Posted on 04/19/2013 3:11:25 PM PDT by BenLurkin
LOS ANGELES (CBSLA.com) — An earthquake warning system aimed at protecting the Southland will get a much-needed financial boost Friday.
Mayor Antonio Villaraigosa was expected to be joined by Dr. Lucy Jones of the US Geological Survey (USGS) and the Los Angeles/Long Beach Urban Areas Security Initiative (UASI) Approval Authority members to announce $5 million in federal grants for the region’s Earthquake Early Warning System.
The USGS, in partnership with CalTech and other institutions, has been developing an Earthquake Early Warning system for Southern California since 2006.
Officials say the $5 million in grants to the Los Angeles/Long Beach region from the Urban Areas Security Initiative will significantly improve the system’s capacity and bring it closer to the level required to make earthquake early warning a reality in Southern California.
State Sen. Alex Padilla (D-Pacoima) formally announced legislation in January to create an $80 statewide system after a new study revealed the potential for a major earthquake involving both the Los Angeles and San Francisco metropolitan area.
No problem with this. It works and will save lives.
More proof that the speed with which Obama closed the White House to the public has nothing to do with money on hand.
Money well spent.
The Mooch’s holidays could have paid for the whole of California to have early earthquake warning.
With money left over.
For several years the USGS had a “24-Hour Aftershock Forecast Map”, which they pulled down over a year ago. However, even in this brief time there have been several breakthroughs in earthquake prediction that you have to wonder if they have been integrated into the system. For example:
1) High altitude ionization anomaly, basically that *sometimes*, likely dependent on geology, there is a distinct change in atmospheric ionization high overhead a region about to have an earthquake.
The downside is that our (East) side of the ring of fire has a geology conducive to slower, more billowing volcanic eruptions; but the West side has more explosive eruptions, (like Krakatoa) as their geology is more brittle. The atmospheric phenomenon was first observed on their side, and may not happen on our side.
2) Ground gases may change noticeably prior to an eruption, along with ground electrical potential changes caused by piezoelectric charges created by crystalline fractures. But again, this happens in some places, but not in others.
3) Biologicals, anywhere from ants to dogs and horses, may be able to sense an impending earthquake, but nobody wants to sit around all day watching animal behavior.
Are they going to buy every home a canary???
How many people have died from earthquakes in California in the last 40 years???
That would drive Old Ben’s precious kitteh nuts!
Right off the top of my head I would say somewhere around 100.
The Loma Prieta quake killed 63.
The Northridge quake killed 57.
Guessed first and then “Binged”
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