[ RadSafe ] Earthquake "types" -

Mon Apr 9 10:30:04 CDT 2012

As an aside, here's a website that lists earthquakes close to real time. 
It's interesting to look at the large number of earthquakes and realize 
that the earth is a pretty active place. 

http://www.emsc-csem.org/Earthquake/
 - - jmr

John Rich
312-269-3768

From:   "Miller, Mark L" <mmiller at sandia.gov>
To:     "The International Radiation Protection (Health Physics) Mailing 
List" <radsafe at agni.phys.iit.edu>
Date:   04/09/2012 10:22 AM
Subject:        [ RadSafe ] Earthquake "types" -
Sent by:        radsafe-bounces at health.phys.iit.edu

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

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