Quake: Special Features

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	Earthquake Probability Study for the San Francisco Bay Area On the basis of research conducted since the 1989 Loma Prieta earthquake, U.S. Geological Survey (USGS) and other scientists conclude that there is a 62% probability of at least one magnitude 6.7 or greater quake, capable of causing widespread damage, striking the San Francisco Bay region before 2032. Major quakes may occur in any part of this rapidly growing region. This emphasizes the urgency for all communities in the Bay region to continue preparing for earthquakes.

	Real-time Earthquake Maps with Fault Names We've added new functionality to the popular California-Nevada real-time earthquake maps that have been online since 1997. The new maps include topography and you can also view the names of the faults. These maps eventually will be expanded to cover the entire United States.

	Kite Aerial Photography of the San Andreas Fault The USGS recently developed a system for taking aerial photographs from a kite. The camera is attached to the kite line and controlled remotely from the ground using a radio control for a model airplane. You can view images of the San Andreas Fault in the Carrizo Plain National Monument in Southern California, including an interactive view of Wallace Creek, a stream that was offset in the 1857 Fort Tejon earthquake.

	Parkfield Earthquake Experiment The USGS and the State of California are conducting a multidisciplinary, long-term project aimed at better understanding the earthquake process. The project involves recording a variety of geophysical signals before, during and after the expected earthquake at Parkfield, testing a short-term earthquake prediction, and drilling into the San Andreas fault.

	Paleoseismology, Hayward Fault, California Knowing the dates of ancient, surface-rupturing earthquakes is key to forecasting future damaging quakes. Discovering these dates is the province of paleoseismology. When the top few meters of an active fault are exhumed, the exposed soil layers may reveal discontinuities or other signs of disturbance produced by past earthquakes. The dates of these events are determined with radiocarbon analysis. Join USGS and Japanese scientists in a recent 3-day field effort to uncover traces of ancient earthquakes on the Hayward fault

	Did You Feel It? This is a recent USGS page that collects information about ground shaking after significant earthquakes. If you felt an earthquake, click here to report where you were, what you felt and what damage you saw. Your information will be added to our database. You can view a live-updated map displaying the accumulated data from your report and others. See where the shaking was strongest. View similar maps for old earthquakes too. Developed by the USGS Southern California Office.

	ShakeMaps for Northern California and Southern California The intensity of ground shaking during a significant earthquake in California is represented here in near-real-time by a set of maps. The maps show the peak ground velocity and acceleration, as measured by seismic networks, and an estimate of the "Modified Mercalli Intensity" of shaking, which is calculated using these measurements. Maps are provided for the most recent earthquake as well as past events. Developed by TriNet with ongoing development by the USGS.

	Portfolio of Landscape, Seascape and Faults of the San Francisco Bay Area Developed by Robert E. Crippen (JPL) and Ross Stein (USGS), these images drape Landsat TM satellite imagery over Digital Elevation Models to show the bay as it has never been seen before. The images are available as a map view or as perspective views looking North, East or West, including close ups. Small versions of the images can be downloaded quickly for viewing or printing on your home computer, and full size (6ft) images are available for download and ordering from Digital Prism or Kinko's.

	Real-time Seismogram Displays in Northern California From among the 447 seismographs continously monitored in northern California, we have selected a representative set of 16 stations for display on our web pages. In addition to these, 12 stations in the Long Valley caldera are presented. The seismograms are a graphic record of the movement of the earth's surface. For each of these stations, the seismograms for approximately the past 7 days are available for viewing. The current day's records are updated every 5 minutes.

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