TOP STORY

Earthquake, tsunami hazards from subduction zones might be higher than current estimates
Two of the most destructive forces of nature – earthquakes and tsunamis – might be more of a threat than current estimates according to new research conducted by scientists at The University of New Mexico and the Nanyang Technological University titled Slip rate deficit and earthquake potential on shallow megathrusts. The research was published today in Nature Geoscience.

NTU study of ancient corals in Indonesia reveals slowest earthquake ever recorded
A 'slow-motion' earthquake lasting 32 years - the slowest ever recorded - eventually led to the catastrophic 1861 Sumatra earthquake, researchers at the Nanyang Technological University, Singapore (NTU Singapore) have found.

Open source earthquake detection technology used in global initiative
Grillo’s sensors, which are based on low-cost, open source hardware designs, are being used as part of a Clinton Global Initiative earthquake early warning project in Puerto Rico.

Electromagnetic anomalies that occur before an earthquake
It has been documented over hundreds of years that various electromagnetic anomalies occur during a few weeks before the occurrence of a large earthquake. These electromagnetic anomalies are variations that appear in telluric current, geomagnetism, electromagnetic waves etc. before the earthquake.

Slope stability model can help prevent landslides to protect communities and save lives
A mathematical model which can predict landslides that occur unexpectedly has been developed by two University of Melbourne scientists, with colleagues from Ground Probe-Orica and the University of Florence.

GPS satellites can provide faster alerts when big earthquakes strike, scientists say
A global GPS-based earthquake monitoring system can provide timelier and more accurate warnings than traditional seismic networks when powerful earthquakes strike, a new study suggests. It could also reduce frequency of false alerts.

Was a humongous Cascadia earthquake just one of many?
An enormous Cascadia earthquake that sent a tsunami all the way to Japan in 1700 may have been one of a sequence of dangerous quakes, instead of a single devastating temblor. The 1700 Cascadia earthquake is known from oral histories of local tribes living in what is today British Columbia, Washington, Oregon and northern California, as well as from geological records of broken rocks and tsunami deposits.

Machine learning aids earthquake risk prediction
The researchers from the University of Texas, Durante and Rathje, developed a machine learning model that predicted the amount of lateral movement that occurred when the Christchurch earthquake caused soil to lose its strength and shift relative to its surroundings.

They trained the model using data related to the peak ground shaking experienced (a trigger for liquefaction), the depth of the water table, the topographic slope, and other factors. In total, more than 7,000 data points from a small area of the city were used for training data — a great improvement, as previous geotechnical machine learning studies had used only 200 data points.

Rethinking predictive analytics for disaster resource allocation
This paper demonstrates the capacity of the Integrated Internal Displacement Population Sampler IIDIPUS code to inform disaster resource allocation on the short to mid-term. The primary aim of IIDIPUS is to estimate human displacement, not damaged assets.

Researchers develop advanced model to improve safety of next-generation reactors
When one of the largest modern earthquakes struck Japan on March 11, 2011, the nuclear reactors at Fukushima-Daiichi automatically shut down, as designed. The emergency systems, which would have helped maintain the necessary cooling of the core, were destroyed by the subsequent tsunami. Because the reactor could no longer cool itself, the core overheated, resulting in a severe nuclear meltdown, the likes of which haven't been seen since the Chernobyl disaster in 1986.

A New Approach to Calculate Earthquake Slip Distributions
A trans dimensional, probabilistic approach is more flexible than traditional least squares fits and provides better handling of sharply varying slip distributions.

A better way to forecast megathrust earthquakes and subsequent tsunami events
Megathrust earthquakes have caused some of the most devastating natural disasters in history, but a new model could improve our ability to forecast them.

GeoNet data holds key to securing affordable insurance for New Zealand
Earthquake Commission’s (EQC) ongoing investment in natural hazard science including the world-leading GeoNet platform provides confidence to international reinsurance markets to continue providing cover for New Zealand, writes Fraser Gardiner, Chief Financial Officer at the Earthquake Commission.