey has confirmed a thursday afternoon temblor near midlothian. Casting doubt a 2010 ap story says a new study casts doubt that the new madrid fault zone unleashed a series of quakes in 181112. The main point of the book, one which the stein repeats again and again, is that his location surveys using gps in the new madrid area show zero movement. A new madrid earthquake is coming and america will be. This area is underlain by one of the most destructive faults in north america, the. It is a zone about 50 miles wide and 150 miles long within which more than 2,000 earthquakes occurred between december 16, 1811, and may 25, 1812.
Articles, maps, and information on the new madrid fault zone or system and the great new madrid earthquakes of 18111812, as well as recent seismic activity. New madrid fault system seismic earthquake zone fault line activity nmsz quake map central midwest. Science briefs about new earthquake research written for nonscientists. But earthquakes also happen in the eastern and central u. The new madrid fault zone is famously known for the earthquakes of 1811 to 1812 and registered four of the strongest earthquakes ever recorded in north america. Predictions for future earthquakes along the new madrid fault, as well as. Subsurface mapping of the upland complex in western kentucky and. An earthquake prompted by the new madrid seismic fault line occurs. The red bulls eye covering the bootheel of missouri is the new madrid seismic zone. Until 2014, when the dramatic increase in earthquake. The new madrid earthquake that will divide the united.
The 18111812 events were some of the largest in the united states since its settlement by europeans, and the nmsz spans portions of seven states. Wasatch fault zone map salt lake city and utah faults map. Earthquake hazards near the new madrid fault zone human and economic vulnerability in the central united states earthquakes in the new madrid fault zone the new madrid fault zone nmfz is a longestablished weakness in the earths crust in the central and eastern us where earthquakes have occurred for hundreds of millions of years. Computer simulations of earthquake shaking, replicating the quakes that occurred in 18111812 in the new madrid seismic zone nmsz, indicate that future large earthquakes there would produce major, prolonged ground shaking. New madrid fault line could unleash catastrophic midwest. The heartland of north america is not the stable geography one would expect in the middle of a tectonic plate. This is the data set used in mueller and pujol 2001. New madrid seismic zone nmsz, region of poorly understood, deepseated faults in earths crust that zigzag southwestnortheast through arkansas, missouri, tennessee, and kentucky, u. New madrid seismic zone fault geometry geology guy. New madrid seismic zone quaternary fault localities.
Usgs resources and links to outside educational resources. Use features like bookmarks, note taking and highlighting while reading disaster deferred. A map of earthquakes epicenters, however, reflects faulting at depth and shows that the earthquakes define several branches of the new madrid seismic zone in northeastern arkansas, southwestern kentucky, southeastern missouri, and northwestern tennessee. Earthquakes in missouri missouri department of natural. And there is worse news yet, the fault line offers up extremely shallow earthquakes. These eyewitness accounts give a glimpse at what was seen and experienced by people as the earthuquakes occurred. The new madrid fault zone nmfz is a longestablished weakness in the earths crust in the central and eastern us where earthquakes have occurred for hundreds of millions of years. The study was conducted for fema by the midamerica. The earthquake hypocenters used in this study were obtained from two data sets. The biggest earthquakes in the history of the united states were. Strongest ever earthquake hits alaskas north slope region, but at the same time a quake in the center of the new madrid seismic zone occurs signaling an awakening of fault zones globally.
This result is his primary justification for concluding that the fema hazard map of the area is incorrect. In this study we have analyzed 1704 earthquake hypocenters obtained between 1995 and 2006 in threedimensional 3d space to more accurately map fault geometry in the new madrid seismic zone. A new trash can with lid is a good water tight place to store items. In 18111812, it was responsible for the most violent series of earthquakes in. Experts say its new madrids fault daily journal news. New madrid seismic zone geological feature, united. The new madrid seismic zone, sometimes called the new madrid fault line, is a major active seismic zone in the southern and midwestern united states. A new view of earthquake hazards in the new madrid seismic zone kindle edition by stein, seth. New madrid earthquake usgs partnering with the central u. The new madrid earthquakes of 18111812 by norma hayes bagnall 1996. New madrid earthquake map earthquake zones, new madrid.
One included 568 events recorded between october 1989 and august 1992 using a portable seismic network panda, chiu et al. But in new madrid they were thrown to the ground at almost every step during the violent quakes. Earthquakes in new madrid, missouri, united states most. There are historical accounts of major earthquakes in the new madrid region during 181112. From cairo, illinois down through new madrid, missouri and then on into arkansas. The new madrid fault system does not behave as earthquake hazard models assume and may be in the process of shutting down, a new study shows. Of course most americans are completely oblivious to all of this. A total of more than 200 moderate to large aftershocks were reported in the new. Salt lake city earthquake faults including wasatch fault zone, west valley fault zone, east great salt lake fault zone, southern oquirrh mountains fault zone, east canyon fault, and utah lake faults.
This would make a total of seven earthquakes of magnitude 6. New madrid seismic zone fault geometrynew madrid seismic. The new madrid seismic zone of the central united states chapter. We know they happen frequently along the earths tectonic plates.
New madrid seismic zone earthquake hazard article and map. In the event of a major new madrid earthquake, we could be looking at fukushima times 15. In 18111812, three large earthquakes up to magnitude 7. New simulations of 18111812 new madrid earthquakes show. The solid red lines show fault lines and the dashed red liens show the edges of growing fault zones.
Some scientists believe there is about a 10 percent chance of a magnitude 78 earthquake in the new madrid seismic zone in a 50 year time interval. Is the new madrid fault earthquake zone coming to life. The geologic record of pre1811 earthquakes also reveals that the new madrid seismic zone has repeatedly produced sequences of major earthquakes, including several of magnitude 7 to 8, over the past 4,500 years. The most active portion of the new madrid fault is named for a town in missouri that was obliterated by the earthquakes of 181112. Seismic hazard maps of the united states need to take the new. The new madrid fault zone is six times bigger than the san andreas fault zone in california and it covers portions of illinois, indiana, missouri, arkansas, kentucky, tennessee and mississippi. They are believed to have been magnitude 8 earthquakes with one of them possibly as high as magnitude 8. The new madrid fault is expected to generate a largescale earthquake within the next 50 years.
Most of the earthquakes appear to align along fault planes. Map of earthquake features of the new madrid district. The quakes struck the new madrid fault zone 200 kilometres south of st louis. The new madrid fault finders guide ray knox, david. The earthquakes and their aftershocks took place within a large region called the new madrid seismic zone nmszan area of high earthquake risk running from northeastern arkansas and northwestern tennessee to southeastern. Eyewitness accounts the series of new madrid earthquakes of 18111812 was one of the most dramatic natural disasters to strike the north american continent. Are the new madrid and alaskan fault zones waking 687. The new madrid earthquakes of 18111812 missouri heritage readers. We also know there are no such plates in the central united states. New madrid earthquakes of 181112 united states britannica.
In fact, one of the largest historical earthquakes to strike the continental united states occurred in the winter of 18111812 along the new madrid seismic zone, which stretches from just west of memphis, tennessee, into southern illinois. Those earthquakes opened deep fissures in the ground, caused the mississippi river to run backwards, and were reportedly felt more than 1,000 miles away. New madrid compendium eyewitness accounts ceri the. The author wrote it about 100 years after the earthquake of 181112, so he had to depend a lot on the observations of the few people who had written them down. If a strong new madrid earthquake, with a magnitude equal to the historic 18111812 earthquakes 7. Earthquake occurrences in southeast missouri are not rare. The new madrid fault system contains two types of faults, a strike slip segment oriented to the northeast, running from marked tree, ar to caruthersville, mo, and a northwest trending reverse fault that rests below the new madrid region. As shown in the map above, it stretches to the southwest from new madrid, missouri. I was interested in finding out more about the new madrid earthquake fault and this book was recommended. The department of homeland securitys federal emergency management agency fema today released a report, impact of earthquakes on the central usa, which presents the findings of a twoyear study on the impact of a 7. Louisiana geological survey the map shows earthquake locations in louisiana.
New madrid seismic zone maps of past quake activity. Earthquakes with magnitudes equal to or larger than 2. In the winter of 1811 and 1812, three earthquakes of magnitude 7, and possibly as high as 7. The new madrid seismic zone nmsz is located in the central mississippi river valley. However, it is not clear from the text just what he means by zero movement. In fact, most americans dont even know what the new madrid fault zone is or where it is. Suggesting current quakes are just aftershocks and therefore the new madrid fault is dead doesnt follow, says susan hough of the usgs 1109. The new madrid fault, also called the new madrid seismic zone, is actually a series of faults, or fractures, at a weak spot in the earths crust called the reelfoot rift. The fault line runs roughly 150 miles from arkansas into missouri and illinois. Seth stein, the leader of the research group, published these views in a book, disaster deferred.
What we know about earthquakes in the new madrid fault. In this lesson, we will learn about the 181112 earthquake sequence in the new madrid seismic zone and discuss the controversy regarding the extent of seismic risk in the central united states today. January 2015 texas more earthquakes strike north texas shaking going on. New madrid seismic region fault line maps page 4 showme. Next new madrid earthquake is imminent strange sounds. Diagram showing trench or fissure formed by settling of fault blocks. Map of the central united states showing location of the new madrid seismic zone. The new madrid seismic zone sometimes called the new madrid fault line, is a major seismic. The second data set includes 16 events recorded from 2001 to 2006 by stations of the new madrid seismic zone permanent network. The new madrid seismic zone stretches for 150 miles into five states.
About one billion years ago the continent began to rift apart in this region, but the rifting never completed. Foxnews jan 2010 update of nm seismic zone following a haiti aftershock. Uncertainty is the maddening aspect of earthquakes. Lying in the central area of the north american plate, the seismic zone is about 45 miles 70 km wide and about 125 miles 200 km long. Most of the residents of new madrid fled, on foot, to higher ground about 40 miles north. Evidence that earthquakes threaten the mississippi, ohio, and wabash river valleys of the central united states abounds. Download it once and read it on your kindle device, pc, phones or tablets. Two additional earthquakes of similar magnitude followed in january and february 1812. The simulation is based on a detailed geologic model of the central u. Back in 1811 and 1812, there were four earthquakes along the new madrid fault zone there were so immensely powerful that they are still talked about today.
The new madrid earthquakes may have been considerably smaller than. When people think of earthquakes in the united states, they tend to think of the west coast. The new madrid seismic zone, also known as the reelfoot rift or the new madrid fault line, is a major seismic zone located in the midwestern united states. It lies deep in the earth and cannot be seen from the surface. This animation shows the simulated ground motion of the earths surface that could occur in the central u.
The new madrid fault system earthquake activity in the new madrid region is concentrated in an area of weak ancient crust called the reelfoot rift. A new view of earthquake hazards in the new madrid seismic zone. Earthquake frequency in the new madrid seismic zone. Federal emergency management agency warned that a serious earthquake in the new madrid seismic zone could result in the highest economic losses due to a natural disaster in the united states, further predicting widespread and catastrophic damage across alabama, arkansas, illinois, indiana. Earthquake consortium cusec, center for earthquake research and information ceri, emergency managers and state geologists, usgs midcontinent geographic science center, fema, the coast guard and other federal and state agencies on sons07 exercise. Dinosaur southeast missouri dinosaurs were trapped in an earthquake fault.
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