National Aeronautics and Space Administration

High-definition Images Reveal Changes on Many Scales

NASA radar reveals local surprises. . . . . .and troubling fault motions 60 km north

Precise images are adding realism to crustal models and forecasts UAVSAR blanketing California danger zones with change-detection images
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National Aeronautics and Space Administration

NASA Radar (UAVSAR) Imaging Quake Borderland and Beyond

Early image samples from UAVSAR Project, Scott Hensley

Oval indicates a region of triggered fault slip

National Aeronautics and Space Administration

Quake Triggers Responses on Key Faults

>Mw 2.0 Earthquakes (Apr-Dec 2010, orange dots) from the ANSS Worldwide Earthquake Catalog, Advanced National Seismic System

Fault traces from Southern California Earthquake Center, Uniform California Earthquake Rupture Forecast (UCERF-2), Edward H. Field and coworkers.

Elsinore fault extends into Los Angeles San Jacinto fault reaches to San Bernardino Full-length ruptures must be considered: damaging earthquakes
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National Aeronautics and Space Administration

UAVSAR Images Slip 60 Km North of Earthquake

Changes from 24 April 2009 to 13 April 2010 Chiefly due to earthquake in Baja (El Mayor-Cucapah) Creases resemble fault slip
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National Aeronautics and Space Administration

Imaged Slip Matches San Jacinto Fault Lines

Scale: 20 km

Fault traces (red) from USGS Earthquake Hazards Program

Left trace: Borrego Mountain Earthquake (1968, Mw 6.5); Right trace, top: Elmore Ranch Earthquake (1987, Mw 6.2); Right trace, bottom: Superstition Hills Earthquake (1987, Mw 6.6) Fresh slip on these faults verified in the field (Treiman) Signals stress transfer north into San Jacinto fault system; ripe for a damaging earthquake?
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National Aeronautics and Space Administration

Fault Precision Drives Hazard Simulations -- Virtual California

Virtual California faults, John Rundle and coworkers (UC Davis)

Part of NASA QuakeSim project, which develops earthquake simulations and resources. Computer simulation: A 100,000 year virtual history of earthquakes, movies Addresses important hazard questions: how likely is a San Jacinto fault full/partial rupture? Relies on real fault information over wide areas, as radar imaging provides. Produces scores of large Baja virtual earthquakes (at right): -- easy to find ones followed by damaging earthquakes to the north (3-30 years later).
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National Aeronautics and Space Administration

Regular UAVSAR Imaging Blankets Californias Danger Zones

Flight plans cover major faults, including Elsinore, San Jacinto, San Andreas every six months

detecting any changes.

Earthquakes receive extra coverage Standing out instantly: quakes, creeping faults.

Within a few years:

the slow motions of major faults.

National Aeronautics and Space Administration

Radar Imaging Enables Fresh Ways of Doing Earthquake Science

Unprecedented complexity revealed in rupture pattern in Baja.

Geologists enabled to rapidly map emerging fault networks.

Satellites cover the globe, UAVSAR blankets California danger
zones, LiDAR provides stunning detail. Coming: DESDynI mission.

Is key to improving hazard forecasts, tracking slow fault motions. Images signs of stress transfer threatening cities to north.
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