The richter scale was developed to measure the magnitude of earthquakes and tops out at 10 this being an epic event that has not yet happened. The earthquake lasted four minutes and thirtyeight seconds. Both were created as part of usgs activities acknowledging the fifty year anniversary of the quake on march 27, 2014. See more ideas about earthquake, alaska, 1964 alaska earthquake. The great alaska earthquake of 1964, volume 3, part 2, national research council u.
Penney building, 5th avenue and downing street, anchorage, alaska, partly collapsed by the march 28, 1964 earthquake. The 1964 alaska earthquake, also known as the great alaska earthquake and the good friday earthquake, was a megathrust quake that began at 5. After the big quake, there were several aftershocks, and the tsunami that came after the. Pdf why the 1964 great alaska earthquake matters 50. Valdez, anchorage, and many villages along the alaska coast were significantly damaged or destroyed by the magnitude 9. See a summary of event details in a usgs fact sheet. The great alaska earthquake of 1964, volume 5 national research council u. Read more about the 1964 great alaska earthquake and tsunami by visiting a usgs website with resources and information. Now a new book, the great quake, blends personal stories of alaskans who survived the 1964 disaster with an explanation of the scientific discoveries that resulted from it. Great alaska earthquake of 1964 reshaped theories of how.
Landslide and slumping effects in the turnagain heights area, anchorage, alaska, caused by the march 28, 1964, earthquake. The 1964 alaskan earthquake, also known as the great alaskan earthquake and good friday. Print a read and math workbook with the great alaskan earthquake of 1964 reading comprehension. Map showing distribution and intensity of wave damage in the western part of port 1aldcz.
The epicenter was about 10 km east of the mouth of college fiord, approximately 90 km west of valdez and 120 km east of anchorage. The great alaska earthquake of 1964 national research. Great alaskan earthquake survivor anchorage memories. The more modern mms moment magnitude scale has no upper limit, but by either system the great alaska earthquake of 1964 registered over 9 and was then the secondlargest megathrust quake then recorded the biggest being chiles valdivia earthquake. Her husband, bob, was working on the roof and her first thought was that he had fallen. The alaskan earthquake of 1964 linkedin slideshare. Anchorage, alaska electric clocks on walls in anchorage shut down at 5. The narration describes the event and how the film was created. Geological survey published on the results of a comprehensive geologic study that began, as a reconnaissance survey, within 24 hours after the march 27, 1964, magnitude 9. Watch 1964 great alaska earthquakes path of devastation. The alaska earthquake of 1964 was very powerfula 9. The 1964 alaska earthquake, the strongest earthquake ever recorded in north america, struck alaskas prince william sound, about 74 miles southeast of anchorage. Time stopped at the start of the 64 great alaska earthquake, the. Learn about earthquake hazards specifically in alaska, including earthquake history, recent and notable events, tsunami information, maps, and more.
Estimated federal assistance to alaska after march 27, 1964, earthquake. The great alaska earthquake and its legacy house docs. The understanding gained from the 1964 great alaska earthquake provided the geological framework for assessing the earthquake and tsunami hazards at all convergent margins around the world. If you experienced the earthquake, or just want to know what it was like, marys book is a must read. If it is fulltext, you will be taken to the abstract and may choose to either download the pdf or read. The great alaska earthquake of 1964hydrology, publ.
Why the 1964 great alaska earthquake matters 50 years later. Uplifted sea floor at cape cleare on montague island in prince william sound in the area of the greatest recorded tectonic uplift on land 33 feet. Liquefaction in and around anchorage tore the land apart. The 1964 great alaska earthquake was accompanied 2. The alaska earthquake, march 27, 1964 usgs publications. It was only after the 64 earthquake it made sense, said peter haeussler, the u. It rocked the state and shook the ground for between four and five minutes. Prince william sound, alaska, earthquake of 1964 and aftershocks, volume iii. Map of alaska showing the area of the march 27 earthquake and its aftershocks to march 30, 1964. The great alaska earthquake has had a long lasting influence on our.
Strong motion lasted longer than for most recorded earth quakes, and more land surface was dis located, vertically and horizontally, than by any known previous temblor. Bob thought the house was shaking because alice had done something wrong with the washing machine. The great alaska earthquake of 1964, national research council u. The 1964 alaskan earthquake, also known as the great alaskan earthquake and good friday earthquake, happened at 5. This is the forth in a series of six reports that the u. Why the 1964 great alaska earthquake matters 50 years later article pdf available in seismological research letters 852. Geophysical advances triggered by 1964 great alaska. Sutton started his career with the state of alaska in november of 2005. Great alaska earthquake of 1964 new online collection. The 1964 great alaska earthquake and tsunamisa modern. March 27, 2014 marks the fiftieth anniversary of the great alaska earthquake of 1964.
Shortly after the alaska earthquake of march 27, 1964, president lyndon b. It released at least twice as much energy as the san francisco earthquake of 1906 and was felt on land over an area of almost 502,000 square miles 1,300,000 square km. This megathrust earthquake attacked southcentral alaska and caused ground. Many come from volume four of the alaska history series titled aunt phils trunk, written by alaska authorhistorian laurel downing bill. To expand access to primary source materials about the great alaska earthquake of 1964. A little more than 50 years ago, on 27 march 1964, the great alaska earthquake and tsunami struck. Loss of life and destruction from the quake and accompanying tsunamis was the impetus for things like the noaa tsunami warning centers and. Alaska has changed significantly since the damaging 1964 earthquake, and. Sep 19, 2019 the photos on this board are from the great alaska earthquake of 1964. This 1964 earthquake footage from valdez, alaska, shows valdez harbor emptying of water and the tsunami rushing back in. The volume closes with a selected bibliography and. The great alaska earthquake is an eleven minute video highlighting the impacts and effects of americas largest recorded earthquake. The mathematical models that todays seismologists use to represent movement on faults produce a size estimate of magnitude9. It is an expanded version of the four minute video magnitude 9.
Seismological research letters volume 85, number 2 marchapril 2014 1. The death toll was only 1 because of the low density of the states population, but property. Prior to march 27, 1964, the concept of plate tectonics was just a theory, though one gaining acceptance. The great alaska earthquake and tsunami of march 27, 1964.
To mark the event, a number of alaskan repositories have come together to create this guide to information resources related to the earthquake. The shaking lasted for more than four minutes, launching several deadly. Tsunami damage from the 1964 great alaska earthquake was much. If it is full text, you will be taken to the abstract and may choose to either download the pdf or read. Great alaska earthquake 1964 devastating disasters. There have been many stories told about the 1964 earthquake, but this story, seen through the eyes of a teenage girl as she saw her world of anchorage being torn apart, is an experience you wont. Great alaska earthquake of 1964 new online collection guide date posted. A summary of what was learned from a great earthquake about the. The very gently slopping flat rocky surface with the white coating which lies between the cliffs and the water is about a quarter of a mile wide. The great alaska earthquake of 1964, volume 6 national research council u. For example, the tsunamis produced by the 1964 great alaska earthquake was one of the first events to demonstrate to scientists that an earthquake. To provide a collaborative website that can act as a starting point for individuals interested in.