Over 200 earthquakes per year occur in the New Madrid seismic zone.
The challenge is to determine if this region will have a repeat of
the large 1811-1812 earthquakes in the near future. Different
data sources seem to give conflicting information about the level
of stress buildup in the faults of the New Madrid seismic zone.
Accurate knowledge of the size of future earthquakes in the region
is important for human safety as well as minimizing the additional
costs (insurance, building codes) required to protect buildings
from higher predicted seismic hazard.
Question 1:
What is the geodetic evidence for seismic activity?
Question 2:
What is the geologic (paleoseismic) evidence for seismic activity?
Question 3:
Can we expect a repeat of the 1811-1812 sequence of earthquakes?
Question 4:
What damage can we expect from a repeat of the 1811-1812 earthquake sequence?