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November 22, 2016
Here’s what earthquake early warning looks like
When a large earthquake struck the coast of Japan near Fukushima Tuesday morning, people all across the country were alerted nearly immediately–most in advance of significant shaking at their location–by the nation’s sophisticated early warning system. Early warning doesn’t predict the onset of an earthquake, but it does predict the shaking level and time of arrival at locations all around the epicenter once one has begun but before its seismic …
August 13, 2013
Another heart-stopping tsunami video from Japan
A “new” video has emerged of the Tohoku tsunami racing inland in a Japanese port town. I don’t know that it’s never been released before, but I sure haven’t seen it, and I’ve seen basically all of them. The video is embedded at the end of this post. Update 8/19/13: I have changed the video link to a more original YouTube video. It appears that the videographer is a Mr. …
June 17, 2011
First-hand documentaries from the Tohoku quake and tsunami
Several eye-witnesses of the March 11 M9.0 in Japan have posted chilling first-hand footage of their experiences. The following two videos document the entire disaster, from the shaking until deep into the tsunami. First, here’s the harrowing video taken by a professional storm chaser who happened to be in Otsuchi, Japan doing volunteer work for Save Japan Dolphins when the earthquake roared along the coast. He struggles to keep his …
May 5, 2011
Swaying high-rises and resonance frequencies
In a post a few weeks ago I linked to a humbling video of high-rise buildings in Tokyo swaying after the 9.0 quake. Well, those buildings were full of tens of thousands of people, plenty of whom had cameras. That video was only the beginning; below are many more that capture the dramatic oscillation of the towering steel edifices. The swaying is especially clear in the following video, likely filmed …
April 22, 2011
Earthquake early warning in action
No country would have been better prepared for such a massive earthquake than Japan. Straddling the boundaries between four converging tectonic plates, Japan is one of the most earthquake prone nations in the world, and is probably the most earthquake savvy. They have world-class networks of monitoring instruments including seismometers, tide gauges, and GPS locating stations; they routinely practice for massive quakes, which they are often visited by; and they …
April 18, 2011
Japanese videos of the Tohoku earthquake and tsunami
So many videos of the March 11 M9.0 Tohoku earthquake and ensuing tsunami exist that collecting and disseminating them is a daunting task. In my three earlier posts on the subject I referred you to a variety of perspectives of both events (the quake and the tsunami). Since then plenty more clips have emerged, and continue to. I’ll make an attempt to guide you to a few of the more …
March 15, 2011
Footage of the March 11 tsunami around the Pacific
Plenty of news organizations have been collecting the extensive footage of last week’s tsunami generated by the M8.9 earthquake in Japan, so following along with them is a great way to keep up with the utterly humbling images from the interface between humanity and this planet’s powerful nature. In particular the BBC has compilations of video from Japan, CNN has a scary view, and the L.A. Times has some footage …
March 13, 2011
More unique perspectives of the 8.9 quake
As expected, videos continue to surface from people all over Japan documenting the shaking, rattling, and swaying of everything. Below I have collected some of the more interesting sights. I recommend visiting Highly Allocthonous where Chris Rowan has summarized the which, what, where, and how of this massive quake. He’s also put together some nice little diagrams illustrating the more technical concepts. The whole country of Japan shook for a …
March 12, 2011
Japan quake felt over >2500km radius
One of the many remarkable features about this planet’s largest quakes (like the one that just happened in Japan) is their truly global effect. Be it the tsunami or seismic waves perceptible and imperceptible, most parts of the planet have been touched significantly by the 8.9. Let’s start with perceptible seismic waves, i.e., ones people don’t need sensitive instruments to detect. The elastic energy released by this earthquake was enough …
March 11, 2011
Japan’s 8.9 quake and the Pacific tsunami
Everyone–scientists and public alike–has been inundated with information and media about yesterday’s gargantuan earthquake in the subduction zone off the coast of Japan. Its occurrence at midday in one of the most technologically advanced countries in the world has offered some unprecedented views of the phenomena accompanying Great earthquakes. There is an innumerable multitude of videos of the quake happening, which YouTube has already begun compiling on its CitizenTube channel. …
