Is it True That Little Earthquakes are Precursors to Big Earthquakes?
The question of predicting earthquakes and how to tell if the Big One is coming remains a mystery. In recent years, several prediction models have been advanced, including the possibility of measuring thermal patterns of heat on the earth, from space, in order to serve as a predictor. Scientists have poked holes in this latest theory, and much to everyone’s dismay, no one single method is reliable for determining when an earthquake will occur. What does remain fairly constant is that most large earthquakes occur on fault lines, where constant pressure from underlying tectonic plates can make the ground suddenly shake, rattle and roll. Scientists can thus say that larger earthquakes are much more likely along fault lines, especially some noted faults like the San Andreas Fault that runs through much of California. The question of whether little earthquakes are precursors to big earthquakes is thus a complex one. First, you’d have to define little earthquakes; are these the ones people d
