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Puerto Rico Quake Damage Visible From Space
Jet Propulsion Laboratory ^ | 1/10/2020 | Arielle Samuelson

Posted on 01/11/2020 12:08:34 AM PST by cll

Days after a 6.4-magnitude earthquake rocked Puerto Rico, followed by hundreds of aftershocks, the full extent of damage is only beginning to be realized.

NASA scientists are using satellite data to help federal and local agencies identify areas with potential damage. Earthquakes cause permanent changes to the ground surface. By comparing interferometric synthetic aperture radar (InSAR) data acquired on Jan. 9, 2020, with data acquired on Dec. 28, 2019, from the Copernicus Sentinel-1A satellite, the scientists were able to map where, how much and in what direction those changes occurred.

Managed by the European Space Agency (ESA), the Copernicus Sentinel-1A satellite was able to see the eastern two-thirds of the island during the Jan. 9 flyover. On the map, red indicates areas where the ground was changed, or displaced, with darker shades corresponding to more significant displacement. The scientists found that the greatest displacement from the flyover area occurred west of the city of Ponce (identified by the green star), not far from the quake's offshore epicenter. They recorded up to 5.5 inches (14 centimeters) of ground change there. The ground appeared to shift downward and slightly to the west.

The quake epicenter and the cluster of quakes and aftershocks in the region identified by the United States Geological Survey (shown as orange circles) fall just west of the satellite's Jan. 9 track. Because of this, scientists also plan to analyze data from Sentinel-1A's forthcoming Jan. 14 flyover, which will include western Puerto Rico.

The NASA Earth Applied Sciences Disasters Program has activated Tier 1 response in support of this disaster and is in contact with the Federal Emergency Management Agency, the United States Geological Survey and Health and Human Services (HHS) to provide NASA Earth-observing data in support of response and recovery efforts. Products in the process of being produced include Suomi-NPP-based “Black Marble” power outage maps, damage maps, and landslide maps. A webpage has also been created on the NASA Disasters Mapping Portal to supply relevant GIS data products.

The map contains modified Copernicus Sentinel data processed by ESA and analyzed by scientists at NASA's Jet Propulsion Laboratory, and earthquake location data from the USGS.


TOPICS: News/Current Events
KEYWORDS: earthquake; puertorico
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Not sure about "visible" but certainly measurable.
1 posted on 01/11/2020 12:08:34 AM PST by cll
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To: rrstar96; AuH2ORepublican; livius; adorno; wtc911; Willie Green; CGVet58; Clemenza; Narcoleptic; ...
Puerto Rico Ping! Please Freepmail me if you want on or off the list.


2 posted on 01/11/2020 12:09:41 AM PST by cll (Serviam!)
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To: cll

The rings around your anus are visible from space. I mean, heads or tails on that dime laying there........


3 posted on 01/11/2020 12:13:38 AM PST by Delta 21 (Be strong & prosper, be weak & die! Stay true.... ~~ Donald J. Trump)
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To: cll
Very few man made structures are visible from space.
4 posted on 01/11/2020 12:30:32 AM PST by jmacusa ("If wisdom is not the Lord, what is wisdom?)
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To: cll

Earth Visible From Space, JPL Scientists Astounded!


5 posted on 01/11/2020 2:28:24 AM PST by PIF (e)
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To: cll

Are they wanting the mainland to send them more food and water to rot in the sun?


6 posted on 01/11/2020 3:25:59 AM PST by Karma_Sherab
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To: cll

Hurricane Maria demonstrated the weakness of Puerto Rico’s electrical infrastructure.

The earthquakes are showing the weakness of Puerto Rico’s water and sewer infrastructure.

But Puerto Rico has been run by communist Democrats for decades, so it should resemble Detroit, San Francisco, Chicago and St Louis.


7 posted on 01/11/2020 3:36:57 AM PST by Erik Latranyi (The Democratic Party is communism)
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To: cll

I grant the damage and injuries suffered by the Puerto Rico’s people.

But this press release by JPL is just another federal agency publicizing a “look at what I can do!” The information does little but confirm where the epicenter was, where it moved to. And the people doing repairs on the ground knew that already.


8 posted on 01/11/2020 3:50:56 AM PST by Robert A Cook PE (I can only donate monthly, but ABCNNBCBS donates every hour, every night, every day of the year.)
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To: jmacusa; All

Apparently, you’ve never watched “What on Earth?” on the SCI channel. .....The satellites uncover many obscure things in forests, deserts, etc. Then, people go to those sites to investigate what they are and their history.


9 posted on 01/11/2020 4:06:46 AM PST by octex
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To: cll

They had an 8 inch tsunami. I’m not kidding. In their case I don’t think 8 inches made a difference.


10 posted on 01/11/2020 4:14:05 AM PST by HighSierra5
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To: jmacusa

These days, cigarette labels are visible from space....


11 posted on 01/11/2020 4:14:55 AM PST by trebb (Don't howl about illegal leeches, or Trump in general, while not donating to FR - it's hypocritical.)
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To: cll

“They recorded up to 5.5 inches (14 centimeters) of ground change there. The ground appeared to shift downward and slightly to the west.”

Uh oh. More evidence of rising sea levels.


12 posted on 01/11/2020 4:48:46 AM PST by Lurkina.n.Learnin (If you want a definition of "bullying" just watch the Democrats in the Senate)
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To: cll

Guam and Saipan had a 7.7 Earthquake 3 years ago. If I understand the scale correct this is exponentially bigger than the one on Puerto Rico. A 6.4 would be considered an excuse (as if any were needed) to BBQ.

They are poorer than Puerto Rico with less money for redevelopment. You never heard about it because they enforce building codes better. Nobody died and the Internet didn’t even go down.

https://earthquaketrack.com/quakes/2016-07-29-21-18-25-utc-7-7-212


13 posted on 01/11/2020 4:54:10 AM PST by Fai Mao (There is no rule of law in the US until The PIAPS is executed.)
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To: Fai Mao

That Saipan quake was ‘deep’ at over 233km (145 miles) and not all that close to the island. Shallow quakes cause greater damage.


14 posted on 01/11/2020 5:21:19 AM PST by CARTOUCHE (One Day Closer to CW II)
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To: cll

What? and no one’s blaming Trump? Yet.


15 posted on 01/11/2020 5:46:46 AM PST by I want the USA back (If free speech is taken away, dumb and silent we are led, like sheep to the slaughter: G Washington)
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To: cll

Stupid statement. They can read individual license plates from space why not earthquake damage.


16 posted on 01/11/2020 7:41:37 AM PST by Captain Compassion (I'm just sayin')
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To: cll

every Puerto Rican that I have met in the US votes democrat—probably because they were used to getting everything for free in PR.


17 posted on 01/11/2020 8:22:14 AM PST by freeangel ( (free speech is only good until someone else doesn't like it)
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To: I want the USA back

“”What? and no one’s blaming Trump? Yet.””

AND must be AOC is taking a long winter nap because I haven’t heard her blaming the president for not reacting fast enough to help her auntie or her cousins or whoever! Maybe she’d like to volunteer to go down and help out????


18 posted on 01/11/2020 8:34:55 AM PST by Thank You Rush
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To: Thank You Rush

looks like they had another 5.9 this am. that’s gotta hurt on already weakened structures


19 posted on 01/11/2020 8:39:11 AM PST by Mom MD
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To: jmacusa

The Clinton’s avarice is visible from space.


20 posted on 01/11/2020 8:48:19 AM PST by Rebelbase
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