Arkansas Volcano

[SerpentSun]

Ever heard of the New Madrid fault? For those who haven't, it is one of the most powerful earthquake faults in the United States, challenged only by the San Andreas. The great earth crack runs beneath the Mississippi River, and the quakes have made the river run backward before. They are all that remains of a sea basin that once divided the US in half.

That's right, Missouri and Illinois used to be on two separate continents. They slowly crashed together over millions of years, the wound never completely closing, land bubbling up into mountains like blemishes around a scar. The New Madrid fault is an old scar that still aches sometimes.

Long long ago, the region was much more geologically active. As Illinois and Missouri crashed together, as Arkansas and Tennessee collided, sea water was forced deep underground where it mixed with lava and exploded from the earth as volcanoes. Wait what, volcanoes in Arkansas? Yes. Yes indeed.

The evidence still remains. Diamond Crater, Hell's Half-Acre, Hot Springs....If you have a basic grasp of geology, you know that hot springs are often heated by volcanoes. But that's okay, all the volcanoes in Arkansas are extinct. Unless they're not.

What if the ancient volcanoes of the midwest US are only dormant? If I recall correctly, practices like mining for coal, drilling for oil, and frakking for gas all increase earthquake activity. Some of those practices are common in the midwest; if my reading was right, frakking is frequent in Arkansas. Hypothetically speaking, might frakking for gas wake a dormant volcano?

[LimJahey]

I did not know this! Very interesting. I have a lot of family in Arkansas. Telling them to move now.

[enesbud]

As far as I know about geology and the underlying physics..

Mining and drilling have no effect whatsoever on generating earthquakes or waking dormant volcanos...

The origin of earthquakes and volcanos is much, much deeper than the location of coal and oil reserves.. Correct me if I'm wrong!

[SerpentSun]

Originally Posted by LimJahey

I did not know this! Very interesting. I have a lot of family in Arkansas. Telling them to move now.

I wouldn't say my theory is quite that sound yet. Although it is still a geologically active area, earthquakes are the only certain threat. No need to worry yet. Besides, the real danger of such an eruption would be the economic effects. Arkansas is a major breadbasket and silicon producer for the world.

[Lucky 1]

Just so happens that I have a grown daughter who lives in New Madrid MO.....which is fault central!!!!

The little town of New Madrid MO was wiped out by an earthquake some 100 years ago....it was so strong that it permanently changed the course of the Mississippi River which goes right by the town.

I always tease her about living there because there's nothing to do but watch the grass grow and the feral cats and dogs have sex.

For more info on this fault... Google "New Madrid Seismic Zone"

[SerpentSun]

Originally Posted by enesbud

As far as I know about geology and the underlying physics..

Mining and drilling have no effect whatsoever on generating earthquakes or waking dormant volcanos...

The origin of earthquakes and volcanos is much, much deeper than the location of coal and oil reserves.. Correct me if I'm wrong!

In geologically active places in Asia, even the weight of skyscrapers upon Earth's crust has perpetuated earthquakes. On the thick stable crust of a craton, the magma probably is too deep to be affected much by drilling, but the crust along the Mississippi River is weak and fractured. Any extra instability can have unforseen consequences.

Everything is connected whether we like it or not. Nothing can be studied nor controlled in isolation, nor should it be. We then lose sight of how our marks affect the bigger picture. As it is with our sciences and industries, willing to risk consequences because our current knowledge doesn't forsee them. Our knowledge will always be incomplete.

Whether or not my theory holds water, better safe than sorry. Why pockmark our beautiful planet to leech her limited resources, risking who knows what in the process, when we lived for hundreds of thousands of years as just another animal? Chimps, wolves, hyenas, and lions don't need coal or petroleum. Why do we? We only need clean food, water, and air.

Call me old-fashioned, but I miss the good ol' days. Back when humans were sacrificed to the lava-blood of the volcano gods, eaten for strength in the name of the sun gods, perhaps instinctively to prevent overpopulation. Once upon a time, fire was so respected that it was ignited with a spell or prayer. Now we abuse it until we face its fiery revenge.

[SerpentSun]

Originally Posted by Lucky 1

Just so happens that I have a grown daughter who lives in New Madrid MO.....which is fault central!!!!

The little town of New Madrid MO was wiped out by an earthquake some 100 years ago....it was so strong that it permanently changed the course of the Mississippi River which goes right by the town.

I always tease her about living there because there's nothing to do but watch the grass grow and the feral cats and dogs have sex.

For more info on this fault... Google "New Madrid Seismic Zone"

Huh, really? How old is your daughter? Like that's totally relevant to the conversation. I suppose it just intrigues me, someone related to an SF member living so near. I'm a lonely nosy person haha.

[Lucky 1]

Originally Posted by SerpentSun

Huh, really? How old is your daughter? Like that's totally relevant to the conversation. I suppose it just intrigues me, someone related to an SF member living so near. I'm a lonely nosy person haha.

Haha! She's 26....she'll be 27 in mid Sept (Virgo)

[SerpentSun]

Originally Posted by Lucky 1

Haha! She's 26....she'll be 27 in mid Sept (Virgo)

Huh....

Small world haha.