Faults

How does plate tectonics help us predict where and when earthquakes will occur?

The catastrophes of earthquakes and volcanoes are devastating to humans, yet they indicate a living and dynamic planet. How does plate tectonics help us predict where and when earthquakes will occur? Can we limit the devastation of earthquakes and volcanoes by knowing more about plate tectonics? Why does a seismic knowledge of the interior of the Earth help us on the surface? Should we initiate planning to avoid catastrophe-prone areas, or should we try to protect against those catastrophes as they occur?

Public Comments

1. They are more likely to occur near places of plaste divergence and plate convergence; and near places of convergence, their depth will increase further away from the convergence.
2. We have not yet found any proper prediction method. There are different persons working in different ways. They are not showing interest in sharing the knowledge with each other. I am the one proved that the warning of Tsunami can be given with the use of simple earthquake alarm designed by me in the year 2001 itself that helped me on 26th Dec 2004.The cost is just less than U.S $ 25. But the government has not yet came forward to asses the real usage of it. However read this. You can also see my hundreds of best answers in this section by typing A.Ganapathy in Google web. Methods for prediction of earthquakes & Tsunami Even though it is difficult to predict, the following methods may help. . 1. Seismic gape: - The earthquake at a particular place may occur for every fixed gape of time. By knowing the past records of the quakes affected at that place may help to decide when the earthquake is next due. 2. Planet position.: - When the stress is accumulated at the tectonic plate boundary and the same time if the position of more than 2 planets comes in a straight line this may help to accelerate the earthquakes. There fore the full moon days and new moon days are more vulnerable days for earthquakes. Some time this method fails why? Think of a sick patient. New moon and full moon days are dangerous for only sick patents. These days will not affect the healthy people. The same way if there is no accumulated stress at the tectonic plate boundaries no need to worry about the planet positions. 3. Sun rays falling method: - If you observe the position of the sun rays falling on our wall at a particular time on all days it should form an angular infinity symbol. If there is any deviation in its path it means that there is some difference in height of the earth. That means some strain noticed at that place. Somebody claims that they can predict the place of epicenter by observing this. The laser beam measuring method of earth height from satellite also will help. 4. MDCB:- Chinese scientist claims that they can predict up to 60 % accuracy by sensing electro magnetic rays. 5. Cloud forming: - Few hours to a few days before the occurrence of earthquakes a cloud reader claims that he has noticed a peculiar mosaic type of formation .We may also notice some lightening in the sky. 6. By sound :- A professor from Ajmeer University claims that he was able to hear a low frequency noise under 125 meter depth in a bore well. The same thing was reported by one Mr. Nair that he heard some roaring noise under the earth one week before the occurrence of earthquake in Gujarat. 7. By frequency of waves :- Mr Richter Allen of Berkley University claims that he can decide the magnitude of earthquake just 4 seconds after observing the frequency of the primary wave. Present method needs the full seismographic picture to find the real magnitude that too from as many places as possible to have fairly accurate results. His claim has got some truth because when there is a slip of bigger tectonic plate the frequency of quake will be less. If a small tectonic plate slips the frequency of the waves will be more. 8. There are several changes in nature and in the behaviors of animals and birds can be observed before an earthquake and Tsunami. The water level in well may change. Stay away from beaches if you sense earthquake waves. The Tsunami may attack long after the shaking is stopped. I wrote several articles on these subjects. Have one simple earthquake alarm installed in your house. .
3. It is because earthquakes occur along fault lines where tectonic plates meet. "In a narrow sense, an earthquake is a sudden failure process, but, in a broad sense, it is a long-term complex stress accumulation and release process occurring in the highly heterogeneous Earth’s crust and mantle. The Earth’s crust exhibits anelastic and nonlinear behavior for long-term processes. In this broad sense, “earthquake prediction research” often refers to the study of this entire long-term process, with the implication that the behavior of the crust in the future should be predictable to some extent from various measurements taken in the past and at present. Pursuit of such physical processes is a respectable scientific endeavor, and significant advancements have been made on rupture dynamics, friction and constitutive relations, interaction between faults, seismicity patterns, fault-zone structures, and nonlinear dynamics." It would be good to avoid building in catastrophe-prone areas, but unfortunately, some of our major cities are already built on major fault lines. People don't seem to worry much about earthquakes, volcanos, or other catastrophes until they occur.