Hi Geoffrey,

I got a reviewed location message from the USGS just 18 minutes after the
event in Mexico, which is pretty fast!  They now have people on duty 24x7,
which was not done prior to about a year ago.  Automatic locations are
not sent to the public, as the computer algorithms are not reliable enough
yet.  However, they do go to the tsunami warning groups and others  who
need near-real-time information.

Cheers,
John

Geoffrey wrote:
I have noticed that for quite sometime.

I get the distinct impression that the
USGS is operating on a skeleton crew most of the time
they really need to stand watches like the military
does in four hour shifts 24/7/365 but if they did that
all the information would be classified and we
probably would not see the data till after a 24 hour delay.

I think they rely on politics more than science
to report these things in a timely fashion.

It seems they may be afraid of liability related
to real time intelligence.

What you noticed I have noticed for years now.

Shear speculation only because I cant see the big picture.




>Subject: 2006-08-11 14:30 (Mw 5.9) MICHOACAN, MEXICO 18.6 -100.9
>Message-Id: <20060811144817.C89C019E118@....................>
>Date: Fri, 11 Aug 2006 07:48:17 -0700 (PDT)
>
>                      =3D=3D PRELIMINARY EARTHQUAKE REPORT =3D=3D
>
>Region:                        MICHOACAN,=20
>MEXICO
>Geographic coordinates:        18.624N, 100.913W
>Magnitude:                    5.9 Mw
>Depth:                        94 km
>Universal Time (UTC):         11 Aug 2006  14:30:44
>Time near the Epicenter:      11 Aug 2006  09:30:44
>Local time in your area:      11 Aug 2006  07:30:44
>
>Location with respect to nearby cities:
>    6 km (4 miles) NW (325 degrees) of Huetamo, Michoac=E1n, Mexico
>   44 km (27 miles) NW (321 degrees) of Altamirano, Guerrero, Mexico
>   78 km (48 miles) WNW (300 degrees) of Arcelia, Guerrero, Mexico
>  122 km (76 miles) S (170 degrees) of Morelia, Michoac=E1n, Mexico
>  204 km (126 miles) WSW (245 degrees) of MEXICO CITY, D.F., Mexico
>
>
>ADDITIONAL EARTHQUAKE PARAMETERS
>__________________________________________________
>event ID                     :  US rgaw
>version                      :  7
>number of phases             :  185
>rms misfit                   :  0.79 seconds
>horizontal location error    :  4.6 km
>vertical location error      :  0.0 km
>maximum azimuthal gap        :  93 degrees
>distance to nearest station  :  999.9 km
>
>Flinn-Engdahl Region Number =3D   59
>
>This event has been reviewed by a seismologist at NEIC
>For subsequent updates, maps, and technical information, see:
>http://earthquake.usgs.gov/eqcenter/recenteqsww/Quakes/usrgaw.php
>or
>http://earthquake.usgs.gov/
>
>National Earthquake Information Center
>U.S. Geological Survey
>http://neic.usgs.gov
>
>
>________________________________
>
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