Recent News

Vernon on KPBS Midday Edition to discuss Ridgecrest EQs

IGPP Research Geophysist Frank Vernon can be heard here on KPBS's Midday Edition discussing the July 4th (M6.4) and 5th (M7.1) Earthquakes near Ridgecrest. Vernon discusses the unusual strucure of the faultlines and their relation to other known faults.

Kilb, collaborators, explain fractured Ridgecrest fault lines

Debi Kilb and her collaborators share an annoted NASA satellite graphic to commence a thoughtful article about the unique Ridgecrest fractured fault lines as well as how the quakes have had a catalyst-like seismic effect in the region.

Kilb talks to News Channel 10 about the M7.1 and M6.4 Doublet

Debi Kilb met with news crews again today.  Reporters from KGTV Channel 10 contacted Kilb to learn more about the remarkable seismic activity over the past 48 hours.  In her interview, Kilb spoke about the high magnitude (M6.4 and M7.1) and time between quakes (< 36 hours) and said these two factors indicate the quakes were neaither foreshocks nor aftershocks, but rather mainshocks she describes as an Earthquake Doublet. Kilb also discussed the unique right lateral motion of the—until now—unknown faultline.

The Earthquake Doublet + 2400 smaller EQs plotted

One more helpful graphic to better illustrate the remarkable seismic activity the Ridgecrest area is experiencing right now. There have been over 2400 earthquakes since July 4. IGPP Seismologist Debi Kilb is reluctant to refer to the first quake as a foreshock, given its magnitude. She is referring to both the M6.4 and the M7.1 quakes as mainshocks and calling them an "EQ Doublet."

>M7 Earthquakes are a rarity in California

Just how frequently do >M7 earthquakes occur in our state? Not very often. There have only been 25 in the past 209 years! Bonus question: Do they all occur along the San Andreas Fault? Nope. This one certainly didn't. The San Andreas Fault runs along the coast of Northern California and continues on land thru the southern portion of the state.

Updated EQ annotation

Two Mainshocks!

Want an update to better understand the magnitude of yesterday's M7.1 mainshock? Debi Kilb has more annotation for you.  Click here.

CBS News Channel 8 meets with Debi Kilb to learn more about the 4th of July EQ

CBS News Channel 8 met with Debi Kilb at IGPP to learn more about the Ridgecrest quake. The largest California quake in 20 years occurred along an unknown fault line and offers much to be studied.

Want to better understand EQ Data? Debi Kilb has some annotation for that...

IGPP Seismologist Debi Kilb annotated this ANZA network-generated image to better explain yesterday's Independence Day M6.4 earthquake in Ridgecrest, CA.

ANF captures and illustrates M6.4 Ridgecrest quake

Learn more about the Ridgequest M6.4 earthquake that shook some 4th of July festivities.  Visit the Vernon Lab's Array Network Facility (ANF) website for an illustrated view of yesterday's seismic activity: http://anf.ucsd.edu/spevents/display.php?event=11974527.

Final instrument recovery in Alaskan Megathrust complete

Director Constable and his crew are have successfully completed their survey and recovered each deployed instrument—with a bit of time to spare—and are returning to Seward along the scenic route.

Learn more about the trick used to retrieve the seemingly unresponsive Steelhead and other stories from the past week: https://marineemlab.ucsd.edu/Projects/Megathrust/?fbclid=IwAR1PK6_IVTjfV-r3PhTxeSqhD-vVCHYHKamZIZ9mbv4yAc9yV99HcrTVW8Y