Palu supershear quake/tsunami Sept 2018

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In summary, there was a deadly earthquake in Palu, Indonesia that killed over 2000 people. This earthquake was deemed a "supershear" event due to the high velocity at which the tremor propagated the tear in the earth. Supershear events are rare and this one was closely monitored by seismographs. The term "supershear" refers to the velocity of propagation of the rupture, which can result in a higher frequency of P and S waves. This phenomenon was recorded on seismograms and further analysis can be found in the Nature Geoscience article. Multiple stations may be needed to discern the rapidly moving location of the point of emanation of S-waves. The Science mag news article mentions a velocity of
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jim mcnamara
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Popular article: https://www.nationalgeographic.com/...hquake-supersonic-supershear-speed-indonesia/
Nature.com paywall/abstract:
https://www.nature.com/articles/s41561-019-0308-8

After analysis of the quake centered near Palu Indonesia that killed 2000+ people, it was determined that the velocity at which the tremor propagated the tear in the earth, this was "no ordinary earthquake". It is termed a supershear event.

Supershear refers to the velocity of propagation of the rupture. These are rare. This one had lots of seismogaphs listening. Maybe our @davenn can point out this phenomenon using his output as recorded on his machine.
 
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Earth sciences news on Phys.org
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jim mcnamara said:
Supershear refers to the velocity of propagation of the rupture. These are rare

They must be ! ... Supershear is not a term I have heard of before
jim mcnamara said:
This one had lots of seismogaphs listening. Maybe our @davenn can point out this phenomenon using his output as recorded on his machine.
Hmmm, not sure how these would be manifest on a seismogram.
My initial thought would maybe a higher frequency of the P ( and maybe also the S) waves due to the higher velocity of the propagation of the rupture.

I would have to try and see if there is a difference in P wave frequencies of that event compared to others with a similar distance from my recorder.

Dave
 
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If you can access Nature Geoscience, then I assume there is methodology in the primary article.

[guess]The idea is that the point of emanation of the S-waves would be moving really fast relative to one station. It also mentions "bunching up" of multiple waves onto the wavefront.[/guess]

So possibly it takes multiple stations to discern a rapidly moving location. The pop sci article mentions 9300 ft/s.
 
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1. What caused the Palu supershear quake and tsunami in September 2018?

The Palu supershear quake and tsunami in September 2018 were caused by a series of geological events, including a 7.5 magnitude earthquake, landslides, and a tsunami triggered by the earthquake. These events were a result of the movement of the Palu-Koro Fault, a major fault line in Indonesia.

2. How powerful was the Palu supershear quake and tsunami in September 2018?

The Palu supershear quake and tsunami in September 2018 were considered to be some of the most powerful natural disasters in recent history, with the earthquake reaching a magnitude of 7.5 and the tsunami waves reaching heights of up to 20 feet.

3. What areas were affected by the Palu supershear quake and tsunami in September 2018?

The Palu supershear quake and tsunami in September 2018 primarily affected the city of Palu and the surrounding areas in Central Sulawesi, Indonesia. However, the earthquake and tsunami also caused damage and casualties in other nearby cities and islands.

4. Was there any warning for the Palu supershear quake and tsunami in September 2018?

Unfortunately, there was no official warning system in place for the Palu supershear quake and tsunami in September 2018. While some people reported feeling the earthquake before the tsunami hit, there was no time for an official warning to be issued.

5. What were the impacts of the Palu supershear quake and tsunami in September 2018?

The Palu supershear quake and tsunami in September 2018 had devastating impacts, with over 4,300 people confirmed dead and thousands more injured or missing. The earthquake and tsunami also caused widespread damage to buildings, infrastructure, and the environment, leaving many people displaced and in need of assistance.

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