Recent News

Bock, SOPAC compute coseismic offsets for Ridgecrest EPS

Yehuda Bock and the rest of SOPAC have also been busy since the Ridgecrest Earthquakes shook So Cal. SOPAC computed coseismic offsets for the two events using the GAMIT/GLOBK software with 30s data from 109 continuous GNSS (Global Navigation Satellite Systems) stations within a radius of 160 km from the epicentral region. Click here.

Vernon reassuring in Times of San Diego

Frank Vernon also spoke to reporters from the Times of San Diego about the recent EQs. The article "Recent Back-to-Back Earthquakes Don’t Signal ‘The Big One’" should reassure readers that the seismic activity in Ridgecrest is very unlikely to have any impact on the San Andreas fault. The full article is available here.

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.