Jackie Caplan-Auerbach
@geophysichick.bsky.social
Seismologist, volcanologist, professor, and hazards junkie. Soapbox stander. Opinions are my own but I'm happy to share. She/her.
Never realized how much excellent life advice is available in the comments to the New York Times cooking section.
October 25, 2025 at 10:11 PM
Never realized how much excellent life advice is available in the comments to the New York Times cooking section.
Intrigued by this extraordinarily inclusive list of languages one can select at a local doctors office. They apparently welcome time travelers and aliens as well as global citizens.
October 9, 2025 at 2:32 PM
Intrigued by this extraordinarily inclusive list of languages one can select at a local doctors office. They apparently welcome time travelers and aliens as well as global citizens.
Bit of fieldwork nostalgia--these photos of an amazing cave in columnar jointed rocks on Tanaga Island. Back in the day when my hair was still brown (almost all grey now).
September 29, 2025 at 8:29 PM
Bit of fieldwork nostalgia--these photos of an amazing cave in columnar jointed rocks on Tanaga Island. Back in the day when my hair was still brown (almost all grey now).
Someone just brought me a scrapbook that was found under the floorboards of my attic before I lived here. Includes some interesting news articles from 1927 and apparently the cure for diphtheria. Don't tell RFK.
September 27, 2025 at 11:42 PM
Someone just brought me a scrapbook that was found under the floorboards of my attic before I lived here. Includes some interesting news articles from 1927 and apparently the cure for diphtheria. Don't tell RFK.
Honestly, you can't make this stuff up.
September 26, 2025 at 8:53 PM
Honestly, you can't make this stuff up.
Adventures in algebra. Had to get a new oven knob. Temps on the old knob run from 275 to 500. New knob runs 220 to 440. The old knob conveniently marked temperatures at 25 degree intervals, whereas the new one has (no joke) marks every 36.7 degrees.
Find 350 degrees on the new knob. I dare you.
Find 350 degrees on the new knob. I dare you.
September 7, 2025 at 4:48 PM
Adventures in algebra. Had to get a new oven knob. Temps on the old knob run from 275 to 500. New knob runs 220 to 440. The old knob conveniently marked temperatures at 25 degree intervals, whereas the new one has (no joke) marks every 36.7 degrees.
Find 350 degrees on the new knob. I dare you.
Find 350 degrees on the new knob. I dare you.
Also posted by AEC, this figure showing the timing of the events--you can see that they become more frequent as we approach the time of the main landslide.
August 13, 2025 at 7:10 PM
Also posted by AEC, this figure showing the timing of the events--you can see that they become more frequent as we approach the time of the main landslide.
The Alaska Earthquake Center posted this figure showing the events: the tiny wiggles that precede the really big one are the precursors in question. (Read more at earthquake.alaska.edu/major-landsl...)
August 13, 2025 at 7:10 PM
The Alaska Earthquake Center posted this figure showing the events: the tiny wiggles that precede the really big one are the precursors in question. (Read more at earthquake.alaska.edu/major-landsl...)
Couldn't do much work on the recent AK landslide today because I was busy making curly fries at the NW Washington Fair. Science starts again tomorrow..
August 12, 2025 at 1:30 AM
Couldn't do much work on the recent AK landslide today because I was busy making curly fries at the NW Washington Fair. Science starts again tomorrow..
Good call, and yes!
August 11, 2025 at 3:03 PM
Good call, and yes!
WOW, there are a lot of salmon jumping at Brooks Falls (Alaska) right now. Check out salmon and bears on the live cam: explore.org/livecams/cur...
July 19, 2025 at 8:56 PM
WOW, there are a lot of salmon jumping at Brooks Falls (Alaska) right now. Check out salmon and bears on the live cam: explore.org/livecams/cur...
I just love this typo in the NYTimes. Not only is it an ironic error, but misspelling "Genius" is the only way that one could justify Trump's observation (highlighted).
July 18, 2025 at 7:46 PM
I just love this typo in the NYTimes. Not only is it an ironic error, but misspelling "Genius" is the only way that one could justify Trump's observation (highlighted).
It's a lousy year to celebrate July 4, so we are focusing on our community. Spent the past week building a couple of holes of mini golf for the neighborhood to enjoy when walking by.
July 4, 2025 at 8:38 PM
It's a lousy year to celebrate July 4, so we are focusing on our community. Spent the past week building a couple of holes of mini golf for the neighborhood to enjoy when walking by.
Timeline cleanse: my daughter is home from college and made a cake. First time she's attempted a heart shape. I think she's amazing. ❤️
June 6, 2025 at 5:45 PM
Timeline cleanse: my daughter is home from college and made a cake. First time she's attempted a heart shape. I think she's amazing. ❤️
The US Army texted me to recruit my daughter today. I had thoughts.
May 19, 2025 at 11:29 PM
The US Army texted me to recruit my daughter today. I had thoughts.
I've been watching for a while, so the light angle has totally changed. Here's a good example of the brownish stuff--this time coming from the other side, I think.
May 12, 2025 at 4:26 AM
I've been watching for a while, so the light angle has totally changed. Here's a good example of the brownish stuff--this time coming from the other side, I think.
Curious what other volcano geeks think is going on around the plume. There's a white (water?) gas that forms on the outside of the brownish plume. Is that brown plume gas? Pele's hair? Guessing the water cools more on the outside and condenses?
May 12, 2025 at 3:55 AM
Curious what other volcano geeks think is going on around the plume. There's a white (water?) gas that forms on the outside of the brownish plume. Is that brown plume gas? Pele's hair? Guessing the water cools more on the outside and condenses?
Fossils of the Anthropocene.
May 5, 2025 at 1:22 AM
Fossils of the Anthropocene.
There are only a couple of volcanoes with seismometers near them. Axial seamount off the coast of Oregon has a real-time seismic network linked to shore by a very long cable. Axial is being closely watched because it looks like it's close to an eruption.
oceanobservatories.org/array/cabled...
oceanobservatories.org/array/cabled...
May 2, 2025 at 7:50 PM
There are only a couple of volcanoes with seismometers near them. Axial seamount off the coast of Oregon has a real-time seismic network linked to shore by a very long cable. Axial is being closely watched because it looks like it's close to an eruption.
oceanobservatories.org/array/cabled...
oceanobservatories.org/array/cabled...
Sometimes we know a submarine volcano has erupted because it produces pumice that floats on the sea surface. We don't always know where the pumice came from, so even that doesn't tell us where the volcanoes are.
May 2, 2025 at 7:50 PM
Sometimes we know a submarine volcano has erupted because it produces pumice that floats on the sea surface. We don't always know where the pumice came from, so even that doesn't tell us where the volcanoes are.
A very few undersea volcanoes are shallow enough that their eruptive products (ash, gas) can reach or cross sea level. These may actual form visible eruption plumes, and they may form islands. A frequently erupting example is Home Reef in Tonga.
May 2, 2025 at 7:50 PM
A very few undersea volcanoes are shallow enough that their eruptive products (ash, gas) can reach or cross sea level. These may actual form visible eruption plumes, and they may form islands. A frequently erupting example is Home Reef in Tonga.
On land we can detect eruptions because (a) we see them, (b) we have seismometers sensing when they cause ground shaking, (c) we have satellite images to capture eruption plumes, and (d) infrasonic microphones can hear them blow.
We have almost none of this under water.
We have almost none of this under water.
May 2, 2025 at 7:50 PM
On land we can detect eruptions because (a) we see them, (b) we have seismometers sensing when they cause ground shaking, (c) we have satellite images to capture eruption plumes, and (d) infrasonic microphones can hear them blow.
We have almost none of this under water.
We have almost none of this under water.
We have no idea how many undersea volcanoes exist--the oceans are poorly mapped. Further, it's hard to know how to classify the mid-ocean ridge system, a range of volcanoes extending throughout the world's oceans (white lines in image). Is each eruptive vent its own volcano? How do we count them?
May 2, 2025 at 7:50 PM
We have no idea how many undersea volcanoes exist--the oceans are poorly mapped. Further, it's hard to know how to classify the mid-ocean ridge system, a range of volcanoes extending throughout the world's oceans (white lines in image). Is each eruptive vent its own volcano? How do we count them?
This is a real headline on Fox News today.
April 21, 2025 at 7:13 PM
This is a real headline on Fox News today.