Berkeley Seismology Lab

Berkeley Seismo Lab Seminar Schedule UC Berkeley Seismological Lab

Thank you to our #BSLSeminar speaker, Yuxin Wu, for the excellent talk on Fiber Optic Sensing
for Reliable Energy Systems! Next week, we’re excited to hear from Jim Gaherty from Northern Arizona University. Learn more: buff.ly/v6lKphy

How the Berkeley Seismology Lab turns data into disaster prevention - Berkeley News In this Research With Results video, lab director Richard Allen explains how their work helps keep Californians safe while contributing to important earthquake-related research.

Hot off the press! BSL Director, Prof. Richard Allen, talks about the importance of research to public earthquake safety and explains how the Lab pushes research findings into action via @MyShakeApp and @USGS_ShakeAlert in partnership with @Cal_OES. View our story now:

Thank you to our #BSLSeminar speaker, Sonia Tikoo, for the brilliant talk on Geodynamical Investigations via Hotspot Paleomagnetism! Next week, we’re excited to welcome Yuxin Wu from Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory @BerkeleyLab. Learn more: buff.ly/v6lKphy

Earthquakes are part of life here, so preparedness is too.
Enjoy the Super Bowl and your time in the Bay Area!
We’re one of the most geologically fascinating (and prepared) regions on Earth 🌍
(We might be a little biased)

If you do feel shaking ➡️ Drop, Cover, and Hold On
This is the recommended safety action used across California.

What this means for visitors:
• Quakes are small and not damaging
• Swarms are common in tectonically active regions
• They don’t automatically signal a larger earthquake
• Some people feel them — others don’t notice at all

What’s going on near San Ramon?
The Tri-Valley has recently experienced an earthquake swarm — a cluster of small quakes close together in time and space.

The Bay Area sits along the boundary between two tectonic plates.
That means small earthquakes are a normal part of life here and why this region is one of the most closely monitored and well-prepared places in the world when it comes to earthquakes.

Visiting the Bay Area for the Super Bowl? 🏈🌉
Welcome! Here’s a local fact you might actually feel 👇

Berkeley Seismo Lab Seminar Schedule UC Berkeley Seismological Lab

Thank you to our #BSLSeminar speaker, Brad Lipovsky, for the insightful talk on Fiber Sensing at the Bookends of Glaciology! Next week, we will be welcoming Sonia Tikoo from Stanford University. Learn more:

Thank you to our #BSLSeminar speaker, Dr. Yuan Tian, for the insightful talk on seismic wave amplification in sedimentary basins using 3D wavefield simulation! Next week, we will be welcoming Christie Rowe from the University of Nevada, Reno. Learn more: buff.ly/LvdVoo8

Understanding the real science helps us stay prepared for what earthquakes can actually do.

Stay safe and follow us for more Earthquake Fact or Fiction! 🌎⚡️

So what will happen?
• California won’t detach, sink, or disappear into the Pacific; not during big quakes and not in the future.
• Earthquakes will continue.
• The coastline will slowly shift over millions of years.
But the land isn’t going anywhere suddenly or vertically.

Fiction! California is not going to fall into the ocean.
Here’s why:
• Earthquakes here cause horizontal motion, not giant sinkholes or land dropping into the sea.
• No part of California is sitting on an “edge” that can suddenly break off.

Fact or Fiction:
“California will eventually break off and fall into the ocean.”
Let’s break it down. 👇

Take action today by downloading the MyShake app, which delivers ShakeAlert® Earthquake Early Warning alerts. Even a few seconds of warning can make a difference.
Remembering the past helps us prepare for the future. 🌎⚠️

Why we remember Northridge
Thirty-two years later, the lessons remain clear:
• Moderate-magnitude earthquakes can cause severe damage
• Hidden faults beneath cities pose real risks
• Preparedness, resilient infrastructure, and rapid response save lives

Northridge was a turning point in earthquake engineering. Post-earthquake investigations revealed unexpected failures in welded steel moment-frame buildings, once considered highly earthquake-resistant. This led to major building code revisions and expanded inspection and retrofit programs.

Why was Northridge so destructive?
• The rupture occurred directly beneath a dense urban area
• Strong vertical ground motions amplified damage
• Many buildings were not designed for this type of fault motion
• The fault did not rupture the surface, making it difficult to identify beforehand

The impacts were severe.
Northridge became one of the most damaging earthquakes in U.S. history:
• 57 fatalities
• Over 9,000 injuries
• ~20,000 people displaced
• $20–40+ billion in damage (1994 dollars)
Freeways, hospitals, parking structures, and apartment buildings were heavily damaged.

At 4:31 a.m. PST, a magnitude 6.7 earthquake struck beneath the San Fernando Valley, near Northridge, California.
The quake occurred on a previously unknown blind thrust fault, about 18 km (11 miles) below the surface.
Shaking lasted 10–20 seconds, and caused widespread damage across Los Angeles.

32 Years Later: Remembering the 1994 Northridge Earthquake
On January 17, 1994, the Northridge earthquake reshaped Southern California — and earthquake science.

Final Takeaway
LA isn’t going to become Mordor.
But preparedness is always smart.

• Know your local hazards
• Have supplies ready
• Make a plan
• Sign up for alerts where you live

What Volcano Gets Right (Science-ish!)
Even though the location is wrong, some concepts check out:
• Magma dikes can rise through rock
• Ground cracking + steam vents can precede eruptions
• Volcanic ash disrupts health & visibility
• Lahars are real hazards (just not in LA)

What Volcano Gets Right (Emergency Response!)
Surprisingly accurate:
• Incident Command System (ICS)
• Multi-agency coordination
• Scientists giving hazard updates
• Realistic comms + evacuation challenges

LA County Fire really does this stuff!

A Magma Chamber Under LA
Movie scientists find rising magma under the tar pits.
Real scientists: USGS and CGS monitor for magma using seismic imaging & GPS.
No evidence of magma beneath LA (ever!)