Earth-Shattering Episode | J@N | 2.23.11
Posted on: February 23, 2011
Posted in: Jupiter@Nite, Video
del.icio.us
blinklist
digg
Facebook
Furl
ma.gnolia
Newsvine
Pownce
reddit
StumbleUpon
Technorati
Twitter
On Feb 22nd a 6.3 magnitude earthquake hit Christchurch, NZ. More than 60 deaths, 75% of the city without power, and billions of dollars in damages. The weird part? It was hit by an even more powerful quake five months ago, and nothing happened.
Tonight, we’ll share a few of the details on quakes, explain some of the science behind them, then go on a sciencey tangent about plate tectonics, volcanoes and fault lines, and even the end of the world!
Show Feeds:
Show Notes:
6.3 Quake Rocks Christchurch, NZ
Why so destructive?
Damage caused by proximity to epicenter, above a previously-unknown Fault Line
Previous 7.1 in Sept ‘10 was 70km below surface, this one was half as deep, as well as closer.
This area has had 1582 quakes above a 3.0 since September 2010 (when the 7.1 hit)
2.0 is approximately the weakest quake that a human can feel without instruments
Google released an app called the People Finder
Due to phone outages and overloaded cell towers, difficult to get through via phone.
This app was created for people to seek out missing friends/relatives, and to post messages to a bulletin board to let people know that you’re safe.
SCIENCE:
French scientists working on Early Warning system for quakes, using “foreshock” detectors
A primer on supercontinents courtesy of io9.com
Appropriate VIDEO
Plate tectonics, as a unified group of theories, has only existed since the 50s-60s
There are still alternatives, such as the “growing earth theory” that accurately explain it
Recent analysis near Olympus Mons on Mars indicates tectonic activity