In the Name of Allah---the Most Beneficent, the Most Merciful.
Latest Cascadian Monster Quake Prediction
The Cascadia subduction zone is a region off the west coast
of North America where the oceanic Juan de Fuca Plate is being forced beneath
the North American Plate, resulting in a convergent boundary. This zone
stretches from northern California in the United States to Vancouver Island in
Canada and has the potential to produce very large earthquakes and associated
tsunamis. It is considered a high-risk seismic area and has been the subject of
intense scientific study and monitoring. In the event of a major earthquake
along the Cascadia subduction zone, significant damage and loss of life could
occur in the surrounding region.
the Cascadia subduction zone has experienced major
earthquakes in the past. The most recent major earthquake along the zone
occurred on January 26, 1700, and is estimated to have had a magnitude of
around 9.0. This earthquake was responsible for generating a large tsunami that
affected the Pacific coast of North America and even caused damage in Japan.
Other major earthquakes along the Cascadia subduction zone have been identified
through geological studies and include events that occurred around 300, 600,
and 900 AD. These events suggest that the zone experiences large earthquakes on
average every few hundred years, although the precise timing and magnitude of
future earthquakes are difficult to predict.
A study
led by the University of Washington discovered seeps of warm, chemically
distinct liquid shooting up from the seafloor about 50 miles off Newport,
Oregon. The paper, published Jan. 25 in Science Advances,
describes the unique underwater spring the researchers named Pythia’s Oasis. Observations suggest the
spring is sourced from water 2.5 miles beneath the seafloor at the plate
boundary, regulating stress on the offshore fault.
The
team made the discovery during a weather-related delay for a cruise aboard the
RV Thomas G. Thompson. The ship’s sonar showed unexpected plumes of bubbles
about three-quarters of a mile beneath the ocean’s surface. Further exploration
using an underwater robot revealed the bubbles were just a minor component of
warm, chemically distinct fluid gushing from the seafloor sediment.
The discovery of warm liquid spewing from the seafloor off the
coast of Oregon and its association with the Cascadia subduction zone is an
exciting development in the study of earthquake hazards. This warm liquid
likely originates from fluids circulating in the rocks beneath the seafloor,
which are heated by the friction generated by the movement of the plates at the
subduction zone. By analyzing the composition of these fluids and their
movement patterns, scientists may be able to gain new insights into the geology
and behavior of the Cascadia subduction zone.
This new discovery is particularly significant because the Cascadia subduction zone is
known to be capable of producing very large earthquakes and understanding the
dynamics of the fault system is critical for developing effective earthquake
hazard mitigation strategies. By studying the warm liquid spewing from the
seafloor, scientists may be able to identify new earthquake precursors or
better understand the timing and magnitude of future earthquakes. Ultimately,
this could help to reduce the risk of earthquake-related damage and loss of
life in the Pacific Northwest region.
May Allah Almighty protect us from all the evils and disasters. Ameen
