NYGS at NYSM

I tried to track down some more information on the New York Geological Survey.

It seems like there could be a better state presence to represent the interests of the citizens of New York concerning geologic hazards and resources. Perhaps this is being handled ok as is, or perhaps the existence of federal agencies like the USGS and entities like LCSN fill the gap.



There has been an historical association of the NYGS within the State Museum:

Our history of inquiry, discovery, and education began in 1836 when we were established as the State Geological and Natural History Survey. Over the years, we have grown into a major research and an educational institution dedicated to preserving New York's rich artistic, social, historical, and environmental legacies under the leadership of the New York State Education Department.

But, there also seems to have decreases in state funding in support of geology:

The Times Union (Albany, NY)
December 9, 1997
Quake-spotters feel tremors of apathy
BYLINE: BRUCE A. SCRUTON; Staff Writer

Late on the afternoon of June 8, 1996, about 9.6 miles under the village of Altamont, the earth moved.
Only one person noticed.
''It should have been felt,'' said Walter Mitronovas, who discovered the earthquake when it registered 2.5 on one of two seismographs at the State Museum. ''But there was a thunderstorm at the same time. That probably explains it.''
As the state's seismologist, Mitronovas has spent nearly 20 years measuring the Earth when it moves. But when he retires next spring, the $ 61,500 position won't be filled.
Dr. Robert Fakundiny, a geologist who oversees the state Geological Survey, said a hiring freeze, lack of funding sources and a dwindling interest in Northeast earthquakes is to blame.
''Most people are now convinced the earthquake hazard is not high enough (in the Northeast) to warrant the continued funding,'' said Fakundiny.
''The last five years have been very quiet,'' said Mitronovas, 61. ''I'm not sure it's the quiet before the storm, though.''
Although the number and size of earthquakes in the Northeast is about 50 times lower than in California, Mitronovas said a quake here will have a wider damage pattern because of the type of soils in the Northeast and the under-ground rock patterns that would carry the shock waves further.
The state's seismology position was created in the early 1970s when Bethlehem Steel wanted to dispose of toxic waste in a deep well in western New York. Because a similar operation in Colorado showed the possibility of manmade earthquakes, a system of seismographs was installed by the state Geological Survey and Lamont-Doherty, now known as the Earth Observatory of Columbia University. That system picked up other earthquakes in the Wyoming County town of Dale, about 100 miles away from the toxic disposal site and caused by a deep well salt-mining operation.
''When that (salt) operation was shut down, the earthquakes stopped,'' said Fakundiny. Curious, the scientists decided to experiment by triggering their own earthquakes at the site. When Columbia, fearing it could be liable for potential damages caused by these earthquakes, withdrew from the project, the state decided to hire its own seismologist.
The first seismologist left in the late 1970s as that series of experiments wound down. However, the state was immersed in contentious hearings on siting nuclear power plants,and wanted its own expert to gauge the potential of earthquake damage to reactors.
Mitronovas was in Switzerland and wanted to return to the United States. He arrived in February 1978 to set up and monitor the state's seismic network. At one point in the early 1980s, there were networks operated by the state, Lamont, the U.S. Geological Survey and a consortium of power companies reaching about 50 machines scattered around the state.

Where is the New York Geological Survey?

As I have been looking for information on the recent small earthquakes that have occurred in Pennsylvania, then New Jersey, most recently New York, I eventually want to check out what the state geological surveys have to say about earthquakes in general, and also about particular events.

There is a nice web page for the Association of American State Geologists (AASG), which "represents the State Geologists of the 50 United States and Puerto Rico. Founded in 1908, AASG seeks to advance the science and practical application of geology and related earth sciences in the United States and its territories, commonwealths, and possessions."

However, when you click on the state of New York, you are directed to the New York State Museum, and then to information about pretty minerals. Now, I love museums, but this hardly seems appropriate as a source for geological information about hazards and resources within a state.

There is an "unofficial gateway" to the resources of the New York Geological Survey, which states "The NYSGS does not have an official web site at this time."

By putting 2+2+2 together, I was able with some effort to track down a web presence for the Office of the State Geologist. Yet all one finds is a list of names. Compare this to the other state surveys on the AASG website above. New York's web presence hardly seems acceptable in this day and age.

What's up, New York?

What's shaking in Albany, NY?

Well, while I've been worrying about small earthquakes in Pennsylvania and New Jersey, you might have thought I'd forgotten about New York. Lo and behold, there have been seven small earthquakes near Albany in the last week. Belated fallout from the Eliot Spitzer affair? Who knows.

A list of the events from the LCSN web page is below. Each event is hot-linked to a more detailed report.

 MAG    DATE    LOCAL-TIME  LAT    LON   DEPTH  LOCATION
  y/m/d     h:m:s      deg    deg    km    from Albany

2.1  2009/02/23 10:46:20 42.574N 74.094W  7.0   19 mi SW
2.1  2009/02/21 02:30:43 42.569N 74.103W 11.0   20 mi SW
2.7  2009/02/20 13:04:19 42.572N 74.096W  8.0   19 mi SW
1.6  2009/02/19 09:22:58 42.573N 74.094W  8.0   19 mi SW
2.4  2009/02/18 11:20:23 42.572N 74.101W 10.0   20 mi SW
2.7  2009/02/17 22:41:50 42.570N 74.103W  9.0   20 mi SW
2.1  2009/02/17 09:33:26 42.571N 74.135W 16.0   21 mi SW

Here is part of a news account of one of these:

Earthquake triggers Gilboa dam inspection

Saturday, February 21, 2009

By Edward Munger Jr.
Gazette Reporter

SCHOHARIE — A small earthquake southeast of Albany Wednesday prompted an immediate inspection of the Gilboa Dam under new operating procedures put in place by the New York City Department of Environmental Protection, an engineer said Friday.

The earthquake was minor and didn’t cause any damage to the massive concrete structure that remains the focus of a multimillion-dollar construction project now in its first phase, said John H. Vickers, chief of western operations for the DEP.

According to the Lamont-Doherty Cooperative Seismographic Network, the magnitude 2.4 event took place at roughly 11:20 p.m. on Wednesday, centered roughly 32 miles southeast of Albany.

People in the vicinity of a magnitude 2.4 earthquake would feel minor shaking lasting two or three seconds, according to Won-Young Kim, senior research scientist at the Lamont-Doherty Earth Observatory of Columbia University in Palisades, NY.

The New York City DEP was notified and immediately dispatched inspectors to ensure there were no problems, as part of new standard operating procedure, Vickers said.

But I haven't seen any stories yet on the whole mini-swarm.

Largest earthquake ever recorded, Chile, 1960

That would be Chile, 1960. Same area as Darwin's quake. This helps put our recent small quakes in the Northeast in perspective.

From the USGS:

Chile
1960 May 22 19:11:14 UTC
Magnitude 9.5

The Largest Earthquake in the World

"Approximately 1,655 killed, 3,000 injured, 2,000,000 homeless, and $550 million damage in southern Chile; tsunami caused 61 deaths, $75 million damage in Hawaii; 138 deaths and $50 million damage in Japan; 32 dead and missing in the Philippines; and $500,000 damage to the west coast of the United States." (USGS)

"The series of earthquakes ... ravaged southern Chile and ruptured over a period of days a 1,000 km section of the fault, one of the longest ruptures ever reported. The number of fatalities associated with both the tsunami and the earthquake has been estimated to be between 490 and 5,700. Reportedly there were 3,000 injured, and initially there were 717 missing in Chile. The Chilean government estimated 2,000,000 people were left homeless and 58,622 houses were completely destroyed. Damage (including tsunami damage) was more than $500 million U.S. dollars. The main shock setup a series of seismic sea waves (tsunami) that not only was destructive along the coast of Chile, but which also caused numerous casualties and extensive property damage in Hawaii and Japan, and which was noticeable along shorelines throughout the Pacific Ocean area. There were several other geologic phenomena besides tsunamis associated with this event. Subsidence caused by the earthquake produced local flooding and permanently altered the shorelines of much of the area in Chile impacted by the earthquake. Landslides were common on Chilean hillsides. Cordón Caulle erupted forty-seven hours after the main shock. It is only a matter of time until Chile once again has a "world-class" earthquake whose impact, like the 1960 Chile event, will be felt around the world." (NOAA)

Valdivia, Chile (NOAA)

"Valdivia suffered catastrophic damage because of its proximity to the epicenter of the massive quake. Regional tectonic subsidence of five to seven feet occurred. There was extensive loss to agricultural lands from flooding. The horizontal ground motions, not the subsidence, caused the principal damage to structures away from shorelines and river channels. Older masonry structures were hard hit by the earthquake. However, many wood frame buildings performed well.

"The highest [tsunami] runup on the United States was at Crescent City, California. Here, the runup reached 1.7 m and the first wave arrived 15.5 hours after the tsunami was triggered. A total of $500,000 to $1,000,000 in damage was done by the tsunami to the United States west coast.

"Hilo was the hardest hit city in the Hawaiian Islands. The tsunami arrived at Hilo about 15 hours after it originated off the coast of south central Chile, 6,600 miles distant. The runup at Hilo was measured at 10.7 m. The tsunami changed into a bore as it passed the harbor entrance and advanced on to the bay front. The business district along Kamehameha Avenue and the adjoining low-lying residential areas of Waiakea and Shimmache were destroyed. Damage to property included 229 dwellings and 308 business and public buildings. Between the Wailoa and Wailuku Rivers, the water washed inland as far as the 6 m(20 ft) contour above sea level." (NOAA)

On this date: Charles Darwin's Chilean earthquake

Last week was the bicentennial of Charles Darwin's birth. On today's date of Feb. 20, 1835, Darwin felt an earthquake in Valdivia, Chile, now estimated to have been of magnitude 8.5. The largest earthquake ever recorded by seismographs occurred in this same area, in 1960.

At the American Public Media web site, Speaking of Faith, you can hear an hour-long show on Darwin and his times (I haven't listened to it yet), and a short passage by David Kohn on the importance of Darwin's earthquake experience. It furthered his understanding of the possibility of gradual evolutionary change as part of a very long geologic history. This site also contains Darwin's earthquake "blog":

Valdivia
February 20, 1835
This day has been remarkable in the annals of Valdivia for the most severe earthquake which the oldest inhabitants remember.— Some who were at Valparaiso during the dreadful one of 1822, say this was as powerful.— I can hardly credit this, & must think that in Earthquakes as in gales of wind, the last is always the worst. I was on shore & lying down in the wood to rest myself. It came on suddenly & lasted two minutes (but appeared much longer). The rocking was most sensible; the undulation appeared both to me & my servant to travel due East. There was no difficulty in standing upright; but the motion made me giddy.— I can compare it to skating on very thin ice or to the motion of a ship in a little cross ripple.

An earthquake like this at once destroys the oldest associations; the world, the very emblem of all that is solid, moves beneath our feet like a crust over fluid; one second of time conveys to the mind a strange idea of insecurity, which hours of reflection would never create. In the forest, a breeze moved the trees, I felt the earth tremble, but saw no consequence from it.— At the town where nearly all the officers were, the scene was more awful; all the houses being built of wood, none actually fell & but few were injured. Every one expected to see the Church a heap of ruins. The houses were shaken violently & creaked much, the nails being partially drawn.— I feel sure it is these accompaniments & the horror pictured in the faces of all the inhabitants, which communicates the dread that every one feels who has thus seen as well as felt an earthquake. In the forest it was a highly interesting but by no means awe-exciting phenomenon.— The effect of the tides was very curious; the great shock took place at the time of low-water; an old woman who was on the beach told me that the water flowed quickly but not in big waves to the high-water mark, & as quickly returned to its proper level; this was also evident by the wet sand. She said it flowed like an ordinary tide, only a good deal quicker. This very kind of irregularity in the tide happened two or three years since during an Earthquake at Chiloe & caused a great deal of groundless alarm.— In the course of the evening there were other weaker shocks; all of which seemed to produce the most complicated currents, & some of great strength in the Bay. The generally active Volcano of Villa-Rica, which is the only part of the Cordilleras in sight, appeared quite tranquil.— I am afraid we shall hear of damage done at Concepcion.

Here are the 5 New Jersey quakes

Thank you, commenter. Usually I am a good counter!  I had
to dig further at the New Jersey Geological Survey to get
the fifth event.

MAG  DATE  LOC TIME LAT  LON  DEPTH   LOCATION
    m/d   h:m:s    deg  deg   km

2.3 02/18 01:42:35 40.86 74.55  4.0 8 mi WSW of Boonton,NJ
1.4 02/16 14:38:31 40.94 74.02  7.0 7 mi NNE of Teterboro,NJ
1.1 02/16 13:17:55 40.96 74.38  2.0 4 mi NNE of Boonton,NJ
2.4 02/14 17:22:22 40.94 74.39  2.0 3 mi NNE of Boonton,NJ
3.0 02/02 22:34:19 40.87 74.52  5.0 6 mi WSW of Boonton,NJ

---

Good story on Jersey quake, bad graphic and spelling

I enjoy poking around the web to see how events are reported. It's interesting that the small quakes in New Jersey got some play on the news in Tampa. Maybe it's because of all the snowbirds in Florida. The story is quite sound, but the graphic, well, it's a little over the top, and DEFINITELY not from the Ramapo fault zone in New Jersey. The words are sober, but does the image confuse and scare people? Is this journalism, or Hollywood? (Ok, I've looked again, and I think it is their generic earthquake pic, but this is still not a generic earthquake feature.)

From Tampa Bay 10:

Another eatthquake [sic] rattles New Jersey

Another minor earthquake occured [sic] Wednesday morning in New Jersey. This is the fourth earthquake measured in north central New Jersey since February 14, 2009.

The latest earthquake occured [sic] on February 17, 2009 at 1:42 a.m. EST and measured a 2.3 on the Richter scale. It was centered roughly 3.1 miles below the town of Victory Gardens, NJ. No damage or injuries were reported.

Earthquakes in the eastern U.S. typically occur less frequently than the west coast, but because of the geomorphic make up of east coast, those earthquakes can be felt further away. East of the Rockies, an earthquake can be felt over an area as much as ten times larger than a similar magnitude earthquake on the west coast.

The northeast U.S. urban corridor is laced with known faults, but numerous smaller or deeply buried faults remain undetected. As a result, it is even more difficult to determine what faults east coast earthquakes originate from.