Presently we are having a significant earthquake swarm right on the San Andreas fault in Central California. The swarm includes a 4.6 mag earthquake. This is taking place not far from Salinas, CA, and is a bit east of the Monterey area. Because this swarm is taking place directly on the San Andreas fault, this is something of great interest. Something is going on along this major fault, a fault that is capable of generating an 8 mag earthquake.
At this point in time, we do not have a tested and proven, thus reliable means of forecasting earthquakes. But there are teams of researchers and scientists that are working on a EM based detection system. I have meet many of these scientists, and heard many of their presentations, and feel that once they overcome inner scientific community resistance, they will conclude that indeed certain rock emits EM just before failure under high pressure.
There are also studies going on about the behavior of the Ionosphere just before large earthquakes. Along with that, there are studies on the possibility of increased ground ions before an earthquake. These talks are very interesting.
It should be noted that the sun was at maximum, with a peak in emitted photons about a day before the big 9 mag Japan Earthquake on March 11, 2011! That's yet another thing to look at.
My hopes are that the science community makes that conclusion very soon, and that private companies can start building detection systems. In cases like the swarm going on today along the central part of the San Andreas, it would be great to know if that is indeed something to worry about.
Regarding this present swarm of quakes, I can't conclude at all what it means, other then pointing out that there is a lot of unusual activity along the San Andreas fault at one small point along it's 700 mile stretch. This is not the normal scattered micro-quakes seen everyday in the area. The swarm today is a bit intense. This area is usually an area of a lot of creep along the fault, thus producing micro-quakes, and not a locked up section of the San Andreas.
Check out this swarm on the USGS table below. Also check out this team of researchers working on possible technology that may help us someday forecast earthquakes.
Image and table below thanks to the USGS.
| 1.3 | 2011/08/27 | 12:02:30 | 36.040N | 120.613W | 5.0 | |
| 3.0 | 2011/08/27 | 09:42:48 | 36.593N | 121.191W | 4.9 | |
| 1.6 | 2011/08/27 | 08:06:32 | 36.603N | 121.207W | 5.5 | |
| 1.7 | 2011/08/27 | 07:12:15 | 36.603N | 121.211W | 5.1 | |
| 2.4 | 2011/08/27 | 06:30:39 | 36.595N | 121.198W | 6.3 | |
| 1.9 | 2011/08/27 | 06:20:19 | 36.598N | 121.204W | 5.9 | |
| 1.0 | 2011/08/27 | 05:50:05 | 36.580N | 121.177W | 5.5 | |
| 2.4 | 2011/08/27 | 04:52:05 | 36.579N | 121.175W | 5.9 | |
| 1.1 | 2011/08/27 | 04:45:07 | 36.538N | 121.178W | 20.2 | |
| 2.5 | 2011/08/27 | 04:42:08 | 36.580N | 121.177W | 5.5 | |
| 2.5 | 2011/08/27 | 04:33:25 | 36.605N | 121.208W | 5.5 | |
| 2.2 | 2011/08/27 | 04:11:15 | 36.574N | 121.171W | 6.0 | |
| 1.8 | 2011/08/27 | 04:08:47 | 36.587N | 121.191W | 4.4 | |
| 1.2 | 2011/08/27 | 03:52:56 | 36.603N | 121.207W | 7.1 | |
| 1.6 | 2011/08/27 | 03:51:09 | 36.574N | 121.173W | 3.0 | |
| 1.8 | 2011/08/27 | 03:49:51 | 36.601N | 121.208W | 6.2 | |
| 2.0 | 2011/08/27 | 03:40:01 | 36.579N | 121.176W | 5.8 | |
| 2.4 | 2011/08/27 | 03:38:15 | 36.606N | 121.212W | 5.5 | |
| 1.7 | 2011/08/27 | 03:35:59 | 36.699N | 121.340W | 4.9 | |
| 2.0 | 2011/08/27 | 03:25:47 | 36.602N | 121.207W | 5.7 | |
| 1.5 | 2011/08/27 | 03:10:42 | 36.587N | 121.188W | 4.0 | |
| 2.4 | 2011/08/27 | 03:04:00 | 36.605N | 121.210W | 6.6 | |
| 1.0 | 2011/08/27 | 02:51:13 | 36.757N | 121.401W | 7.9 | |
| 1.3 | 2011/08/27 | 02:48:03 | 36.600N | 121.204W | 5.3 | |
| 1.3 | 2011/08/27 | 02:46:13 | 36.608N | 121.213W | 6.0 | |
| 2.5 | 2011/08/27 | 02:19:43 | 36.601N | 121.205W | 6.5 | |
| 1.3 | 2011/08/27 | 02:17:10 | 36.579N | 121.184W | 4.1 | |
| 1.6 | 2011/08/27 | 02:11:00 | 36.603N | 121.208W | 6.2 | |
| 1.6 | 2011/08/27 | 01:59:34 | 36.588N | 121.196W | 4.6 | |
| 2.4 | 2011/08/27 | 01:52:47 | 36.607N | 121.212W | 5.6 | |
| 1.3 | 2011/08/27 | 01:48:23 | 36.599N | 121.203W | 6.2 | |
| 2.2 | 2011/08/27 | 01:31:49 | 36.573N | 121.170W | 5.9 | |
| 2.4 | 2011/08/27 | 01:29:43 | 36.574N | 121.171W | 6.2 | |
| 2.7 | 2011/08/27 | 01:22:37 | 36.577N | 121.171W | 4.1 | |
| 3.3 | 2011/08/27 | 01:19:03 | 36.584N | 121.179W | 7.3 | |
| 1.3 | 2011/08/27 | 01:11:39 | 36.600N | 121.204W | 6.7 | |
| 1.7 | 2011/08/27 | 01:09:02 | 36.600N | 121.207W | 6.2 | |
| 1.1 | 2011/08/27 | 01:07:28 | 36.586N | 121.184W | 5.0 | |
| 2.6 | 2011/08/27 | 01:05:11 | 36.578N | 121.175W | 5.4 | |
| 2.0 | 2011/08/27 | 01:04:20 | 36.602N | 121.209W | 5.5 | |
| 1.2 | 2011/08/27 | 00:54:25 | 36.580N | 121.180W | 6.6 | |
| 1.7 | 2011/08/27 | 00:41:21 | 36.579N | 121.175W | 5.3 | |
| 1.6 | 2011/08/27 | 00:32:09 | 36.601N | 121.208W | 6.0 | |
| 1.7 | 2011/08/27 | 00:30:35 | 36.600N | 121.207W | 6.0 | |
| 1.7 | 2011/08/27 | 00:27:19 | 36.603N | 121.209W | 5.9 | |
| 2.3 | 2011/08/27 | 00:25:17 | 36.585N | 121.189W | 6.1 | |
| 1.3 | 2011/08/27 | 00:24:49 | 36.593N | 121.201W | 4.6 | |
| 3.6 | 2011/08/27 | 00:21:59 | 36.599N | 121.202W | 5.2 | |
| 2.2 | 2011/08/27 | 00:21:19 | 36.599N | 121.204W | 5.3 | |
| 4.6 | 2011/08/27 | 00:18:21 | 36.584N | 121.181W | 7.6 | |
| 1.3 | 2011/08/26 | 22:10:52 | 36.981N | 121.635W | 7.1 | |
| 2.1 | 2011/08/26 | 20:27:53 | 36.771N | 121.412W | 8.3 | |
| 1.7 | 2011/08/26 | 20:13:09 | 36.775N | 121.416W | 8.6 | |
| 1.4 | 2011/08/26 | 18:57:32 | 36.789N | 121.411W | 11.5 | |
| 1.9 | 2011/08/26 | 17:01:24 | 36.785N | 121.420W | 9.0 | |
| 2.1 | 2011/08/26 | 16:25:38 | 36.603N | 121.213W | 9.1 | |
| 1.1 | 2011/08/26 | 15:54:40 | 36.604N | 121.212W | 9.9 | |
| 1.4 | 2011/08/26 | 15:25:28 | 36.783N | 121.409W | 9.8 | |
| 1.1 | 2011/08/26 | 15:23:42 | 36.775N | 121.404W | 9.8 | |
| 1.2 | 2011/08/26 | 14:56:53 | 36.780N | 121.408W | 9.7 | |
| 1.8 | 2011/08/26 | 13:09:21 | 36.773N | 121.419W | 8.3 | |
| 1.7 | 2011/08/26 | 11:27:24 | 36.599N | 121.212W | 8.8 | |
| 1.8 | 2011/08/26 | 10:50:33 | 36.599N | 121.215W | 7.9 | |
| 3.3 | 2011/08/26 | 10:44:23 | 36.601N | 121.211W | 8.8 | |
| 1.6 | 2011/08/26 | 04:02:18 | 36.167N | 120.237W | 7.7 | |
| 1.0 | 2011/08/26 | 03:44:07 | 36.571N | 121.084W | 2.3 | |
| 1.0 | 2011/08/26 | 03:24:27 | 36.534N | 121.118W | 2.9 | |
| 1.7 | 2011/08/25 | 22:38:13 | 36.576N | 121.174W | 5.6 | |
| 2.4 | 2011/08/25 | 22:36:17 | 36.534N | 121.118W | 3.5 | |
| 1.2 | 2011/08/25 | 21:04:26 | 36.462N | 121.034W | 5.9 | |
| 1.6 | 2011/08/25 | 17:46:21 | 36.292N | 121.722W | 12.7 | |
| 2.4 | 2011/08/25 | 16:33:00 | 36.581N | 121.175W | 6.3 | |
| 2.5 | 2011/08/25 | 16:30:40 | 36.580N | 121.177W | 6.4 | |
| 1.7 | 2011/08/25 | 16:28:22 | 36.580N | 121.176W | 5.3 | |
| 2.4 | 2011/08/25 | 16:27:29 | 36.581N | 121.177W | 6.4 | |
| 2.5 | 2011/08/25 | 12:26:09 | 36.580N | 121.177W | 6.4 | |
| 1.2 | 2011/08/25 | 12:01:18 | 36.580N | 121.180W | 5.4 | |
| 1.3 | 2011/08/25 | 11:20:04 | 36.578N | 121.177W | 5.9 | |
| 3.2 | 2011/08/25 | 11:17:35 | 36.580N | 121.175W | 7.3 | |
| 1.2 | 2011/08/25 | 09:13:23 | 36.783N | 121.417W | 7.7 | |
| 1.6 | 2011/08/25 | 08:13:01 | 36.763N | 121.473W | 6.3 | |
| 1.7 | 2011/08/25 | 02:50:26 | 36.774N | 121.413W | 8.9 | |
| 1.9 | 2011/08/25 | 02:49:20 | 35.492N | 120.761W | 2.8 | |
| 2.1 | 2011/08/24 | 21:05:40 | 36.846N | 121.580W | 3.5 | |
| 1.3 | 2011/08/24 | 18:38:45 | 36.850N | 121.586W | 4.7 | |
| 1.9 | 2011/08/24 | 17:14:25 | 36.648N | 121.252W | 4.1 | |
| 1.7 | 2011/08/24 | 15:38:41 | 35.800N | 121.266W | 7.1 | |
| 1.1 | 2011/08/24 | 15:10:18 | 35.708N | 121.111W | 8.1 | |
| 1.6 | 2011/08/24 | 09:41:19 | 35.708N | 121.085W | 10.1 | |
| 1.1 | 2011/08/24 | 08:22:43 | 36.091N | 121.030W | 11.2 | |
| 1.3 | 2011/08/24 | 00:39:42 | 36.435N | 121.015W | 6.4 | |
| 1.0 | 2011/08/23 | 22:37:43 | 36.062N | 120.636W | 0.0 | |
| 1.1 | 2011/08/23 | 10:17:49 | 36.803N | 121.525W | 2.2 | |
| 1.1 | 2011/08/23 | 10:16:54 | 36.807N | 121.527W | 3.2 | |
| 2.0 | 2011/08/23 | 03:58:09 | 35.580N | 120.889W | 4.5 | |
| 1.2 | 2011/08/22 | 16:22:12 | 35.256N | 120.514W | 9.4 | |
| 1.3 | 2011/08/22 | 15:57:07 | 36.436N | 121.016W | 6.2 | |
| 1.2 | 2011/08/22 | 14:28:54 | 35.561N | 120.796W | 3.4 | |
| 1.2 | 2011/08/22 | 00:38:24 | 36.747N | 121.341W | 8.7 | |
| 1.0 | 2011/08/21 | 23:20:48 | 36.771N | 121.410W | 8.1 | |
| 1.2 | 2011/08/21 | 20:23:38 | 36.081N | 121.082W | 11.0 | |
| 1.1 | 2011/08/21 | 14:40:33 | 36.186N | 120.787W | 4.6 | |
| 1.6 | 2011/08/21 | 14:29:11 | 36.435N | 121.016W | 6.1 | |
| 3.2 | 2011/08/21 | 14:21:01 | 36.438N | 121.014W | 7.5 | |
| 1.0 | 2011/08/20 | 23:20:21 | 36.633N | 121.133W | 8.5 | |
| 1.5 | 2011/08/20 | 16:43:22 | 36.106N | 120.673W | 7.9 |
