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Published online 5 May 2009 | Nature | doi:10.1038/459020a

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Geologists suffer observatory glitches

Flagship experiment on the San Andreas fault has been troubled since last autumn.

Richard Monastersky

As US geophysicists gathered last week to celebrate EarthScope, one of their most ambitious programmes ever, researchers let slip an embarrassing fact that they had kept largely under wraps for 6 months. One major element of the project — a suite of instruments buried deep in California's San Andreas fault — is broken.

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  • Treat earthquake faults by pumping liquid carbon dioxide into serial injection points, kilotonnes/hole. Modest recurrent fees from proximate residents cover costs. Southern California and San Francisco are highest priority for the San Andreas fault (abundance of affluent residents). Science 324 (5926) 481(2009) Fossil fuel combustion yields 7.2x10^15 tonnes CO2/yr - worth a fortune as Carbon Credit temblor remediation.

    • 05 May, 2009
    • Posted by: "Uncle Al" Schwartz

  • Is this possible that a minor mistake may lead to the destruction in an other part of the earth. As i know that this plate tectonics framework all of this is connected. So injecting the fluids for observing the motions or stopping the motions due to some stuck machinery and instruments at one end of the plate may lead to the build up of the stresses in other part of the world or the plate or at some other boundary.I think we should be understanding properly before taking the steps like these

    • 23 May, 2009
    • Posted by: Anwar Qadir