Los Angeles in an earthquake lull
Published: Aug. 25, 2007 at 9:53 AM
LOS ANGELES, Aug. 25 (UPI) -- A California researcher says Los Angeles is in the midst of a 1,000-year seismic lull characterized by relatively small and infrequent earthquakes.
The report, published in the September issue of Geology, suggests seismic activity alternates between the Los Angeles basin and the Mojave Desert, which is in a seismically active period.
James Dolan, associate professor of earth sciences at the University of Southern California, said the Northridge earthquake of 1994 was "a drop in the bucket" compared to the massive jolts that would strike the basin during a period of high seismic activity.
"The past 1,000 years has been relatively quiet," Dolan said Friday in a release.
He and his co-authors developed their theory from the discovery of several clusters of intense seismic activity separated by periods of relative calm lasting about 1,500 to 2,000 years.
Looking at the geological record going back 12,000 years, they found several clusters of seismic bursts, the most recent lasting 4,000 years and ending about 1,000 years ago.
The report, published in the September issue of Geology, suggests seismic activity alternates between the Los Angeles basin and the Mojave Desert, which is in a seismically active period.
James Dolan, associate professor of earth sciences at the University of Southern California, said the Northridge earthquake of 1994 was "a drop in the bucket" compared to the massive jolts that would strike the basin during a period of high seismic activity.
"The past 1,000 years has been relatively quiet," Dolan said Friday in a release.
He and his co-authors developed their theory from the discovery of several clusters of intense seismic activity separated by periods of relative calm lasting about 1,500 to 2,000 years.
Looking at the geological record going back 12,000 years, they found several clusters of seismic bursts, the most recent lasting 4,000 years and ending about 1,000 years ago.
© 2007 United Press International. All Rights Reserved.
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This material may not be reproduced, redistributed, or manipulated in any form.
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