NASA maps surface changes due to California earthquakes



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Damage caused by two strong earthquakes that rocked the south
California on July 4th and 5th – a magnitude of 6.4 and 7.1 respectively – can be
seen from the space. The epicenter of the earthquakes was near the town of Ridgecrest, about
241 kilometers northeast of Los Angeles. According to the United States
Geological, the 7.1 earthquake was one of the largest in the region
some 40 years old.

The Advanced Rapid Imaging and Analysis (ARIA) team
NASA's reaction propulsion laboratory in Pasadena, California used synthetic fibers
Opening Radar (SAR) of the ALOS-2 satellite to produce a map showing
surface displacement due to earthquakes. Post-earthquake images have been acquired
July 8, 2019 and from April 8, 2018, data for the same region.

Each color cycle represents 4.8 inches (12 centimeters)
moving the ground either to or from the satellite. Linear features that cut the color
the fringes in the southeast indicate the likely locations of surface fracture caused by
earthquakes and noisy areas in the northwest may indicate
where the soil surface has been disturbed by them.

the
USGS reported more than 1,000 aftershocks in the region following July 5
earthquake. State and federal scientists, including those from California
Geological Survey and USGS, use this surface deformation map in the field
to assess the damage and map the flaws that have erupted in both
major earthquakes as well as thousands of aftershocks.

in the
following earthquakes, NASA's Earth Science Disasters program is in
communication with the California Earthquake Clearinghouse, which is
coordinate response efforts with the California Air National Guard, the USGS and
the Federal Emergency Management Agency. NASA analysts use data from
satellites to produce visualizations of deformation and land potential
landslides, among other seismic impacts, and make them available for
intervention agencies. NASA's disaster program encourages the use of the satellite
observations to predict, prepare, react and recover from
disasters around the world.

The Japanese Aerospace Exploration Agency (JAXA) provided
ALOS-2 data for the production of the card. The analysis of the ARIA team was
funded by the NASA Disaster Program.

For more information on
ARIA, visit:

http://aria.jpl.nasa.gov

For more information on
NASA's disaster program, visit:

http://disasters.nasa.gov

Media contact

Smith's Spirit
Jet Propulsion Laboratory, Pasadena, California
818.354.4269
[email protected]

2019-137

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