Earthquakes, Volcanoes, oh my!!

[Thunder]

lots of earthquakes lately. and now the eruption of the volcano in Iceland.

is something going on? or is this just all coincidental.

[uke2se]

http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_WJOyqmg_gpc/SM39aP1p43I/AAAAAAAAASU/msCdUOBAwuc/s320/Cthulhu.jpg

[Loss Leader]

This actually led to a fight between me and my wife. According to her, I'm supposed to entertain the possibility that God is punishing us or the Department of Defense accidentally disrupted our orbit. And I'm supposed to do it just to be sociable.

[sol invictus]

It's micro-black holes produced by the LHC starting to swallow the earth from the inside.

Don't worry, the end will be fairly sudden.

[Zep]

So which government was in on THIS one?

[DogB]

So which government was in on THIS one?

The NWO obviously. Sheesh, keep up!

;)

[Travis]

lots of earthquakes lately. and now the eruption of the volcano in Iceland.

is something going on? or is this just all coincidental.

Yes. (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Plate_tectonics)

[steve s]

lots of earthquakes lately.

Lots? No more than we should expect. From the USGS website...

http://forums.randi.org/imagehosting/thum_81544bc7e2d92ad4e.jpg (http://forums.randi.org/vbimghost.php?do=displayimg&imgid=19743)

Steve S

[Skeptic Ginger]

This actually led to a fight between me and my wife. According to her, I'm supposed to entertain the possibility that God is punishing us or the Department of Defense accidentally disrupted our orbit. And I'm supposed to do it just to be sociable.Oh, I'm sorry you have that issue.

Remind your wife that the difference isn't an uptick in geological processes, the difference is copy cat news stories.

Notice news burnout with the latest China quake? The death toll is getting up over 1,000 and likely to go higher. But after Haiti and Chile, the news consumers are attenuated to the quake stories. So not so much news on China today.

The Iceland volcano, OTOH, a year of interfering with flights over Europe? That's new news! Bring it on.

[quarky]

The world is coming to an end.
I hope it doesn't happen on 2012.

That would be tacky and embarrassing.
(even if the Mayan calendar folks never got to tell us "told you so")

[Xephyr]

I'm thinking this has something to do with the sun waking up from it's lengthy solar minimum cycle...

From what I understand, solar activity can be linked to earthquake and volcano activity/frequency via solar energy outputs, CME's, etc. It has an effect on our geomagnetics.

Makes sense to me, but I'm no heliophysicist either. ;)

The end is not nigh... it's just the sun yawning from its slumber.

[r-j]

There's always an Arquillian Battle Cruiser, or a Corillian Death Ray, or an intergalactic plague that is about to wipe out all life on this miserable little planet, and the only way these people can get on with their happy lives is that they Do... Not... Know about it!

[Soapy Sam]

What's going on is plate tectonics.

Nothing new there. There may be confusion over this issue in some minds: The bit with the constant earthquakes and eruptions was actually near the start of the world. The end will look more like Mars, but with a larger, tidally locked moon.

ETA Google Lakigigar eruption for some historical perspective on Icelandic volcanoes and their effects on Europe.

[Xephyr]

What's going on is plate tectonics.

Nothing new there. There may be confusion over this issue in some minds: The bit with the constant earthquakes and eruptions was actually near the start of the world. The end will look more like Mars, but with a larger, tidally locked moon.

ETA Google Lakigigar eruption for some historical perspective on Icelandic volcanoes and their effects on Europe.

Yes.

Solar activity effects geomagnetics which effects plate tectonics.

[Skeptic Ginger]

Yes.

Solar activity effects geomagnetics which effects plate tectonics.No it doesn't. Perhaps you'd like to provide some evidence besides your imagination?

The Sun's coronal mass ejections and solar wind are deflected by the Earth's magnetic field and blow it around, but they don't change the magnetic field within the Earth itself. And despite looking for evidence the Sun and/or lunar tidal pull affects earthquakes, the effect is very small and at most the tidal pull may trigger a plate to slip that was about ready to slip anyway.

There is no major solar effect on plate tectonics that has ever been detected.

[Xephyr]

No it doesn't. Perhaps you'd like to provide some evidence besides your imagination?


First off for clarity's sake, I never claimed absolute fact of anything I said. Thought that was quite clear... apparently not.

Science has been looking at possible links between solar activity and earthquakes/volcanoes (magnetosphere, plate tectonics) and has been for some time... Science is not proclaiming that the sun is always to blame, but it may very well play a factor and is worthwhile studying :

http://www.springerlink.com/content/753717276h869880/

http://www.sciencedirect.com/science?_ob=ArticleURL&_udi=B6V61-473FFXM-9X&_user=10&_coverDate=12%2F31%2F1968&_rdoc=1&_fmt=high&_orig=search&_sort=d&_docanchor=&view=c&_acct=C000050221&_version=1&_urlVersion=0&_userid=10&md5=a75c103f2e0fb1c870681e29804c1485

http://www.sciencedirect.com/science?_ob=ArticleURL&_udi=B6VPT-40BPTK5-H&_user=10&_coverDate=12%2F31%2F2000&_rdoc=1&_fmt=high&_orig=search&_sort=d&_docanchor=&view=c&_searchStrId=1297294347&_rerunOrigin=google&_acct=C000050221&_version=1&_urlVersion=0&_userid=10&md5=c2f472c2d0c7d44f51ba80a89296b04b


There's plenty of literature on the subject.
Google is your friend.

[Loss Leader]

Remind your wife that the difference isn't an uptick in geological processes, the difference is copy cat news stories.


That would be ... counterproductive.

[Mirrorglass]

That would be ... counterproductive.

Perhaps this post (http://forums.randi.org/showpost.php?p=5834051&postcount=107) can offer some ideas?










Sorry, I couldn't resist. :p

[Nosi]

lots of earthquakes lately. and now the eruption of the volcano in Iceland.

is something going on? or is this just all coincidental.

Earth has fleas don'tchu know. She just wants a good long scratch...give herself a bit of a shake... When the ol' dog shakes and rolls in the grass, it's not too comfy for the fleas that are riding around on board...

:D FELLA FLEA

[Skeptic Ginger]

First off for clarity's sake, I never claimed absolute fact of anything I said. Thought that was quite clear... apparently not.

Science has been looking at possible links between solar activity and earthquakes/volcanoes (magnetosphere, plate tectonics) and has been for some time... Science is not proclaiming that the sun is always to blame, but it may very well play a factor and is worthwhile studying :

http://www.springerlink.com/content/753717276h869880/

http://www.sciencedirect.com/science?_ob=ArticleURL&_udi=B6V61-473FFXM-9X&_user=10&_coverDate=12%2F31%2F1968&_rdoc=1&_fmt=high&_orig=search&_sort=d&_docanchor=&view=c&_acct=C000050221&_version=1&_urlVersion=0&_userid=10&md5=a75c103f2e0fb1c870681e29804c1485

http://www.sciencedirect.com/science?_ob=ArticleURL&_udi=B6VPT-40BPTK5-H&_user=10&_coverDate=12%2F31%2F2000&_rdoc=1&_fmt=high&_orig=search&_sort=d&_docanchor=&view=c&_searchStrId=1297294347&_rerunOrigin=google&_acct=C000050221&_version=1&_urlVersion=0&_userid=10&md5=c2f472c2d0c7d44f51ba80a89296b04b


There's plenty of literature on the subject.
Google is your friend.It might not be yours. Those are bizarre studies. I'll have to look more closely at them later tonight.

But in the meantime I leave you with the comment on Space.com: (http://www.space.com/spacewatch/solar_faq.html#e2)2. Is there a relationship between solar events and earthquakes?

The question of a solar disturbance/magnetic field change related to earthquakes has been thoroughly investigated and found to be unproven.

An international meeting of scientists was convened in London from November 7 to 8, 1996, on the subject of relationships of earthquakes to other phenomena for prediction purposes. Papers of that meeting appeared in the Geophysical Journal International, vol. 131, pgs. 413 to 533, 1997. (Perhaps you should read those articles and the summary by Geller). The consensus of the meeting was that prediction was not possible. As Main points out in Nature (vol 385, pg 19-20, 1997) "Modern theories of earthquakes hold that they are critical, or self-organized critical, phenomena, implying a system maintained permanently on the edge of chaos, with an inherently random element and avalanche dynamics with strong sensitivity to small stress perturbations."

Geller, a prominent seismologist at the University of Tokyo who continues to research the possible earthquake relationships to other natural phenomena, reports "The chaotic, highly nonlinear nature of the earthquake source process makes prediction and inherently unrealizable goal." If you believe that you have some solid first-hand evidence, perhaps you should write to Geller to bring yourself up-to-date on this subject (Dr. Robert, Dept. of Earth and Planetary Physics, Graduate School of Science, Tokyo University, Hongo 7-3-1, Bunkyo-ku, Tokyo 113-0033 JAPAN).

I have found no evidence of a significant relationship between the phenomena you talk about. Perhaps you should read my last book, "Introduction to Geomagnetic Fields" (Cambridge Unversity Press, 1997) which discusses the realistic relationships of the solar activity to processes on Earth. --Wallace H. Campbell, whc@ngdc.noaa.gov

[shadron]

Can't believe some of the ideas here.

What is happening (with the volcano) is that the Atlantic is continuing to open up. With the earthquakes it is plate tectonics business as usual. As the posting from the USGS page shows, earthquake counts are simply not unusual.

Not even in Yellowstone.

[quarky]

That's all well and good...but what about Zeus being pissed?

Don't you realize how easy it would be for him to toss an asteroid right at us?
If I was god, I know I'd have issues.

[Bikewer]

Even people who should know better have commented; on this morning's Diane Rehm show (the weekly reporter's roundup segment) they all gave lip service to "something must be going on...Maybe it's climate change."

By contrast, Science Friday last week had a couple of earth-science types on...Just business as usual, folks. The Earth moves.

[Nosi]

That's all well and good...but what about Zeus being pissed?

Don't you realize how easy it would be for him to toss an asteroid right at us?
If I was god, I know I'd have issues.

What about Zeus having a few too many and letting one rip right in the wrong direction? From my reading, them Gods could get a bit ripped at those parties they had.

(Iceland's cork poppers can equally be explained by Satan having a roaring case of heartburn or a helluva BBQ.) And if someone's smart, the bottled veggie business is going to be roaring in a few months...

[Nosi]

Even people who should know better have commented; on this morning's Diane Rehm show (the weekly reporter's roundup segment) they all gave lip service to "something must be going on...Maybe it's climate change."

By contrast, Science Friday last week had a couple of earth-science types on...Just business as usual, folks. The Earth moves.

One of us needs to do a viral dancing Earth in the 'dancing baby' tradition...:D That'd get the point across...

[Thunder]

There's always an Arquillian Battle Cruiser, or a Corillian Death Ray, or an intergalactic plague that is about to wipe out all life on this miserable little planet, and the only way these people can get on with their happy lives is that they Do... Not... Know about it!

u got it K. All hail K.....All hail K!!

Oh K can you see!!!

[steve s]

There's always an Arquillian Battle Cruiser, or a Corillian Death Ray, or an intergalactic plague that is about to wipe out all life on this miserable little planet, and the only way these people can get on with their happy lives is that they Do... Not... Know about it!

http://forums.randi.org/imagehosting/815446f433d46efbf.gif (http://forums.randi.org/vbimghost.php?do=displayimg&imgid=8465)

[Skeptic Ginger]

http://forums.randi.org/imagehosting/815446f433d46efbf.gif (http://forums.randi.org/vbimghost.php?do=displayimg&imgid=8465):D

That's cute.

[Travis]

Historically I believe that 1780-1820 was much more active than right now. Of course back then we did not have 24/7 news channels to tell us about erupting volcanoes in some far off place.

[macdoc]

A study on the economic effect of a new Vesuvius eruption (http://www.businessinsurance.com/article/20100415/NEWS/100419950) was released and the finding show the potential for a staggering $24 billion of economic damage directly related to an eruption. This was part of a list of the top 10 most "dangerous" volcanoes in Europe based on insurance risk, where Vesuvius sat #1 and the Campei Flegrei was #2.

more

http://scienceblogs.com/eruptions/2010/04/friday_flotsam_9.php

[MG1962]

Historically I believe that 1780-1820 was much more active than right now. Of course back then we did not have 24/7 news channels to tell us about erupting volcanoes in some far off place.

I was only reading an article the other day about the summer that never was (1816) there was something 5 class 4 volcanic eruptions and a class 7 eruption all in about 12 month period before it

[Moon-Spinner]

Historically I believe that 1780-1820 was much more active than right now. Of course back then we did not have 24/7 news channels to tell us about erupting volcanoes in some far off place.

I wonder if religions preached the End Of The World as much then as they do now? Not only are we swamped with news reports of every little (or big) quake, volcano, tidal wave, etc., but the web and news is littered with religious "End Of The World" reports. Every year there are claims of how Naturals Disasters are the worse they've ever been (even though they aren't), and this is the beginning of the end. People believe what they want to believe, and will be preaching it for the next 4 - 5 billion years (if the human race lasts that long).

[Travis]

I was only reading an article the other day about the summer that never was (1816) there was something 5 class 4 volcanic eruptions and a class 7 eruption all in about 12 month period before it

Imagine the insanity from the conspiranoids if that stuff went down today! Reading the way they overreact to this stuff really showcases their lack of understanding historical context.

I wonder if religions preached the End Of The World as much then as they do now? Not only are we swamped with news reports of every little (or big) quake, volcano, tidal wave, etc., but the web and news is littered with religious "End Of The World" reports. Every year there are claims of how Naturals Disasters are the worse they've ever been (even though they aren't), and this is the beginning of the end. People believe what they want to believe, and will be preaching it for the next 4 - 5 billion years (if the human race lasts that long).

There have been a fair number of such religious cults in the US for some time. Though they all used to be independent of each other.

[BenBurch]

...

There have been a fair number of such religious cults in the US for some time. Though they all used to be independent of each other.

Some times I have to fight the urge to come up with a way to scam those people Big Time. I could be rich if I could just get rid of these troublesome ethics.

[Skeptic Ginger]

I wonder if religions preached the End Of The World as much then as they do now? ....Yes, it is a recurring theme documented again and again throughout history. Jesus followers from the get go were convinced the second coming was at hand. And apparently there were 1st millennium predictions just as there were 2nd millennium predictions of the Earth's demise because we have a hang up about arbitrary round numbers. 2012 is the next TEOTWAWKI you can expect people to believe in.

What a bizarre human phenomena.

[Skeptic Ginger]

Some times I have to fight the urge to come up with a way to scam those people Big Time. I could be rich if I could just get rid of these troublesome ethics.Amen brother, you and me both.

[Soapy Sam]

we're doomed!


:boxedin:

[fishbob]

we're doomed!


:boxedin:

And always have been.

[quixotecoyote]

And always have been.

Personally, I don't expect to last the century. You?

[Travis]

Some times I have to fight the urge to come up with a way to scam those people Big Time. I could be rich if I could just get rid of these troublesome ethics.

I've thought that while watching Penn & Teller. I'll be seeing some guy charging obscene amounts of money for some bogus crystal healing thing and I'm thinking "anyone could get in on that action".......but then I remember I don't like to take advantage of people.

[Nosi]

Yes, it is a recurring theme documented again and again throughout history. Jesus followers from the get go were convinced the second coming was at hand. And apparently there were 1st millennium predictions just as there were 2nd millennium predictions of the Earth's demise because we have a hang up about arbitrary round numbers. 2012 is the next TEOTWAWKI you can expect people to believe in.

What a bizarre human phenomena.

Part of it is the universal human wanting to be relevant. Or if not to be personally relevant, to live in a reliant time. Who wants to be redundant, just a number in a faceless crowd, living a life no one will note only to be relevant to hungry worms after one dies?