Video from thebarcaroller -see details on July 27 Update
The USGS map and data list shows a seismic battering going on in the South Pacific, in a region known for a lot of activity.
For the past month the Kermadec Islands region has had multiple events over M5.0, the largest M7.6 on July 6, the latest July 21 M5.0,
Samoa, Fiji, Tonga feature on the list with the latter two oceanic zones being very frequent along with the Kermadec region. -see data list
In addition, the following recent sea-floor regional events: Dates are Universal Time UTC
July 20 M6.0 Solomon Islands
July 22 M6.0 Fiji
The regional activity at the July 6 Kermadec event - shown in close-up view below -source USGS
In this highly seismicly active region, with the plate boundaries accompanied by the Solomons Trench,
New Hebrides Trenches, Tonga Trench, Kermadecs Trench - a huge area of connected territories are involved, right down to New Zealand.
This blog will update with any further significant activity in 2011
As a side note, Alaska also has a strong seismic profile being part of the Ring of Fire and recent ( back from July 23 2011) USGS data shows the frequent AK listings . The Aleutian Islands area of Alaska is home to the Cleveland volcano, on the uninhabited island of Chuginadak. This volcano is under watch due to "thermal anomalies". As in 2001, if this one blows, aviation disruption will be the result. -see full source
The deep events - 521-538 kms undersea send a shudder down the Kermadec trench, setting off several quake drums in NZ, especially the Urewera drum which seemed like a local M5 event.
Fiji M6.7 (S) July 29 Universal Time (UTC)
Japan M6.4 (S) July 30
Vanuatu M6.2 (S) July 31
North PNG M6.8 (S) July 31
Japan M6.3 (S) Aug 1
Kermadecs M5.0 (S) Aug 3
Indonesia three M5+(S) Aug 3
PNG two M5+(S) Aug 3
Vanuatu M5.1 (S) Aug 3
Santa Cruz M5.3 (S) Aug 5
PNG M5.0 (S) Aug 5
Kermadecs M5.3 (S) Aug 5
Sumatra M5.7 (S) Aug 6
Japan M5.3 (S) Aug 6
PNG M5.1 (S) Aug 6
Kermadecs M4.9 (S) Aug 6
Fiji M5.4 (S) Aug 7
Indonesia M5.0 (S) Aug 7
PNG M5.2 (S) Aug 8
Solomons M5.1 (S) Aug 8
Kermadecs M5.0 (S) Aug 8
Taupo NZ M5.0 Aug 9
August 4
Space Weather is following the powerful sunspot1261 in particular amidst the largest display during Cycle 24. This sunspot is emitting numerous flares plus an earth-directed Coronal mass ejection (CME) of charged material. Watch the animation on their website
"The size and broiling movement of these sunspots just boggles the mind. You could fit every planet in the solar system with all of the known asteroids neatly inside the largest group...wow!"
Listen to the NOAA space weather report for Aug 4 2011 and coming days
The USGS map and data list shows a seismic battering going on in the South Pacific, in a region known for a lot of activity.
For the past month the Kermadec Islands region has had multiple events over M5.0, the largest M7.6 on July 6, the latest July 21 M5.0,
Samoa, Fiji, Tonga feature on the list with the latter two oceanic zones being very frequent along with the Kermadec region. -see data list
In addition, the following recent sea-floor regional events: Dates are Universal Time UTC
July 20 M6.0 Solomon Islands
July 22 M6.0 Fiji
The regional activity at the July 6 Kermadec event - shown in close-up view below -source USGS
In this highly seismicly active region, with the plate boundaries accompanied by the Solomons Trench,
New Hebrides Trenches, Tonga Trench, Kermadecs Trench - a huge area of connected territories are involved, right down to New Zealand.
This blog will update with any further significant activity in 2011
As a side note, Alaska also has a strong seismic profile being part of the Ring of Fire and recent ( back from July 23 2011) USGS data shows the frequent AK listings . The Aleutian Islands area of Alaska is home to the Cleveland volcano, on the uninhabited island of Chuginadak. This volcano is under watch due to "thermal anomalies". As in 2001, if this one blows, aviation disruption will be the result. -see full source
Update July 27
Vdeo added from You tube channel thebarcaroller, an Australian researcher who uses the technique of solar mirroring to detect co-ordinates for earth events ( quakes, volcanoes) Intriguing and worth following.Update July 29
A M6.7 event south of Fiji around 7.30 pm, followed quickly by 2 M5+.The deep events - 521-538 kms undersea send a shudder down the Kermadec trench, setting off several quake drums in NZ, especially the Urewera drum which seemed like a local M5 event.
Update August 1
recent summary of events over M6+ clustering around New Moon (S) = seafloorFiji M6.7 (S) July 29 Universal Time (UTC)
Japan M6.4 (S) July 30
Vanuatu M6.2 (S) July 31
North PNG M6.8 (S) July 31
Japan M6.3 (S) Aug 1
Updates August 4
thebarcaroller forecast July 30-Aug 4 2011
Image courtesy Wikimedia Commons
Fiji M5.8 (S) Aug 2
Fiji two M5+ (S) Aug 3thebarcaroller forecast July 30-Aug 4 2011
Indonesia is added in due to Ring of Fire connection
Fiji M5.8 (S) Aug 2
Kermadecs M5.0 (S) Aug 3
Indonesia three M5+(S) Aug 3
PNG two M5+(S) Aug 3
Vanuatu M5.1 (S) Aug 3
Santa Cruz M5.3 (S) Aug 5
PNG M5.0 (S) Aug 5
Kermadecs M5.3 (S) Aug 5
Sumatra M5.7 (S) Aug 6
Japan M5.3 (S) Aug 6
PNG M5.1 (S) Aug 6
Kermadecs M4.9 (S) Aug 6
Fiji M5.4 (S) Aug 7
Indonesia M5.0 (S) Aug 7
PNG M5.2 (S) Aug 8
Solomons M5.1 (S) Aug 8
Kermadecs M5.0 (S) Aug 8
Taupo NZ M5.0 Aug 9
August 4
Space Weather is following the powerful sunspot1261 in particular amidst the largest display during Cycle 24. This sunspot is emitting numerous flares plus an earth-directed Coronal mass ejection (CME) of charged material. Watch the animation on their website
"The size and broiling movement of these sunspots just boggles the mind. You could fit every planet in the solar system with all of the known asteroids neatly inside the largest group...wow!"
Listen to the NOAA space weather report for Aug 4 2011 and coming days
August 7-11
This blog post will be updated with any relevant events (M6+) after August 9
This blog post will be updated with any relevant events (M6+) after August 9
August 18
After a recent lengthy period of only lower magnitude events the first global quake over M6.0 listed by USGS was in Japan -seafloor east off Honshu
August 19 M6.2 Fiji region , deep seafloor
After an extended quiet period, this is the first event over M6 in the south Pacific since July 31 2011
plus another over M6 in Japan today -M6.5 seafloor off Sendai
Vanuatu region continues to add to recent south Pacific activity in Fiji-Tonga regions. By 2pm NZ time there have now been 3 further M5+ events around Vanuatu. No damage reports and no widespread tsunami. So far the maximum depth of all 12 events since Aug 20 is only 53.8 kms. This reference gives some idea of the geology at different depths.
August 19 M6.2 Fiji region , deep seafloor
After an extended quiet period, this is the first event over M6 in the south Pacific since July 31 2011
plus another over M6 in Japan today -M6.5 seafloor off Sendai
August 21
Before waking, dreamed of an undersea volcano, then came online around 10.30 am to find Vanuatu is going off. - with 9 seafloor events M5-M7.1 since Sat Aug 20. (USGS has the data but this will expire from the main list within a month from today)Vanuatu region continues to add to recent south Pacific activity in Fiji-Tonga regions. By 2pm NZ time there have now been 3 further M5+ events around Vanuatu. No damage reports and no widespread tsunami. So far the maximum depth of all 12 events since Aug 20 is only 53.8 kms. This reference gives some idea of the geology at different depths.
August 25
Vanuatu continues to be of interest - with this data from USGS M6.2 AUG 24 + noting that Vanuatu has had 7 M5+ events on August 25 Further updates are found on the August 2011 blog post tracking quakes over M6 |
