it seemed like any other morning but on February 28 2001 at 10:54 a.m. a tremor
February 28 2001 at 10:54 a.m. a tremor
February 28 2001 at 10:54 a.m. a tremor began to shake Seattle
all right fortunately when it was over
all right fortunately when it was over there was just one death indirectly
there was just one death indirectly
there was just one death indirectly attributed to the quake only a few were
attributed to the quake only a few were
attributed to the quake only a few were seriously injured the city itself
seriously injured the city itself
seriously injured the city itself escaped major destruction scientists
escaped major destruction scientists
escaped major destruction scientists know that the 2001 earthquake was caused
know that the 2001 earthquake was caused
know that the 2001 earthquake was caused by a rupture in the Earth’s crust but
by a rupture in the Earth’s crust but
by a rupture in the Earth’s crust but there’s another more dangerous fault
there’s another more dangerous fault
there’s another more dangerous fault line running right beneath the city
line running right beneath the city
line running right beneath the city streets we have a big fault that runs
streets we have a big fault that runs
streets we have a big fault that runs right underneath downtown Seattle and we
right underneath downtown Seattle and we
right underneath downtown Seattle and we know it’s there and we know it’s active
know it’s there and we know it’s active
know it’s there and we know it’s active the giant masses of rock that meet at
the giant masses of rock that meet at
the giant masses of rock that meet at the fault are unstable they’re prone to
the fault are unstable they’re prone to
the fault are unstable they’re prone to sudden and violent shifts that cause
sudden and violent shifts that cause
sudden and violent shifts that cause earthquakes to help the city prepare for
earthquakes to help the city prepare for
earthquakes to help the city prepare for the inevitable scientists want to know
the inevitable scientists want to know
the inevitable scientists want to know more so in 1998 they began an ambitious
more so in 1998 they began an ambitious
more so in 1998 they began an ambitious project to literally test the ground
project to literally test the ground
project to literally test the ground underneath the city and estimate how it
underneath the city and estimate how it
underneath the city and estimate how it would shake in a real earthquake we
would shake in a real earthquake we
would shake in a real earthquake we towed behind the RB Thompson our
towed behind the RB Thompson our
towed behind the RB Thompson our research vessel at the University of
research vessel at the University of
research vessel at the University of Washington an array of what we call air
Washington an array of what we call air
Washington an array of what we call air guns sending out a sound source pinging
guns sending out a sound source pinging
guns sending out a sound source pinging letting it bounce down and come back up
letting it bounce down and come back up
letting it bounce down and come back up the scientists shot off strong sound
the scientists shot off strong sound
the scientists shot off strong sound waves into the waters of the Puget Sound
waves into the waters of the Puget Sound
waves into the waters of the Puget Sound adjoining Seattle
adjoining Seattle
adjoining Seattle using ground motion detectors called
using ground motion detectors called
using ground motion detectors called seismometers to gauge the effects by
seismometers to gauge the effects by
seismometers to gauge the effects by measuring how the waves move through
measuring how the waves move through
measuring how the waves move through Seattle’s earth the scientists developed
Seattle’s earth the scientists developed
Seattle’s earth the scientists developed a picture of what Seattle looks like
a picture of what Seattle looks like
a picture of what Seattle looks like below ground so as the sound waves go
below ground so as the sound waves go
below ground so as the sound waves go down and it hits a different density of
down and it hits a different density of
down and it hits a different density of rock we can kind of model what the rocks
rock we can kind of model what the rocks
rock we can kind of model what the rocks are like beneath the surface Seattle is
are like beneath the surface Seattle is
are like beneath the surface Seattle is sitting on top of a bowl of loose
sitting on top of a bowl of loose
sitting on top of a bowl of loose sediment the type of ground that would
sediment the type of ground that would
sediment the type of ground that would actually amplify earthquakes the
actually amplify earthquakes the
actually amplify earthquakes the scenario itself is pretty grim if if you
scenario itself is pretty grim if if you
scenario itself is pretty grim if if you were to have a large earthquake on the
were to have a large earthquake on the
were to have a large earthquake on the Seattle fault for example the first
Seattle fault for example the first
Seattle fault for example the first thing would be probably widespread
thing would be probably widespread
thing would be probably widespread destruction just from the earthquake
destruction just from the earthquake
destruction just from the earthquake itself and because the fault runs below
itself and because the fault runs below
itself and because the fault runs below the Puget Sound it could also create the
the Puget Sound it could also create the
the Puget Sound it could also create the large destructive tidal waves known as
large destructive tidal waves known as
large destructive tidal waves known as tsunamis I know that an earthquake in a
tsunamis I know that an earthquake in a
tsunamis I know that an earthquake in a tsunami is going to happen here in Fugit
tsunami is going to happen here in Fugit
tsunami is going to happen here in Fugit Sound it could happen tomorrow it may
Sound it could happen tomorrow it may
Sound it could happen tomorrow it may not happen for a thousand years given
not happen for a thousand years given
not happen for a thousand years given that I add up the risks of living here
that I add up the risks of living here
that I add up the risks of living here versus the benefits of living here and I
versus the benefits of living here and I
versus the benefits of living here and I like living here a lot so I make a
like living here a lot so I make a
like living here a lot so I make a decision to continue it in here despite
decision to continue it in here despite
decision to continue it in here despite their best efforts scientists can’t
their best efforts scientists can’t
their best efforts scientists can’t offer a firm prediction when the next
offer a firm prediction when the next
offer a firm prediction when the next earthquake will happen only the
earthquake will happen only the
earthquake will happen only the certainty that it will
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