Geologist Update on M5.7 Quake That Rattled NV/CA on Dec 9, 2024

[@shawnwillsey]

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[@annc2044]

Hi Shawn, do you know why there is a cluster of earthquakes near Kenilworth/Helper Utah recently?

[@stephyadcock1233]

Thank you Shawn. I really appreciate the detailed update with all the pictures. I had never heard of a "sand boil" before but I feel like I know all about them after your wonderful explanation. Brilliant. Love it.

[@YewtBoot]

Agree. New for me as well. Thanks, Shawn.

[@quakekatut8641]

Hi Shawn … thanks for the follow-up! I’ve noticed some folks look suspiciously on downgrading magnitudes. I’ve tried to explain why this happens, but it can be complicated (plus I’m just one voice among the many). I think it would be great if this could be addressed and further explained to more folks - more than just a few folks believe the USGS is just randomly downgrading. This one misunderstanding seems to lead to a general distrust toward earthquake science. Thanks again!

[@edwardlulofs444]

That’s very strange. People would rather trust a conspiracy theory instead of learning some geology! What a weird world.

[@MichelleJacobcik]

Shawn, I hope you and your family have a wonderful Christmas and please take time for some rest and relaxation, you deserve it!

[@marionnadeau8457]

Thanks!

[@shawnwillsey]

Thank you, Marion! Have a great holiday.

[@pmgn8444]

Thanks for the update!

[@michelleharrell8452]

Yes I live in Eastern Dayton, NV. I definitely felt that earthquake. Thankyou for this information.

[@xwiick]

Thanks for all the hard work on these videos!

[@MaryJohnson-ik8xb]

Many many thanks from Anchorage Alaska. Looking forward for an update concerning Mt. Spurr but I know you are a super busy talented person. I will continue to donate when I can. Thanks again 👍👍

[@sueellens]

Thank you for the update! Enjoy the holidays with family and friends.

[@LizWCraftAdd1ct]

Thank you Shawn. Enjoy your holiday.

[@oscarmedina1303]

Thank you Shawn. Your analysis is always interesting and appreciated.

[@charlesward8196]

Just finished the paper you mentioned on the Quaternary faulting in the Walker Lane alignment. It will be interesting to see how the field work from this quake supplements the findings of the GSA paper. Thanks for the mention of that paper.

[@zephyrk994]

that was quite the shaker...hardest equake i ever felt was out of NV in Sacto CA

[@FSMDog]

TY for the update

[@sandrine.t]

Very helpful follow up, thanks for doing this Shawn! Sand boils? Wow, amazing. Had never heard of those before, I think... Always new things to learn! Greatly appreciated :)

[@hardrockgirl5844]

Thank you for this! Very interesting 😊

[@GeologyGrandma]

Hello from Morton Washington❤

[@brown-eyedman4040]

Thank you, Prof. Willsey. I find it very interesting that 15% to 25% of the Pacific/North American Plate motion is attributed to Walker Lane.

[@nexuspolaris4209]

Dr. Shawn , first of all thank you very much for your contribution for the popularization of the geology. Pleade could you do a field series for the Engineering geology such as , slope stabilty, face mapping, rmr, q system and GSI calculations usage the brunton compass and so on Best Regards

[@rocktapperrobin9372]

great update as always, prof. Are quakes in this region connected to the rotation of the basin and range region? Have a good Christmas

[@Bed-rx1]

Good stuff Doc. That recent activity in the New Madrid region has me a little concerned.

[@Poppageno]

Shawn, I've tried a few times to find out what the depth level is below. I suspect it is Sea Level but I have been unable to find out. Can you? I even emailed USGS and the person who replied didn't know. The reason I want to know is a quake like this one is a lot further from the surface(1,700m) if the 9.7km depth is from sea level, almost 2 more KM from the surface.

[@marc_Peterson]

Im in carson city. It wobbled the building pretty good

[@d2sfavs]

would you have an idea how far the rock moved at the point of rupture underground?incredible power we felt it here in auburn ca.thanks for the update

[@edwardlulofs444]

Wow, that’s really asking a lot! All we have is some human felt shaken and some wiggles on some nearby seismographs. I’m curious what he says as I am not a geologist.

[@shawnwillsey]

There are some crude ways of estimating displacement based on magnitude.

[@edwardlulofs444]

@ thank you for the correction. It’s teal good and perhaps exceptional that a real geologist would set the record straight from the guesses of an amateur. Thank you. 😊

[@kymkauffman5000]

Looks like a nice cone right next to the site.

[@joemonks3161]

Sorry. Out of context question for you to consider for future content. What is the mechanism that sustains the continuing Fuego volcano eruptions in Guatemala?

[@shawnwillsey]

Central America lies along a subduction zone, where one plate dives beneath another and magma is generated.

[@professorsogol5824]

Does that boulder that rolled in the earthquake offer a study opportunity for some enterprising geologist or archeologist? I believe there is a method of dating erosional events that try to determine when a rock was last exposed to the sun. One side of this boulder has been sitting out in the sun for quite a few years but the other side was just exposed, so comparing the long exposed side of the surface of the rock to other, newly exposed locations on the rock could provide insight into how surface material changes with time in the sunlight.

[@acfanter]

SAND BOIL… word of the month 😅

[@lauram9478]

❤❤

[@dlane5292]

What's the historical data say for this area? Is it likely stand alone or there any part of it connected to greater proned area's? If I were to take a guess with where it's located I would say stand alone. And since the area of Nevada is in a fairly wide spread broadbase geologically fairly active regions, & as such I imagine they'll be more of these sized earthquakes every now & then within an 50 to 100 miles with lenier greater in a northerly/southerly direction since the faults generally run that direction. To me it's kinda like you said on your trip to Iceland where a fault is not just a crack in the ground but spread over several miles. There in Iceland the faults are more defined whereas in Nevada there lesser defined but over a broader area. I might be little off but I'm that's how I'm invisioning this area of Nevada activity to generally be. What's your thoughts?

[@jfmezei]

What? no photo of a lawn chair that has tipped over on lawn as a result of the Earthquake? Must not have been a big earthquake 🙂 When looking at a crack or rock slide, is there a geologist way to "carbon date" the event, or is it more of a visual judgement to see if "recent" or "not revent" based on colour, vegetation and wether the crack is still sharp" or has been weathered ?

[@shawnwillsey]

I think they mainly look at fresh exposures of rockfall, slides, and such.

[@PhillipHartley-y6i]

😩

[@MaryJohnson-ik8xb]

Thanks!