J H Gurney
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jhgurneyquakes.bsky.social
J H Gurney
@jhgurneyquakes.bsky.social
2K followers 250 following 82 posts
PhD Student at University of Canterbury, NZ.

Historical seismologist, United Kingdom & Aotearoa New Zealand.

Love history, botany, books, fantasy, science fiction & sports
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jhgurneyquakes.bsky.social
Some nice antipodean springs blossoms in the blue sky sunny afternoon
Y-shaped trunks of a cherry tree with spreading limbs to left & white, covered in white blooms White cherry blossoms with double petals, yellow stamens peeking out from them.
September 24, 2025 at 2:46 AM
jhgurneyquakes.bsky.social
earthquake.usgs.gov/realtime/pro...
Modelled slip map for the 29 July 2025 Kamchatka earthquake from the USGS finite fault map (version 2). When compared with the model for the 1952 earthquake in MacInnes et al., 2010 (see quoted post) the slip distribution from both earthquakes is remarkably similar. Almost an exact repeat event
July 30, 2025 at 10:24 AM
jhgurneyquakes.bsky.social
Compare the map from MacInnes et al. (2010) with the past 30 days seismicity located by USGS. The foreshocks (incl. 20 July M7.4) are in the same area as those which struck in 1951; the aftershock distribution seems to go down to 49°N, identical to the 1952 rupture area. This is a repeat 2/2
A map showing earthquake epicentres for the past month offshore southern & central Kamchatka, and the northernmost Kuril Islands. White dots are quakes 7-30 days ago, yellow dots 1-7 days ago, orange dots 1-24 hours ago, and red dots within the last hour.
July 30, 2025 at 4:07 AM
jhgurneyquakes.bsky.social
Figure 2 from MacInnes et al. (2010) shows the best estimated finite fault rupture which could be computed for the 1952 M8.8-9.0 Kamchatka earthquake. It also shows the foreshock sequence offshore Petropavlovsk (white dots), the epicentre (star) and the major aftershocks (black dots) 1/2
A map showing gridded boxes with shades of red stating the estimated amount of slip on the subduction zone beneath Kamchatka from the M8.8-9.0 earthquake in 1952.
July 30, 2025 at 4:02 AM
jhgurneyquakes.bsky.social
The best way to explore this model is via the interactive map. If the model is accurate, the lower slip areas may have the potential for producing further damaging quakes in the coming years, producing a sequence akin to 1929-1931 on the Naypyidaw & Phyu segments: earthquake.usgs.gov/earthquakes/...
A finite fault solution, showing high slip along the Sagaing Fault in the north (right side of diagram) around Mandalay, Kyaukse and Pyawbwe, with decreasing slip in the south (left of diagram). The southernmost 80km had little slip (<1.5m). The finite fault model extends approximately 350km, from Shwebo in the north (right) to Naypyidaw in the south (left)
March 28, 2025 at 10:09 PM
jhgurneyquakes.bsky.social
On this day 100 years ago, at 23:20 NZMT (10:50 UTC), a small earthquake caused damage in the town of Blenheim on the South Island of New Zealand. Numerous chimneys were damaged or fell, goods were thrown off shelves, and the town's firebell set ringing: paperspast.natlib.govt.nz/newspapers/C...
A newspaper article from 1925, quoting a telegram stating: SENSATION AT BLENHEIM SOME CHIMNEYS DAMAGED. (BY TELEGRAPH. – PRESS ASSOCIATION.) BLENHEIM, This Day. Three shocks of earthquake were experienced here last night – one at 11.20, one at 11.25, and one at 12.15 a.m. The first shock was very severe, and a number of chimneys were damaged. The shock rang the Blenheim firebell, and stocks on shelves in shops were scattered on the floors. Comparatively little damage, however, was done. A satellite imagery map annotated with the locations which reported feeling the 1925 January 18 Marlborough Earthquake in newspapers or contemporary felt reports. The map shows the southern North Island, Cook Strait and northern South Island. The earthquake occurred at 23:20 New Zealand Mean Time, which was 11:50 Greenwich Mean Time (Universal Time Coordinated). I have estimated a moment magnitude of 4.5 to 5.0, but this is a preliminary estimate without a determined epicentral location. The felt locations have their intensity - the strength at which the earthquake was observed at each place - denoted by coloured pins. Orange - Blenheim and Springlands on the South Island - indicates MM6, or strong shaking, which equates to damage to fragile contents and some chimneys. Green - Collingwood - indicates MM5, or moderate shaking, which equates to almost all people feeling the earthquake, whether they were awake or not when the quake occurred. Dark blue - Nelson - indicates MM4, or light shaking, which equates to many people feel the earthquake indoors (but not outside) and objects on shelves shake. Light blue - Karori - indicates MM3, or weak shaking, which equates to some people feel it the earthquake, but a majority do not notice it, and hanging objects may swing. The remaining places where the earthquake was felt - Hawera, Foxton, Masterton and Wellington on the North Island; and Picton, Avondale, Seddon, Kaikoura & Greymouth on the South Island - have yellow pins, indicating the earthquake was reported felt but there was insufficient information to assign an intensity. There were four earthquake within 90 minutes felt in Blenheim, and at least two of these were also felt at Picton, Avondale, Seddon and Wellington. This should indicate that the earthquakes had epicentres at the midpoint between these locations - perhaps beneath Cloudy Bay, 5-10km northeast of Blenheim. It also suggests they all felt the 23:20 NZMT shock at MM4 intensity or greater.
January 18, 2025 at 8:18 AM
jhgurneyquakes.bsky.social
Some more lovely flowers in Christchurch. Forget-me-not (Myosotis), Camellia, Ipheion uniflorum, and Echeveria.
Dainty blue-pink starry five-petal flowers with yellow and white centres. Myosotis (Forget-me-not). Veined green leaves with a bowl-shaped white flower, with yellow stamens sticking out in the centre. Camellia. Drooping long green blade-like leaves, with six-petalled light pink-white flowers with a recess in the middle, with stubby yellow stamens just visible in the recess. Ipheion uniflorum. A wall and pavement, with leaf litter beneath. Among the leaf litter is a blue-green rosette of hardy, succulent leaves, with a long, tall rose-pink stem protruding, with little trumpet flowers also rose-pink, with yellow at their tips. Echeveria.
September 28, 2024 at 9:33 PM
jhgurneyquakes.bsky.social
Some of the beautiful spring flora seen this past week in Christchurch. It is lovely to be in a 'garden city', and bizarre to see spring again only a few months after I witnessed in back home!
Leathery green leaves with a cluster of little yellow flowers in between, called tarata (Lemonwood) Pretty white star-like flower with yellow stamens. Magnolia stellata Yellow flower with many overlapping petals, with golden stubby stamens in the middle. Calendula (Marigold) Light pink/white flower from above, with six petals. Three are plain pink, the other three have yellow stripes running from the centre of the flower, with dark pink and purple splodges around the stripes. Iris japonica (Japanese Iris)
September 28, 2024 at 9:19 PM
jhgurneyquakes.bsky.social
A new fissure has opened up in the last 10-15 minutes only, only 50-100m from Grindavík homes. Thus is a good distance inside of the earth bank defences Civil Defence erected a few weeks ago. Regrettably the first homes lost to the 21st century Reykjanes Peninsula eruptions are imminent
January 14, 2024 at 12:23 PM
jhgurneyquakes.bsky.social
A geology news morning on the BBC News homepage.

Surprised that the magma finally decided to erupt on the Reykjanes Peninsula. This fissure eruption could prove very dangerous to the evacuated town of Grindavík over the coming days. Gas emissions are also worth noting.

China quake a disaster.
December 19, 2023 at 8:45 AM