It’s still impossible to predict earthquakes, but through a monitoring system, seismic waves may provide warnings for quick emergency response. That appears to be the next best thing seismologists at Scripps Institute of Oceanography can offer for help during critical times. It’s called the Quake Catcher Network. “We have seismography stations throughout Southern California, recording all day, every day,” said Dr. Debi Kilb, a seismologist at the La Jolla institution. “They (faults) are measured for up-and-down, north-south and east-west movements. With the Quake Catcher Network, we deploy small sensors as quickly as possible. It’s cost effective and records a lot of data.  “We know there could be a large earthquake in the southern part of the San Andreas, but it could be today, tomorrow or 100 years from now. That’s the uncertainty people don’t like.” Scripps researchers have measured the San Jacinto fault at a length of 130 miles through San Bernardino, Riverside, San Diego and Imperial counties. It’s considered to be the most seismically active fault zone in Southern California.  It lies west of the larger, more infamous 180-mile-long San Andreas, while running parallel and to the east of the Elsinore Fault zone. Kilb said the Rose Canyon Fault, which runs under La Jolla, has not been as active. It’s unlikely, she said, that recent earthquakes in Japan, Chile and Mexico could trigger movements in Southern California. “They could change conditions somewhat, but not in the severity you might be thinking,” she said. “That’s part of my research area. “Using the seismic-wave formula, two in-depth waves would tell us to shut down some of our commuter trains and to notify the gas and electric company.” The idea for the system, Kilb said, has been around, but it hadn’t been developed in depth. “After these large earthquakes happening elsewhere we felt maybe we can be better prepared,” she said. “It’s exciting to be a seismologist right now because the technology is advancing so fast and it is really helping us gather more data that we didn’t know before.”  QUAKE NOTES

A quake long overdue It has been reported that Southern California is long overdue for a huge earthquake that could unleash widespread damage. Scripps researchers can rapidly determine which parts of Southern California are actively changing. These data help scientists understand why earthquakes occur and where they are most likely to strike.  Immediately following an earthquake, they can use these data to pinpoint the most devastated areas, thus aiding emergency management and repair teams. Another fault under Los Angeles Extensive seismological research recently led to the discovery of blind thrust faults underneath downtown Los Angeles. These faults, capable of producing a devastating earthquake, pose a more serious threat to Los Angeles than the larger San Andreas.  Palm Desert observatory Scripps operates the Cecil H. and Ida M. Green Pi on Flat Observatory, the world’s most advanced facility for monitoring changes in the shape of the earth’s crust. The observatory, near Palm Desert, is between the San Jacinto and San Andreas faults for monitoring and is internationally known as a proving ground for new kinds of geophysical instruments, like magnetometers and seismometers for Mars research.  — Johnny McDonald is a longtime writer and columnist for the San Diego Community Newspaper Group. He can be reached at [email protected].