The recent M 6.0 event in the Gulf of Mexico has some unique features.
* 1. The event was not located near any plate boundary. It is
about 490 nm (907.5 km) north of the boundary with the Caribbean plate and
that boundary is described as a strike-slip boundary (like the San Andreas),
and not a subduction zone.
* 2. It has been over 24 hours since the event and there have
been no aftershocks.
* 3. There are significant differences in the calculated depth
of the event. According to the moment tensor solutions, the USGS plots the
depth at 4 km, and Harvard plots the depth at 31.7 km.
Here is a link to an article from a petroleum geologist about tectonics in
the gulf. I don't know how valid the comments are, but they are
interesting.
http://www.aapg.org/explorer/2002/11nov/rift_zone.cfm
Bob Hancock
Three Points, AZ
The
recent M 6.0 event in the Gulf of =
Mexico has
some unique features.
Ø =
1. &n=
bsp; The
event was not located near any plate boundary. It is about 490 nm =
(907.5
km) north of the boundary with the Caribbean plate and that boundary is
described as a strike-slip boundary (like the San Andreas), and not a
subduction zone.
Ø =
2. &n=
bsp; It
has been over 24 hours since the event and there have been no =
aftershocks.
Ø =
3. &n=
bsp; There
are significant differences in the calculated depth of the event.
According to the moment tensor solutions, the USGS plots the depth at 4 =
km, and
Harvard plots the depth at 31.7 km.
Here
is a link to an article from a petroleum geologist about tectonics in =
the
gulf. I don’t know how valid the comments are, but they are
interesting.
&nbs=
p; http://www=
..aapg.org/explorer/2002/11nov/rift_zone.cfm
Bob
Hancock
Three
Points, AZ