4.7 earthquake rattles Arkansas

Jordan Hartley

http://earthquake.usgs.gov/earthquakes/recenteqsww/Quakes/nm022811a.php Largest quake in the state in over 40 years. They are getting bigger in this area.

Magnitude
4.7
Date-Time
Monday, February 28, 2011 at 05:00:50 UTC
Sunday, February 27, 2011 at 11:00:50 PM at epicenter
Time of Earthquake in other Time Zones
Location
35.265°N, 92.344°W
Depth
3.8 km (2.4 miles)
Region
ARKANSAS

Distances
6 km (4 miles) NE (46°) from Greenbrier, AR
7 km (4 miles) S (187°) from Guy, AR
9 km (6 miles) SE (128°) from Twin Groves, AR
59 km (37 miles) N (359°) from Little Rock, AR
418 km (260 miles) SSW (207°) from St. Louis, MO
 
It's the start of a new active volcano that is starting to form in the area. This will create a new favorite local pastime of let's see who can throw their beer can closest to the volcano without it instantly melting. It is Arkansas you know. :~)
 
Scott Weberpal said:
This earthquake was nowhere near the New Madrid fault.
Click to expand...

So? I fail to see how that makes his question invalid, as I'm assuming you mean to infer. The frequency and increasing magnitude bears notice and Jeremy's question was simple, requiring at most, a yes or no response. If you're not going to be more helpful, be quiet.

Jeremy, I've been wondering this too. In just the last week I've seen a large increase in detected quakes so I went looking for more information. Nova's Science Now had a show about 'Earthquakes in the Midwest' and it talks about the New Madrid.

You can watch it online here: http://www.pbs.org/wgbh/nova/earth/earthquakes-midwest.html

While the 'big one' might not be around the corner, or even be at the New Madrid Fault, when it does happen, but I think it's a good time to go back over some of our emergency planning for such an event.

Found more information about Arkansas here: http://www.geology.ar.gov/geohazards/earthquakes.htm
 
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I've watched a couple discovery shows and what not about the New Madrid. Some say aftershocks and tremors from the main quake could be felt as far away as Oklahoma. Along with the Mississsippi flowing backwards and all the other freakish things reported with this event I can't imagine the effects of such an event in a non earthquake ready area such as Memphis. I've heard Memphis is preparing for the big one when it does happen. Lets hope their in time.
 
These latest quakes are in Faulkner county, and are in an area that has experienced swarms of quakes in 1982 and again in 2001. A writeup on the 2001 swarm can be found here:

http://www.geology.ar.gov/pdf/The May 2001 Faulkner County Earthquakes.pdf

The report specifically says that this geologically active area does not appear to be related to the New Madrid fault system, and that no correlation between events in the two areas has been noted. Interesting reading, however.
 
Correct me if I am wrong but the whole plate tectonics system is interconnected. You can't have one movement without other things being affected. A moderate quake in central Arkansas is going to either release or build stress in New Madrid so you can't discount this quake as nothing. If you look at the location map it really isn't that far off the New Madrid line.

Toss this is there:

http://www.ceri.memphis.edu/seismic/recenteqs/index.html
 
Andrew Herron said:
So? I fail to see how that makes his question invalid, as I'm assuming you mean to infer. The frequency and increasing magnitude bears notice and Jeremy's question was simple, requiring at most, a yes or no response. If you're not going to be more helpful, be quiet.
Click to expand...

Considering the subject of the thread, assuming he was relating this earthquake to the New Madrid fault is a very reasonable insinuation. A simple "yes or no" would not fill the minimum number or characters required to post. But thank you for the scolding, mod.

Anyway, the paper that Dave posted answers many of the questions which have been asked thus far in this thread. This information (I am assuming this is what Dave is referring to) on page 5 sums up many questions very well

"These earthquakes are not associated with the New Madrid seismic zone (NMSZ) of northeast Arkansas and there is no history or research that suggests any cause/effect relationship between the two regions. Arkansas has minor seismic activity in several areas not associated with the NMSZ. Although we detect and feel earthquakes in these other areas from time to time, the history of these regions does not suggest that they represent any significant hazard."

There is even evidence to suggest that the NMSZ may be shutting down:

http://www.purdue.edu/uns/x/2009a/090313CalaisSteinMadrid.html
 
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