Very well written Melanie. Explaining and understanding earthquakes is not straightforward. You are a master at distilling complexity into something accessible. Well done!!!
The different scales for earthquake classification are important, especially when trying to correct for the type of geology that prevails in the region near the epicenter. You and I shared a similar period for the first earthquake of consequence for us. For a portion of my career, I worked at the installation of monitoring and control systems for power stations. Many of them are required by law to monitor for earthquakes and automatically safe shutdown depending upon the intensity. Therefore, earthquakes we could not feel (although someone always seemed to claim they felt it) were registered and captured with instrumentation. Anyhow, for me the first earthquake I could feel (it was modest) was the 1989 earthquake that disrupted the World Series between Oakland and San Francisco. I had family that had been on the bridge that collapsed (the Bay Bridge) LESS THAN 24 hours before while sightseeing. Anyhow, about 200 miles away, I was aware of the earthquake a modest shake nearly 200 miles south on the coast. Earthquakes are creepy as I grew up in an area where they were not a significant factor. While the area I grew up had frequent earthquakes they were numerous but modest in intensity. I would imagine New Zealand being along the ring of fire could suffer a large quake at any time.
If time avails and you are interested, we read a remarkable book in my history bookclub almost ten years ago. It was a story about the great San Francisco earthquake of 1906. The book did a FANTASTIC JOB at explaining plate techtonics. You might enjoy it. I'll add a link at the end. My lasting memory of that book was how USELESS my earth science education was in 1974/1975 as a freshman in HS. The theory of plate techtonics was in development. The way my Earth Science teacher explained the earth's crust was RUBBISH. We needed a newer textbook. Nowadays in the US, if they revise a textbook, matters like plate techtonics likely include a sub-section referencing Yahweh's role in the matter :)
Thanks so much Mark. The interesting/ worrying thing with New Zealand is we have one big main fault and it's due any time. But there are others too. The far north of the country and the far south-east are largely free of earthquakes as far as I know, but anywhere in the middle is liable to go at any time (the north has its own issues, as our largest city sits on an active volcanic field and at any point a brand new volcano could pop up in the middle of it. The chances aren't high of it happening in my lifetime, but it's certainly possible. We don't know when or where exactly and will only get a few days warning when it does happen).
The Crack at the Edge of the World is an excellent book, but I think his book on Krakatoa was even better!
I will put that book on hold. Thanks. Because of the popularity of his other writing, our book club also read and enjoyed The Professor and the Madman -- hard to believe you can make the dictionary interesting :)
So when I was working in central California near a beach town I worked at a power station. It was 42 miles due west of the San Andreas Fault on the coast. So despite the location the utility proceeded with construction of the plant (nuclear). When they got about halfway through construction they discovered ANOTHER major fault line named the Hosgri fault. It was offshore and changed the build criteria of the facility because the design basis accident for the plant was now a tidal wave!!! The changes commenced. As you might imagine the costs skyrocketed for the construction. No matter how unreasonable something might seem, if you threaten investors you will get run over.
Like most things (like your location) we just get used to it.
Your observations about the two similarly shaped nations strike a chord.
Thank you, I'm glad you appreciated it.
Very well written Melanie. Explaining and understanding earthquakes is not straightforward. You are a master at distilling complexity into something accessible. Well done!!!
The different scales for earthquake classification are important, especially when trying to correct for the type of geology that prevails in the region near the epicenter. You and I shared a similar period for the first earthquake of consequence for us. For a portion of my career, I worked at the installation of monitoring and control systems for power stations. Many of them are required by law to monitor for earthquakes and automatically safe shutdown depending upon the intensity. Therefore, earthquakes we could not feel (although someone always seemed to claim they felt it) were registered and captured with instrumentation. Anyhow, for me the first earthquake I could feel (it was modest) was the 1989 earthquake that disrupted the World Series between Oakland and San Francisco. I had family that had been on the bridge that collapsed (the Bay Bridge) LESS THAN 24 hours before while sightseeing. Anyhow, about 200 miles away, I was aware of the earthquake a modest shake nearly 200 miles south on the coast. Earthquakes are creepy as I grew up in an area where they were not a significant factor. While the area I grew up had frequent earthquakes they were numerous but modest in intensity. I would imagine New Zealand being along the ring of fire could suffer a large quake at any time.
If time avails and you are interested, we read a remarkable book in my history bookclub almost ten years ago. It was a story about the great San Francisco earthquake of 1906. The book did a FANTASTIC JOB at explaining plate techtonics. You might enjoy it. I'll add a link at the end. My lasting memory of that book was how USELESS my earth science education was in 1974/1975 as a freshman in HS. The theory of plate techtonics was in development. The way my Earth Science teacher explained the earth's crust was RUBBISH. We needed a newer textbook. Nowadays in the US, if they revise a textbook, matters like plate techtonics likely include a sub-section referencing Yahweh's role in the matter :)
https://www.amazon.com/Crack-Edge-World-California-Earthquake/dp/0060572000
Thanks so much Mark. The interesting/ worrying thing with New Zealand is we have one big main fault and it's due any time. But there are others too. The far north of the country and the far south-east are largely free of earthquakes as far as I know, but anywhere in the middle is liable to go at any time (the north has its own issues, as our largest city sits on an active volcanic field and at any point a brand new volcano could pop up in the middle of it. The chances aren't high of it happening in my lifetime, but it's certainly possible. We don't know when or where exactly and will only get a few days warning when it does happen).
The Crack at the Edge of the World is an excellent book, but I think his book on Krakatoa was even better!
I will put that book on hold. Thanks. Because of the popularity of his other writing, our book club also read and enjoyed The Professor and the Madman -- hard to believe you can make the dictionary interesting :)
So when I was working in central California near a beach town I worked at a power station. It was 42 miles due west of the San Andreas Fault on the coast. So despite the location the utility proceeded with construction of the plant (nuclear). When they got about halfway through construction they discovered ANOTHER major fault line named the Hosgri fault. It was offshore and changed the build criteria of the facility because the design basis accident for the plant was now a tidal wave!!! The changes commenced. As you might imagine the costs skyrocketed for the construction. No matter how unreasonable something might seem, if you threaten investors you will get run over.
Like most things (like your location) we just get used to it.