Deep Sea Earthquakes baffle Scientists in Newport, USA

Mon, Apr 14th 2008, 00:00

More than 600 earthquakes have occurred off the coast of Oregon USA over a 10 day period in 2008.


Scientists are baffled because the zone where the earthquake swarms have occurred, 150 nautical miles southwest of Newport, is in an area that is not typical for such earthquake activity.

Earthquakes have occurred in the past, but usually on the boundary where the San Juan de Fuca and North American tectonic plates join. Tremors and earthquakes are usually a result of disruption at the edges of these tectonic plates. The most recent quakes have taken place in a basin in the middle of the tectonic plate.

Monday 7 April saw the largest of the quakes, which measured 5.4 on the Richter Scale. Scientists are now monitoring the ocean depths carefully to see what will happen next. They are using very sensitive recording devices called hydrophones to record the activity. Hydrophones are used to monitor everything from the movement of icebergs to the calls of marine animals.

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