We recently spent 2 weeks doing field work in a remote part of Olympic National Park, studying what we think is another part of the 'fossil' subduction plate boundary fault: a paleo-megathrust. The terrain was rugged and challenging, and the rocks were rewarding. Here's a taste. ⚒️

And Steve Malone is still analyzing volcanic earthquakes at PNSN in 2025!

This eruption is an interesting … coincidence?? Seismically triggered eruptions are not really my specialty, but I answered the phone on Sunday morning when @npr.org’s @gbrumfiel.bsky.social called, so here you go: Russian volcano erupts days after monster quake shakes www.npr.org/2025/08/03/n...

Here is @noaa.gov's model of the tsunami propagation from the people at PMEL, initiated with the earthquake location and then calibrated by the DART buoy observations. There is a wealth of great information at their website (link in thread). (1/6) ⚒️ www.youtube.com/watch?v=oOtJ...

Went on CBS Mornings today to talk about the tsunami and how it all unfolded. They had good questions. www.cbsnews.com/video/why-a-...

The M8.8 off Kamchatka appears to be the largest earthquake ever recorded that apparently didn't kill anyone. That's really remarkable, if true. ⚒️

I am glad @evanbush.bsky.social used this quote in this excellent @nbcnews.com story. This is a key message I really wanted to get across in interviews today. Article here: www.nbcnews.com/science/scie...

Wednesday evening, tsunami waves are still sloshing around at Port Angeles, WA ... 18+ hours after they first arrived. Source: @noaa.gov tide gauge website. ⚒️

NEW: A magnitude 8.8 megaquake blasted tsunami waves across the Pacific today. Here's everything you need to know about it, including: -Why it happened -Why it generated a widespread tsunami -Why the timing of this megaquake is a bit weird Me, for NatGeo www.nationalgeographic.com/science/arti...

Another earthquake story from @sciam.bsky.social by the always-excellent @squigglyvolcano.bsky.social explaining why the tsunami from the Russia quake wasn't as huge as the one from the 2011 Japan quake, for example. 🧪

Today's M8.8 (orange circle) and the 1952 M9.0 epicentral locations, separated by only 73 years. I wouldn't have thought that possible! Average recurrence intervals don't tell the full story. ⚒️

This is a VERY large earthquake, possibly/probably among the 10 largest ever recorded. A clear subduction zone megathrust event. And it is another M>8.5 event with a notable foreshock (the recent M7.4 in same location), like Tohoku in 2011.

I'm excited to announce that we are seeking an External Engagement Lead for the Pacific Northwest Seismic Network! PNSN is the trusted authority on earthquakes and related topics in the PNW. Help us shape earthquake preparedness, advocacy for resilience, and hazards information all across Cascadia.

The 2025 earthquake swarm is now the largest one ever recorded at Mt. Rainier. It exceeds even the 2009 swarm in cumulative magnitude and event number and rate. >340 quakes located by @pnsn1.bsky.social so far, with 1000s more detected. Still not showing signs of unrest. www.usgs.gov/observatorie...

Here is a good non-technical article explaining what is going on at Mt. Rainier today. Biggest swarm since 2009; not rising to the level of "unrest" and not concerning at this point. But very interesting and a sign that Rainier is absolutely an active volcano! ⚒️ www.seattletimes.com/seattle-news...

On 7/8/25, the USGS & PNSN detected a swarm of earthquakes at Mount Rainier starting at 1:29AM PDT. Currently, there is no indication that the level of activity is cause for concern, alert level & color code for Mount Rainier remain at GREEN/NORMAL. CVO Statement: volcanoes.usgs.gov/hans-public/...

Good news, I guess, but the fact that this is a real story about the government of the United States of America is absolutely bonkers.

Absolutely speechless as this press conference basically ignores that NSF is already working, living, loving this building. www.youtube.com/watch?v=Zdct...

I want to be super clear here: the main subduction fault (the “megathrust”) definitely exists! This article is about a different fault that branches (“splays”) off of it.

The PNW states use future subduction quake/tsunami scenarios to assess risk to the coast. The most-used scenario today involves a hypothetical massive splay fault extending all the way north to south. With new seismic reflection data, we have shown that the 'megasplay' is mostly non-existent. 1/4

CNN on the damage being done to natural hazard monitoring by this misguided administration. I'd say that one quote from me feels a little off – I don't expect Cascadia to be the "largest" we've ever seen on the planet – but the gist is on target. www.cnn.com/2025/05/20/c... ⚒️

Here's an interesting fact about Mt. St. Helens: Most of the bulk of the mountain itself was formed in just the last 3000 years – including pretty much all of what was blown away in 1980. The entire volcanic system is only ~275,000 years old. Volcanoes are ephemeral, geologically-speaking. ⚒️

I did this in-studio interview with Q13 tv in Seattle today, mostly about monitoring Cascade volcanoes now, including the critical need for uninterrupted federal funding. www.fox13seattle.com/news/wa-volc...

While today’s seismic stations at Mount St. Helens may look very different from those in 1980, their core purpose remains the same: to record continuous ground shaking that scientists at PNSN can analyze to locate earthquakes and determine their magnitudes.

This week will feature posts on the May 18th Mt St Helens eruption anniversary, highlighting the PNSN's & the University of Washington's role in monitoring the 1980 seismic activity, and its lasting impact on the PNW, seismology, volcanology, and emergency management.

New research on a less-known effect of the next Cascadia quake & tsunami: after it’s over, sea level will be MUCH higher in many coastal sites due to sudden land subsidence that could be up to 1-2 meters. This compounds effects of warming-induced rising seas.⚒️ www.nbcnews.com/science/eart...

🚨New Study Alert!🚨 Our new PNAS study shows how earthquake-driven land subsidence + rising seas = major flood hazards along the Cascadia subduction zone. 🌊🌎 @cascadiaeqs.bsky.social (1/🧵) www.pnas.org/doi/epdf/10....

Today’s mag 6.2 and 5.3 earthquakes on the North Anatolian fault’s Marmara Sea segment are concerning because they are within and adjacent to the locked part closest to Istanbul, with mag 7.4 potential. Read here for expert analysis from GFZ’s Marco Bohnhoff and others. www.gfz.de/en/press/new... ⚒️

Anchor Bolts xkcd.com/3078

Today is the anniversary of the Pacific Northwest's worst modern earthquake, the April 13th, 1949 mag 6.7 near Olympia. 8 people died, many were injured, and millions of $$ (in 1940's money) in damage. It was a "slab event" in the subducted plate at ~50 km depth.

Regional #seismic networks are the backbone of #earthquake safety in the U.S., and funding them is critical. Find out why with @uussquake.bsky.social @caltechseismo.bsky.social @usgs-shakealert.bsky.social University of Memphis CERI and Oklahoma Geological Survey buff.ly/D8Orzut

Bad news in the NSF Grad Fellowship program - only half as many awarded as were last year, which was already down from 2023. Given the current CR flat budget, NSF must be hedging against potential big cuts next fiscal year. Ugh. www.science.org/content/arti...

In Washington, a Sunday morning wake-up for some in the form of a magnitude 3.7 shallow earthquake at 8:15 am this morning in a fairly remote area between hwy 410 and I-90, east of Enumclaw. [http://www.pnsn.org/event/62080827] Did You Feel It?: Report it here zpr.io/FxUDGTpFBuQR ⚒️

Last call! Due to popular request, the Cascadia Subduction Zone Special Issue deadline is extended to the 1st of May 2025. Submit your Research Articles, Reports, or Fast Reports now. Don’t miss out! 📩Submit here: seismica.library.mcgill.ca/announcement... 📷 James Wheeler, pexels.com

I fear this will be a devastating event in Myanmar. Hoping that it is merciful in the loss of life.

Oh no. This is close to a worst case earthquake as one can imagine happening in a densely populated area, near Mandalay. And it hits hard because I worked there in 2018 trenching the Sagaing fault almost exactly where this epicenter is. earthquake.usgs.gov/earthquakes/...

🏆 ESS Prof. Harold Tobin was selected as 1 of 6 distinguished lecturers for the Ocean Discovery Lecture Series during the 2024-2025 AY. 🌊 Tobin's work has led to significant breakthroughs in understanding the mechanics of subduction zone earthquakes. Read the full story 👇 ess.uw.edu/2025/03/ess-...

Now refined to mag 3.2, I didn’t feel it at all here in NW Seattle.

Cascadia is perfectly capable of an earthquake and tsunami of the same size as the one from Japan 14 years ago OTD. Our detection network now is in some ways not as good as what Japan had then - and they’ve vastly improved theirs since. We need to keep building our detection and warning system!

Flew from Fairbanks to Seattle today.

Refined to magnitude 4.5, we had a strongly felt earthquake at Orcas Island, WA at 5:02 am PST. Not immediately associated with a specific fault. Thrust mechanism at ~16 km depth. Small aftershocks, none felt so far, are ongoing. PNSN is working on more information about the event.

I spoke with the 3 Seattle TV news stations to get the message out that the irrational spending freeze at USGS and the indiscriminate staffing cuts at NOAA are already hurting volcano, earthquake, and tsunami monitoring and warning. @pnsn1.bsky.social 1/3 ⚒️🧪 www.fox13seattle.com/news/funding...

We have exactly the same issues and concerns with USGS travel ban and spending freeze here at the @pnsn1.bsky.social www.nytimes.com/2025/02/28/c...

PRELIM Earthquake: M3.2, 25.0 km SSW from Hyak, WA at 2025/02/18 09:54 PST http://www.pnsn.org/event/62076406 Did You Feel It?: https://zpr.io/3hUpDJwJcTiC

Megathrust anniversary! 325 years today, the Cascadia subduction zone had a massive mag 9-class earthquake that launched an enormous Pacific-wide tsunami. We know this through the incredible geo-sleuthing of Brian Atwater, David Yamaguchi, Kenji Satake and many others. ⚒️🧪

Updated to ml 3.5 by PNSN seismologists, this one was felt by many people in the west side Cascades foothill areas today. ⚒️

Did you know that there's an undersea volcano off of the Oregon/Washington coast? And did you know that's acting up? Let's unpack what this means, and what we know. 🧵

I'll add one thing to @haroldtobin.bsky.social's excellent post below: the 2004 event was the first tsunami widely captured on video. There were some videos/films of older events (e.g. Japan 1993) and a few still photos from Hilo (e.g. 1946 and 1960), but nothing like this. 1/n

Today marks exactly 20 years since the 2004 magnitude 9.1 great Sumatra earthquake and tsunami, one of the worst disasters of all time. It was the planet's first M9 quake in over 40 years. More than 225,000 lost their lives across 14 different nations, an unprecedented transnational disaster.