Parkfield, California

Monterey County

06-55716

Parkfield is a predominantly rural scattered settlement in the U.S. state of California ( Monterey County), located halfway between Los Angeles and San Francisco. The approximately 900 inhabitants live mainly from agriculture, especially livestock, and some tourism.

Park Fields peculiarity lies in the fact that it is located directly on the San Andreas Fault, one of the longest and most active geological zones of the world. The epicenter of the Fort Tejon earthquake of 1857, one of the most powerful earthquakes in California, was near this location. In Parkfield occurs on average every 22 years an earthquake of magnitude six or greater. The U.S. federal agency United States Geological Survey said in 1985, ahead of a major quake in 1993. However, this occurred only on 28 September 2004, when the morning at ten clock occurred an earthquake of magnitude six.

Parkfield counts due to its seismic hazard to the region of the world that are most intensively observed. In seismology monitoring by the United States Geological Survey as Parkfield experiment is known. The aim of the investigations is to improve the prediction of earthquakes. Center of the field station is a 1969 linear scale measuring field of pegs, which was laid on the plate boundary and is filmed around the clock in order to detect sudden jumps caused by earthquakes can. Stresses in the soil can be determined based on 15 wire gauges. The station measures both satellite-based and modifications of the amplitude frequency of emitted microwaves. With a further laser distance measurements to several permanently installed in the landscape reflectors can be performed. In addition, the concentrations of the radioactive noble gas radon are assessed regularly, which enhances enters the atmosphere during earthquakes.