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Are the recent earthquakes caused by global warming?
Apparently, lately we've had a very high - probably abnormally high - number of very powerful earthquakes around the globe (Peru, Japan, New Zealand, Turkey etc etc) in a very short period of time.
As is known from geological history (warming periods) the rapid melting of ice shields and glaciers redistribute the weigh pressure on the earth crust and can slightly influence tectonics.
So my question is: are there scientifically reasonable grounds to assume that the recent wave of deadly earthquakes has something to do with the melting glaciers and, hence, with the Global Warming? Thanks for you answers and opinions.
4 Answers
- Anonymous10 years agoFavorite Answer
"Apparently, lately we've had a very high number of powerful earthquakes" - no, we haven't.
The number and intensity of earthquakes around the world hasn't increased lately - all that's happened is people hear about them due to instant and ongoing news coverage.
While rapid melting of ice shields and glaciers could cause some increased LOCAL geologic activity, there is no evidence that enough ice is melting fast enough right now to influence earthquakes.
The recent wave of deadly earthquakes is simply perception, NOT reality.
- SpartanCanuckLv 710 years ago
>> Apparently, lately we've had a very high - probably abnormally high - number of very powerful earthquakes around the globe (Peru, Japan, New Zealand, Turkey etc etc) in a very short period of time.
The accuracy of this statement is the biggest problem with this hypothesis. Indeed, the only quake on your list which would qualify to be called "very powerful" would be the March 2011 Sendai quake. The only notable clustering of quakes in recent history of this magnitude was back in the 1960's, with a 9.5 in Chile and a 9.2 in Alaska. The recent quake in Peru was less than 7.0. The Christchurch quake was a 6.3. The recent quake in Turkey was a 7.2. Quakes of this magnitude range aren't exactly uncommon, nor have recent patterns of them been abnormal.
- FaessonLv 710 years ago
?
No, they are not.
No, we have not had a very unusual number of earthquakes, although there is evidence that the actual number is SLIGHTLY higher than before, this could be attributable to the locations being, for the most part closer to population centers than we have seen recently... although the Peru and Haiti quakes were NOT near population centers, much of the destructive power of the earthquakes were directed AWAY from the coast in the case of Peru and TOWARD the coast in the case of Haiti, making them unusually destructive, though seemingly at random.
- Anonymous10 years ago
Yes, absolutely. The same sort of reasoning that goes into human caused global warming can be applied to the increase in earthquake activity.
I believe you are on to something !
