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How One Big Earthquake Triggers Another

January 31, 2008

Every so often, one large earthquake can trigger another. These “earthquake doublets” might happen because the first quake shifts stresses around in the Earth’s crust, triggering the second temblor, scientists say.

On Nov. 15, 2006 an 8.3 magnitude quake shook the Earth near the Kuril Islands, an archipelago off the southeast coast of Russia, and to the northeast of Japan. Within minutes, smaller quakes began shaking on the seaward side of the island chain. Then on Jan. 13, 2007 an 8.1 magnitude earthquake ripped through the upper portions of the Pacific plate to the east of the Kuril Islands.

The most recent quake took scientists by surprise, and a team of earthquake researchers has tried to piece together exactly happened. Their work is detailed in the Jan. 31 issue of the journal Nature.

When a large earthquake strikes, aftershocks that gradually diminish in strength typically follow the main shock for a few weeks or even months. But the two Kuril quakes were the same order of magnitude, so seismologists knew something different was going on.

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Written by admin · Filed Under A Perilous Planet 

Comments

2 Responses to “How One Big Earthquake Triggers Another”

  1. TINCY BURNS on February 1st, 2008 8:41 pm

    WE ARE IN FOR THE GREATEST OF EARTH QUAKES THE WORLD HAS EVER SEEN BUT BEFORE THEN WE WILL HAVE SMALL ONES I SEE A 7.5 TO 8.1 SOON HOLD ON

  2. Jan on February 3rd, 2008 4:00 pm

    I agree.

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