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2005

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2003

Marine Mammal Protection Research

Seismic Research Contributes to Early Warning Systems

Mexico Crater Yields New Research

Related Links:

Understanding Ocean Acoustics

Report from the National Academies

Nationwide Lecture Series on Noise Impacts (PDF Download)

Earthquakes

Throughout its history, Turkey, which lies above a seismically active plate boundary, has suffered enormous consequences from high magnitude earthquakes. In two 1999 earthquakes, tens of thousands of lives were lost throughout a 100-mile-long corridor including Istanbul and regions to its east. Much of the infrastructure was flattened, including the structure seen here. Photograph: Leonardo Seeber

• From sub-seafloor imaging, scientists can compile records of the timing and magnitude of historical earthquakes. Dating these earthquakes can inform us of the time intervals that occurred between quakes, and potentially signal the next one. Research in the Marmara Sea examined numerous earthquakes from the Northern Anatolian Fault. One of these quakes killed nearly 20,000 people in Istanbul, Turkey in August 1999. Marine research led scientists to conclude that another event was likely to strike the same region. Based on the resulting scientific report, engineers closed school buildings that had been only slightly damaged in this August earthquake. Three months later, the predicted earthquake did strike and flattened several buildings. Similar research is now taking place off the coast of Seattle, Washington, where a long history of major earthquake activity has been documented.

For More on Earthquake Research:

News Release 08/08/03:
Columbia University Researcher Develops New Use For Seismic Reflection Data: Revealing Locations And Potentials For Mega Earthquake