Contrary to popular belief...

[jfrog]

Contrary to popular belief earthquakes are not on the rise.

http://earthquake.usgs.gov/learn/top...arthquakes.php

We continue to be asked by many people throughout the world if earthquakes are on the increase. Although it may seem that we are having more earthquakes, earthquakes of magnitude 7.0 or greater have remained fairly constant.

A partial explanation may lie in the fact that in the last twenty years, we have definitely had an increase in the number of earthquakes we have been able to locate each year. This is because of the tremendous increase in the number of seismograph stations in the world and the many improvements in global communications. In 1931, there were about 350 stations operating in the world; today, there are more than 8,000 stations and the data now comes in rapidly from these stations by electronic mail, internet and satellite. This increase in the number of stations and the more timely receipt of data has allowed us and other seismological centers to locate earthquakes more rapidly and to locate many small earthquakes which were undetected in earlier years. The NEIC now locates about 20,000 earthquakes each year or approximately 50 per day. Also, because of the improvements in communications and the increased interest in the environment and natural disasters, the public now learns about more earthquakes.

I guess the worlds not ending anytime soon

[Sean]

You just jinxed us now, watch there be a big one...LOL

[jfrog]

Originally Posted by Sean

You just jinxed us now, watch there be a big one...LOL

Lol. I just bring it up because those who believe the world is ending soon cite more earthquakes as evidence of that. So doesnt that mean that since earthquakes remain constant that the world is not ending soon.

[Praxeas]

Originally Posted by jfrog

Contrary to popular belief earthquakes are not on the rise.

http://earthquake.usgs.gov/learn/top...arthquakes.php

We continue to be asked by many people throughout the world if earthquakes are on the increase. Although it may seem that we are having more earthquakes, earthquakes of magnitude 7.0 or greater have remained fairly constant.

A partial explanation may lie in the fact that in the last twenty years, we have definitely had an increase in the number of earthquakes we have been able to locate each year. This is because of the tremendous increase in the number of seismograph stations in the world and the many improvements in global communications. In 1931, there were about 350 stations operating in the world; today, there are more than 8,000 stations and the data now comes in rapidly from these stations by electronic mail, internet and satellite. This increase in the number of stations and the more timely receipt of data has allowed us and other seismological centers to locate earthquakes more rapidly and to locate many small earthquakes which were undetected in earlier years. The NEIC now locates about 20,000 earthquakes each year or approximately 50 per day. Also, because of the improvements in communications and the increased interest in the environment and natural disasters, the public now learns about more earthquakes.

I guess the worlds not ending anytime soon

That was confusing

First off, when it comes to this person saying the number of earth quakes remains "fairly constant" (which means it could be more or less) he or she limits it to just those 7.0 or higher

Second of all, this person suggests it might just seem like it now because we have more detectors...but that still begs the question. Was there more or less BEFORE we had all the detectors? How would they know?

[shazeep]

if earthquakes are the result of crustal plates releasing tension, more should be better. it seems like if one wanted to worry about something, it would be yellowstone's rise?

[Abiding Now]

I lived through an earthquake. The good thing about an earthquake is that it's over in moments.

[jfrog]

Originally Posted by Praxeas

That was confusing

First off, when it comes to this person saying the number of earth quakes remains "fairly constant" (which means it could be more or less) he or she limits it to just those 7.0 or higher

Second of all, this person suggests it might just seem like it now because we have more detectors...but that still begs the question. Was there more or less BEFORE we had all the detectors? How would they know?

Confusing? He's making the argument that there is no evidence for more frequent earthquakes. In science we typically don't say something is happening without evidence... So I'm not exactly sure what your problem is with his line of reasoning.

In fact he offers a testing method that would eliminate the bias of having more testing stations. He says let's look at the major earthquakes that even the sparse early stations would have picked up and let's see if they are increasing. The result... Major earthquakes remain constant. Since they remain constant that is strong evidence that even low magnitude earthquakes aren't increasing.

It doesn't take a rocket scientist to figure this out prax

[Praxeas]

Originally Posted by jfrog

Confusing? He's making the argument that there is no evidence for more frequent earthquakes. In science we typically don't say something is happening without evidence... So I'm not exactly sure what your problem is with his line of reasoning.

In fact he offers a testing method that would eliminate the bias of having more testing stations. He says let's look at the major earthquakes that even the sparse early stations would have picked up and let's see if they are increasing. The result... Major earthquakes remain constant. Since they remain constant that is strong evidence that even low magnitude earthquakes aren't increasing.

It doesn't take a rocket scientist to figure this out prax

Did you read WHY I said what he said was confusing?

Let me simplify it. Just because there are not MORE earthquakes over 7.0 does not mean there are not MORE earthquakes.. :

[jfrog]

Originally Posted by Praxeas

Did you read WHY I said what he said was confusing?

Let me simplify it. Just because there are not MORE earthquakes over 7.0 does not mean there are not MORE earthquakes.. :

We arent making logical argumets here. we are talking science and evidence. the best evidence we have to base any belief about whether there are more earthquakes or not is looking at the frequency of the larger earthquakes since the smaller ones are detected more off often and not necessarily because of their increases frequency but because more and better equipped detection stations.

[shazeep]

a very recent--geologically--rise in smaller quakes actually wouldn't surprise me; Colo has just put a hold on all fracking in some county, Weld maybe, due to increased quakes in the region http://rt.com/usa/168972-colorado-ha...er-injections/