Earthquake and Seismology

Go behind the scenes of the first-of-its-kind structural test conducted at UC San Diego as a five-story mockup of a hospital, including a surgical suite, is subjected to dramatic earthquakes and fire testing in order to better understand how the many complex systems within hospital buildings perform after earthquakes. Teaming up with the California Seismic Safety Commission, this UCSD-TV documentary explored the history of seismic safety for California's hospital infrastructure, and what is being done to secure its future. Series: "Earthquake and Seismology Programs" [Science] [Show ID: 21399]

When the massive 9.0-magnitude earthquake struck Japan last March, Scripps Oceanography was listening. The Institution operates local, national and international seismic observing systems, each finely tuned for detecting earthquakes – from those in our backyard to ones on the other side of the globe. Join Scripps seismologist Frank Vernon as he describes two such projects: the USArray Transportable Array and the San Jacinto Fault Zone Experiment. Learn how Scripps scientists are “wiring” the earth to understand the rumblings of our dynamic planet. Series: "Jeffrey B. Graham Perspectives on Ocean Science Lecture Series" [Science] [Show ID: 23548]

From UC San Diego’s Englekirk Structural Engineering Center comes this preview of the largest, most complex seismic test ever conducted, designed to test nonstructural systems in hospitals including the first-time-ever seismic test of a working elevator and fire testing. Series: "UCTV Prime cuts" [Health and Medicine] [Science] [Show ID: 23597]

From UC San Diego’s Englekirk Structural Engineering Center comes this preview of the largest, most complex seismic test ever conducted, designed to test nonstructural systems in hospitals including the first-time-ever seismic test of a working elevator and fire testing. [Science] [Show ID: 23626]

UC Berkeley's 1923 Memorial Stadium sits on top of an active earthquake fault. In case of a major quake, the Hayward fault could tear the ground apart below the stadium. A huge retrofit project is well underway, and the seismic solutions that are being implemented have never been tried before. The stadium is being rebuilt so that parts of it will actually be mobile, moving with the shifting earth when the rupture occurs. The new state-of-the-art press box, sitting above the stadium at eight stories high, will be able to rock back and forth. Berkeley's earthquake scientists are known to be among the best in the world, and they played a key role in working with the design team on the retrofit. There's also a large training facility being built underground next to the stadium, for use by 13 Cal sports teams. Series: "UC Berkeley News" [Humanities] [Science] [Show ID: 22923]

The nuclear crisis in the aftermath of the earthquake and tsunami in Japan is confusing and frightening. Three Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory scientists - Thomas McKone, Edward Morse and Robert Budnitz - discuss the facts about radiation safety and risks, detection and the implications for human health and the environment. Lance Knobel moderates Series: "Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory " [Public Affairs] [Science] [Show ID: 21582]

The southern San Andreas Fault in California has not had a large earthquake in approximately 300 years, yet the average recurrence interval for the previous five ruptures is about 180 years. Join Scripps Oceanography geoscientist Neal Driscoll as he presents new findings on a possible relationship between these earthquakes and the flooding of Lake Cahuilla, which forms episodically as the Colorado River switches course and flows north into the Salton Trough. Learn how new data on the timing and magnitude of past earthquakes are being used to assess the potential for large earthquakes in the region. Series: "Jeffrey B. Graham Perspectives on Ocean Science Lecture Series" [Science] [Show ID: 20499]

Southern California hosts a number of active faults. Over the last 20 years, it has become the most seismically active area in the Western states, with magnitude 7 or greater events occurring around the (in)famous San Andreas fault. Join Yuri Fialko as he discusses what we know about earthquakes, and the slow tectonic deformation that causes them, using modern space technologies. Series: "Jeffrey B. Graham Perspectives on Ocean Science Lecture Series" [Science] [Show ID: 19750]

See how UC San Diego helps advance and secure a green-energy future and go behind the scenes of yet another first-of-it's-kind structural test at UC San Diego’s Englekirk Structural Engineering Research Center - the only facility in the world where actual full-scale towers can be tested. Using these unique test capacities wind turbine towers were subjected to dramatic seismic forces – producing encouraging data about reliability and structural safety for the future of wind energy.

Series: "Earthquake and Seismology Programs" [Science] [Show ID: 18117]

Join oceanographer Kevin Brown as he describes the phenomena that we experience as “earthquakes” and relates what scientists understand about the physics of these sudden and at times catastrophic movements in the earth’s crust. Learn how Brown and other Scripps scientists are using a variety of techniques to better understand when, where, and how earthquakes occur. Series: "Jeffrey B. Graham Perspectives on Ocean Science Lecture Series" [Science] [Show ID: 19749]