+ Visit NASA.gov + Advanced Search   + About the Server   + Animation List   + How to Use the Server   + RSS Feeds   + Podcasts   + Opportunities Previous Animation Next Animation Glaciers Spur Alaskan Earthquakes In a new study, NASA and United States Geological Survey (USGS) scientists found that retreating glaciers in southern Alaska may be opening the way for future earthquakes. The study examined the likelihood of increased earthquake activity in southern Alaska as a result of rapidly melting glaciers. As glaciers melt they lighten the load on the Earth's crust. Tectonic plates, that are mobile pieces of the Earth's crust, can then move more freely, which increases the probability of earthquakes occurring in this region.    Animation of Southern Alaskan Earthquakes over the past decade. Duration: 24.0 seconds Available formats:   720x486 (30 fps) Frames   640x480 (30 fps) MPEG-1   13 MB   720x480 (29.97 fps) MPEG-2   21 MB   320x240 (30 fps) MPEG-1   3 MB   320x240     JPEG         10 KB   320x240     JPEG         11 KB   320x240 (30 fps) X-FLV       878 KB How to play our movies    Southern Alaskan Earthquakes from 1-18-1993 to 7-19-1993. Available formats:   2560 x 1920     TIFF 7 MB   320 x 240         JPEG     14 KB    Southern Alaskan Earthquakes from 1-18-1993 to 10-6-1993. Available formats:   2560 x 1920     TIFF 7 MB   320 x 240         JPEG     15 KB    Southern Alaskan Earthquakes from 1-18-1993 to 4-7-1994. Available formats:   2560 x 1920     TIFF 7 MB   320 x 240         JPEG     15 KB    Southern Alaskan Earthquakes from 1-18-1993 to 1-14-1995. Available formats:   2560 x 1920     TIFF 7 MB   320 x 240         JPEG     15 KB    Southern Alaskan Earthquakes from 1-18-1993 to 7-25-1995. Available formats:   2560 x 1920     TIFF 7 MB   320 x 240         JPEG     15 KB    Southern Alaskan Earthquakes from 1-18-1993 to 12-5-1995. Available formats:   2560 x 1920     TIFF 7 MB   320 x 240         JPEG     15 KB    Southern Alaskan Earthquakes from 1-18-1993 to 6-18-1996. Available formats:   2560 x 1920     TIFF 7 MB   320 x 240         JPEG     15 KB    Southern Alaskan Earthquakes from 1-18-1993 to 2-6-1997. Available formats:   2560 x 1920     TIFF 7 MB   320 x 240         JPEG     15 KB    Southern Alaskan Earthquakes from 1-18-1993 to 9-2-1997. Available formats:   2560 x 1920     TIFF 7 MB   320 x 240         JPEG     15 KB    Southern Alaskan Earthquakes from 1-18-1993 to 1-25-1998. Available formats:   2560 x 1920     TIFF 7 MB   320 x 240         JPEG     15 KB    Southern Alaskan Earthquakes from 1-18-1993 to 10-19-1998. Available formats:   2560 x 1920     TIFF 7 MB   320 x 240         JPEG     15 KB    Southern Alaskan Earthquakes from 1-18-1993 to 5-4-1999. Available formats:   2560 x 1920     TIFF 7 MB   320 x 240         JPEG     15 KB    Southern Alaskan Earthquakes from 1-18-1993 to 7-13-2000. Available formats:   2560 x 1920     TIFF 7 MB   320 x 240         JPEG     15 KB    Southern Alaskan Earthquakes from 1-18-1993 to 11-16-2001. Available formats:   2560 x 1920     TIFF 7 MB   320 x 240         JPEG     15 KB    Southern Alaskan Earthquakes from 1-18-1993 to 9-16-2002. Available formats:   2560 x 1920     TIFF 7 MB   320 x 240         JPEG     15 KB    Southern Alaskan Earthquakes from 1-18-1993 to 8-2-2003. Available formats:   2560 x 1920     TIFF 7 MB   160 x 80           PNG       30 KB   320 x 240         JPEG     14 KB   80 x 40             PNG         7 KB Animation Number: 2969 Completed: 2004-07-30 Animators: Alex Kekesi (GST) (Lead)   Stuart A. Snodgrass (GST)   Marte Newcombe (GST) Scientists: Jeanne Sauber (NASA/GSFC)   Bruce Molnia (USGS) Writer: Sarah DeWitt (NASA/GSFC) Platforms/Sensors/Data Sets: Terra/MODIS   Seismometer   GTOPO30   Terra/MODIS/Blue Marble   USGS/NEIC/Earthquake Activity Data Collected: Seismic Measurements: 1/18/1993 - 8/2/2003 Series: Glacier Earthquakes Goddard TV Tape: G2004-042 Keywords: SVS >> Earthquake SVS >> Glacier GCMD >> EARTH SCIENCE >> Solid Earth >> Seismology GCMD >> Location >> Alaska More Information on this topic available at: http://www.gsfc.nasa.gov/topstory/2004/0715glacierquakes.html Science paper: Journal of Global and Planetary Change (July issue)     Please give credit for this item to: NASA/Goddard Space Flight Center Scientific Visualization Studio, USGS/National Earthquake Information Center Back to Top + Privacy Policy and Important Notices + Reproduction Guidelines NASA Official: Content Contact: Curator: