Glaciers Spur Alaskan Earthquakes

  • Credit

    NASA/Goddard Space Flight Center Scientific Visualization Studio

Glaciers Spur Alaskan Earthquakes

In a new study, NASA and United States Geological Survey (USGS) scientists found that retreating glaciers in southern Alaska may be opening the way for future earthquakes. The study examined the likelihood of increased earthquake activity in southern Alaska as a result of rapidly melting glaciers. As glaciers melt they lighten the load on the Earth's crust. Tectonic plates, that are mobile pieces of the Earth's crust, can then move more freely, which increases the probability of earthquakes occurring in this region.

Southern Alaskan Earthquakes from 1/18/1993 to 1/14/1995.

Metadata

  • Sensor

    Terra/MODIS, No Satellite/Siesmometer

  • Animation ID

    2969

  • Start Timecode

    00:00:00:00

  • End Timecode

    00:00:00:00

  • Animator

    Alex Kekesi, Stuart A. Snodgrass, Marte Newcombe

  • Studio

    SVS

  • Writer

    Sarah Dewitt

  • Visualization Date

    2004/07/30

  • Scientist

    Jeanne Sauber (NASA/GSFC), Bruce Molnia (USGS)

  • Citation

    Journal of Global and Planetary Change (July issue)

  • Datasets

    True Color

  • Keywords

    Quakes, Seismic, Glacier, Alaska

  • Data Date

    Seismic Measurements: 1/18/1993 - 8/2/2003

  • Pao ID

    G04-042

  • Story URL

    http://www.gsfc.nasa.gov/topstory/2004/0715glacierquakes.html

  • Animation Type

    Regular

  • Other Credits

    USGS/National Earthquake Information Center