1811–1812 new madrid earthquakes

People were awakened by the shaking in New York City, Washington, D.C., and Charleston, South Carolina. The three main earthquakes measured 7.3-7.5 on the Richter scale. 1812, January 23, 15:00 UTC, New Madrid, Missouri Magnitude ~7.0 - 7.8 This is the third principal shock of the 1811-1812 sequence. 2:15 am local time. Bicentennial of the 1811-1812 New Madrid earthquake sequence December 2011-2012; 2010; GIP; 118; U.S. Geological Survey. This was the first of the three New Madrid faults to release energy estimated in the mid-7 magnitude. The earthquake ground shaking was not limited to these principal main shocks, as there is evidence for a fairly robust aftershock sequence. This would make a total of seven earthquakes of magnitude M6.0-7.5 occurring in the period December 16, 1811 through February 7, 1812. Huge waves on the Mississippi River overwhelmed many boats and washed others high onto the shore. The soil beneath the Mississippi River rose, temporarily changing its to run backward for several hours. A notable area of subsidence that formed during the February 7, 1812, earthquake is Reelfoot Lake in Tennessee, just east of Tiptonville dome on the downdropped side of the Reelfoot scarp. The 1811-1812 New Madrid earthquake sequence has been described in numerous ways: by Mitchell (1815) in terms of a series of disconnected historical vignettes, by Fuller (1912) in terms of far-field intensities and near-field geomorphic effects, by Nuttli (1973) anf magnitude, and by Johnston (1996c) in terms of seismic moment. Helpful. More about the "Steamboat Adventure" of 1811-1812 -- Large waves (seiches) were generated on the Mississippi River by seismically-induced ground motions deforming the riverbed. It is bounded on the east by 3-m high Reelfoot scarp. Most sources seem to call all of the events, from December 16, 1811 (first major shock) to February 7, 1812 (last major shock), and including January 23 (another major shock), the New Madrid Earthquake. Read more. Click on a pin on the map to see more information. The 1811-1812 New Madrid sequence consisted of three large earthquakes: The first earthquake was followed by 6 aftershocks in the range M5.5-6.3 in the first 2 days. Perceptible ground shaking was in the range of one to three minutes depending upon the observers location. "The New Madrid Earthquakes of 1811-1812" presented by Ray Anderson. The historic 1811-1812 earthquakes of New Madrid, Missouri The New Madrid fault system was responsible for the 1811–12 New Madrid earthquakes, an intense intraplate earthquake series that began with an initial earthquake of moment magnitude 7.5–7.9 on December 16, 1811, and was followed by a moment magnitude 7.4 aftershock on the same day. The most famous New Madrid earthquakes occurred from December 16, 1811, through February 7, 1812. On the basis of the large area of damage (600,000 square kilometers), the widespread area of perceptibility (5,000,000 square kilometers), and the complex physiographic changes that occurred, the New Madrid earthquakes of 1811-1812 rank as some of the largest in the United States since its settlement by Europeans. Only one life was lost in falling buildings at New Madrid, but chimneys were toppled and log cabins were thrown down as far distant as Cincinnati, Ohio, St. Louis, Missouri, and in many places in Kentucky, Missouri, and Tennessee. This handbook provides information to residents of the Central United States about the threat of earthquakes in that area, particularly along the New Madrid seismic zone, and explains how to prepare for, survive, and recover from such events. New Madrid, Territory, Missouri, March 22, 1816 The Lake County uplift, about 50 kilometers long and 23 kilometers wide, stands above the surrounding Mississippi River Valley by as much as 10 meters in parts of southwest Kentucky, southeast Missouri, and northwest Tennessee. The earthquakes caused the ground to rise and fall - bending the trees until their branches intertwined and opening deep cracks in the ground. The New Madrid earthquakes of 1811-1812 were so violent and destructive that most people still to this day know of them, and fear their return. From December 16, 1811 through March of 1812 there were over 2,000 earthquakes in the central Midwest, and between 6,000-10,000 earthquakes in the Bootheel of Missouri where New Madrid is located near the junction of the Ohio and Mississippi Rivers. There were thousands of aftershocks, of which 1,874 were large enough to be felt in Louisville, Kentucky, about 190 miles (300 km) away. In September 1811, his efforts were rebuffed at a meeting of southern tribes at Tuckhabatchee. Ponds of water also were agitated noticeably. Isoseismal map for the Arkansas earthquake of December 16,1811, 08:15 UTC(first of the 1811-1812 New Madrid series). This powerful earthquake was felt widely over the entire eastern United States. Earthquakes are rarely discussed for very long without the New Madrid fault line and its past earthquakes being mentioned. Below are other science projects associated with this project. Hough believes that this large aftershock occurred around dawn in the New Madrid region near the surface projection of the Reelfoot fault. His 1815 publication provides an invaluable compendium of accounts from all over the United States of that time. The Leading Edge > Volume 34, Issue 6 (June 2015) > 10.1190/tle34060618.1. Many structures in Memphis, Tenn., St. Louis, Mo., and other communities in the central Mississippi River Valley region are vulnerable and at risk from severe ground shaking. Deep seated landslides occurred along the steeper bluffs and hillslides; large areas of land were uplifted permanently; and still larger areas sank and were covered with water that erupted through fissures or craterlets. Geologic Cracks Record Earthquakes on the Reelfoot Fault in Central U.S. Lorenzo Dow in 1816, describing the earthquake as eye-witness. 1811-1812 New Madrid Earthquakes 200 years ago, on December 16, 1811, many throughout the populated areas of the U.S. were awakened by violent shaking at about 2:15 am followed by another violent shaking about 8 am. Within the Lake County uplift, Tiptonville dome, which is about 14 kilometers in width and 11 kilometers in length, shows the largest upwarping and the highest topographic relief. The first earthquake of this series on December 16, 1811, was located in northeast Arkansas. A large event felt on the East Coast that is sometimes regarded as the fourth principal earthquake of the 1811-1812 sequence. The New Madrid Earthquakes from 1811-1812 did cause physical damage, but also changed the topography of the Mississippi River Valley and surrounding areas. The ground motions were described as most alarming and frightening in places like Nashville, Tennessee, and Louisville, Kentucky. It got its name from its primary location in the New Madrid Seismic Zone, near New Madrid, Louisiana Territory (now Missouri). Although many people think of California’s San Andreas fault, which birthed the San Francisco earthquake of 1906, as the most dangerous in North America, the quakes from 1811 to 1812 that erupted from the New Madrid Seismic Zone were the most destructive. A strong correlation exists between modern seismicity and the uplift, indicating that stresses that produced the uplift may still exist today. Because there were no seismographs in North America at that time, and very few people in the New Madrid region, the estimated magnitudes of this series of earthquakes vary considerably and depend on modern researchers' interpretations of journals, newspaper reports, and other accounts of the ground shaking and damage. Geographic Names Information System (GNIS), Mapping, Remote Sensing, and Geospatial Data. A slightly different version of this essay, “Turbulence and Terror: The New Madrid Earthquakes, 1811–1812,” appeared in the November 2017 issue of We Proceeded On, published by the Lewis and Clark Trail Heritage Foundation. 4 people found this helpful. New Madrid earthquakes of 1811–12, series of three large earthquakes that occurred near New Madrid, Missouri, between December 1811 and February 1812. Three earthquakes had a magnitude of 7.0 or greater. The magnitudes of the three principal earthquakes of 1811-1812 described below are the preferred values taken from research involved with producing the 2014 USGS National Seismic Hazard Map. Click on a pin on the map to see more information. It is difficult to assign intensities to the principal shocks that occurred after 1811 because many of the published accounts describe the cumulative effects of all the earthquakes and because the Ohio River was iced over, so there was little river traffic and fewer human observers. Below are publications associated with this project. Research indicates that the 1811–1812 New Madrid earthquake sequence was preceded by at least two similar earthquake sequences in about 1450 AD and 900 AD, and that over the past 5,000 years or so, other large earthquakes have also occurred in the region surrounding the main area of the currently active New Madrid seismic zone. These eyewitness accounts give a glimpse at what was seen and experienced by people as the earthuquakes occurred. EARTHQUAKES, 1811-12 Description of the New Madrid Earthquake courtesy of The Tennessee Historical Society Between mid-December 1811 and mid-March 1812 a series of catastrophic earthquakes shook West Tennessee and the rest of the Central Mississippi Valley. New Madrid Earthquakes of 1811-1812 The New Madrid Earthquakes took place between December 1811 and April 1812 along an active fault line that extends roughly from Marked Tree (Poinsett County) in a northeasterly direction, crossing several states for about 150 miles. This sequence of three very large earthquakes is usually referred to as the New Madrid earthquakes, after the Missouri town that was the largest settlement on the Mississippi River between St. Louis, Missouri and Natchez, Mississippi. Four hundred residents of the town of New Madrid in the state of Missouri were awakened by a great roar and violent shaking. The 1811-1812 earthquakes in the New Madrid Seismic Zone impacted most of the simple buildings in New Madrid and Little Prairie (Caruthersville), the two towns in the area at the time. Hundreds of aftershocks were felt in 1813. M~7.5 on February 7, 1812 The first earthquake was followed by 6 aftershocks in the range M5.5-6.3 in the first 2 days. 1812 New Madrid earthquakes 1811 - 1812 new madrid earthquakes. According to the USGS: 1811, December 16, 08:15 UTC Northeast Arkansas – the first main shock. Earthquake Hazard in the New Madrid Seismic Zone Remains a Concern; 2009; FS; 2009-3071; Frankel, A. D.; Applegate, D.; Tuttle, M. P.; Williams, R. A. High banks caved and collapsed into the river; sand bars and points of islands gave way; whole islands disappeared. This earthquake was preceded by three other major quakes: two on December 16, 1811, and one on January 23, 1812. However, shaking strong enough to alarm the general population (intensity greater than or equal to V) occurred over an area of 2.5 million square kilometers. The town of New Madrid was destroyed. The central and eastern United States has experienced only 5 historic earthquakes with Mw 7.0, four during the New Madrid sequence of 1811-1812: three principal mainshocks and the so-called «dawn aftershock» following the first mainshock. At St. Louis, many houses were damaged severely and their chimneys were thrown down. Using the December 16 earthquake as a standard, however, there is a general consensus that this earthquake was the smallest of the three principals. 5.0 out of 5 stars On Shaky Ground-A review. An isoseismal map is one in which similarly felt seismic intensities are contoured so that you can see how far away different intensities of shaking were felt from the epicenter of the earthquake. New high-resolution lidar data reveals cracks produced from strong shaking in past earthquakes in the New Madrid seismic zone. To watch the documentary, visit http://vimeo.com/38864818. The first earthquake of December 16, 1811 caused only slight damage to man-made structures, mainly because of the sparse population in the epicentral area. Reviewed in the United States on April 19, 2008. Aftershocks persisted through 1813. The second principal shock of the 1811-1812 sequence. These earthquakes destroyed approximately half the town of New Madrid. The event is described as "severe" at New Bourbon, Missouri, and was described by boatman John Bradbury, who was moored to a small island south of New Madrid, as "terrible, but not equal to the first". Details about the New Madrid, Missouri Earthquakes. ; Dart, R. L. Putting down roots in earthquake country-Your handbook for earthquakes in the Central United States; 2011; GIP; 119; Contributors: Dart, Richard; McCarthy, Jill; McCallister, Natasha; Williams, Robert A. The meizoseismal area was characterized by general ground warping, ejections, fissuring, severe landslides, and caving of stream banks. It explains the need for concern about earthquakes for those residents and describes what one can expect... A series of earthquakes hit the New Madrid seismic zone of southeastern Missouri, northeastern Arkansas, and adjacent parts of Tennessee and Kentucky, in December 1811 to February 1812. There is broad agreement in the scientific community that a continuing concern exists for a major destructive earthquake in the New Madrid seismic zone. A number of legends have grown around the New Madrid Earthquakes of 1811-1812, most notable being a story about the Shawnee chief Tecumseh, who attempted to unify Native American tribes in response to encroachment by white settlers. Hundreds of aftershocks were felt in 1813. Coal and sand were ejected from fissures in the swamp land adjacent to the St. Francis River, and the water level is reported to have risen there by 8 to 9 meters. A Sequence of Three Main Shocks in 1811-1812 This sequence of three very large earthquakes is usually referred to as the New Madrid earthquakes, after the Missouri town that was the largest settlement on the Mississippi River between St. Louis, Missouri and Natchez, Mississippi. Most of the uplift occurred during prehistoric earthquakes. 400 terrified residents in the town of New Madrid, Missouri were abruptly awakened by violent shaking and a tremendous roar. Sara Howard. The second principal shock, M7.3, occurred in Missouri on January 23, 1812, and the third, M7.5, on February 7, 1812, along the Reelfoot fault in Missouri and Tennessee. Comment Report abuse. The extent of the area that experienced damaging earth motion, which produced Modified Mercalli Intensity greater than or equal to VII, is estimated to be 600,000 square kilometers. However, it is unknown whether this <550 yr recurrence interval has been constant throughout the Holocene given limited geomorphic evidence of prior... Earthquake activity in parts of the central United States has increased dramatically in recent years. Nuttli also noted that about eighteen hundred earthquakes of about M3.0 to 4.0 during the same period. And finally, I have a letter Eliza Bryan wrote to Rev. At least three other large aftershocks are inferred from historical accounts on December 16 and 17. 1827, Recollections - longtime residents of New Madrid share detailed memories of the earthquake with Timothy Flint 1812-1871 - The Center for Earthquake Research and Information provides this compendium of eyewitness accounts . The first time the Mississippi reversed its flow was in 1811 and 1812, when a series of earthquakes originated in New Madrid, Missouri, and were felt as far away as Ohio and South Carolina. Three sequences of well-documented, major ~M7+ earthquakes (1811-1812 CE, ~1450 CE, and ~900 CE) in the New Madrid seismic zone, USA, contribute significantly to seismic hazard in the region. This documentary tells the story of the historic earthquakes of 1811 and 1812 that struck near the town of New Madrid, MO and proceeded to rattle a big part of the country for the next six months. PRESENTER: This is an isoseismal map from Otto Nuttli's paper about the 1811-1812 sequence of three earthquakes that happened in New Madrid. In the epicentral area the ground surface was described as in great convulsion with sand and water ejected tens of feet into the air (liquefaction). The region most seriously affected was characterized by raised or sunken lands, fissures, sinks, sand blows, and large landslides that covered an area of 78,000 - 129,000 square kilometers, extending from Cairo, Illinois, to Memphis, Tennessee, and from Crowley's Ridge in northeastern Arkansas to Chickasaw Bluffs, Tennessee. They were by far the largest east of the Rocky Mountains in the U.S. and Canada. From December 16, 1811 through March of 1812 there were over 2,000 earthquakes in the central Midwest, and between 6,000-10,000 earthquakes in the Bootheel of Missouri where New Madrid is located near the junction of the Ohio and Mississippi Rivers. Subsidence there ranged from 1.5 to 6 meters, although larger amounts were reported. A Sequence of Three Main Shocks in 1811-1812 This sequence of three very large earthquakes is usually referred to as the New Madrid earthquakes, after the Missouri town that was the largest settlement on the Mississippi River between St. Louis, Missouri and Natchez, Mississippi. Surface fault rupturing from these earthquakes has not been detected and was not reported, however. Other areas subsided by as much as 5 meters, although 1.5 to 2.5 meters was more common. The maximum documented intensity for both earthquakes on December 16, 1811, is MM intensity VIII at Richmond, Kentucky. The uplift apparently resulted from vertical movement along several, ancient, subsurface faults. The meizoseismal area was characterized by general ground warping, ejections, fissuring, severe landslides, and caving of stream banks. 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