[ RadSafe ] Earthquake "types" -

[Miller, Mark L]

As I understand it, the fault zones in southern CA are of the "strike-slip" (sideways) type that don't tend to generate tsunamis in any case.  OTOH, in the Pacific NW, you have subduction zones (where the Pacific Place is diving beneath the continental plate.  When quakes happen in these zones (as it did at Fukushima), there is considerable VERTICAL displacement (which can cause tsunamis if they occur at sea).  Accordingly, some coastal communities in the Pacific NW as highly vulnerable to tsunamis.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cascadia_subduction_zone
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Strike-slip_tectonics



-----Original Message-----
From: JPreisig at aol.com [mailto:JPreisig at aol.com] 
Sent: Saturday, April 07, 2012 8:55 PM
To: radsafe at health.phys.iit.edu
Subject: Re: [ RadSafe ] More on San Onofre

Hmmmmm,
 
 
      The earthquake in Japan was quite large (9.0  or whatever) and the earthquake zone was very close in proximity to Japan's coastline, thus creating the problems that happened.
 
      The faults near San Onofre are land based,  would not create a tsunami, and the earthquake magnitudes might or might not approach 9.0 in magnitude.  A southern California (or northern
California) earthquake would make some pretty nasty surface waves (Rayleigh waves, Love waves etc.) and give a nuclear plant a good shaking.  But, I doubt it would  produce a
20 to 40 foot wall of
Ocean water.
 
      Right now, I'd be more concerned about a  very large earthquake occuring off the coast of Seattle, Washington (USA) and any produced tsunami that would reach Seattle.
A look at the bay around Seattle (Puget Sound) might give you some idea of why people are concerned about such an event.  Are there any nuclear power plants in  the vicinity of Seattle or Puget Sound????  Again, the earthquake zone would be pretty close to  the city of Seattle.
 
     San Onofre will probably fix their problems and go  back online fairly quickly.  Why all the hubbub???
 
 
     Regards,   Joseph R. (Joe) Preisig,  PhD