Does nuclear testing cause earthquakes?

Mark Wadsworth Mon Oct 16, 2006 at 09:14:04 PM GMT Print-friendly version Facebook

My old Mum, who was passionately opposed to nuclear anything, once reckoned that nuclear testing caused earthquakes ...



I'd forgotten all about this until yesterday; nuclear test (deep underground) in North Korea last week; earthquake in Hawaii this week. I mean, when was the last earthquake in Hawaii? Similarly, nuclear tests in India and Pakistan in mid-1998 and 1999, earthquakes in Turkey and Taiwan in August 1999.

France tested in Mururoa in Sept 1995, but the Kobe earthquake in Japan was in January 1995, so that's a red herring.

Does anybody think that there is the slightest correlation or credence to this? Unfortunatly I know nothing about plate tectonics and I am biased anyway, i.e. I would love it if somebody could prove that undergroudn testing causes earthquakes.


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Does nuclear testing cause earthquakes? | 4 comments (4 topical)

Re: Does nuclear testing cause earthquakes? (#1)

by swatantra on Tue Oct 17, 2006 at 11:47:48 AM GMT

Your Mum is absolutely right. Explosions do have a very slight effect on these tectonic plates. Any underground shocks would make them just a little bit more unstable but not to a critical point. Does your Mum read tea leaves as well?


Re: Does nuclear testing cause earthquakes? (#2)

by Mark Wadsworth on Tue Oct 17, 2006 at 02:58:19 PM GMT

Swatantra - thanks for response. I am just thinking, if there was a link (and there may be none!) surely somebody would have spotted it.

I suppose I'll have to do a chart of all underground nuclear tests (I think if there is a link, then deep underground will have more impact that above ground) and all earthquakes and tremors since 1945 and see if there is a connection. But even if it appears to me that there is a link (bearing in mind I am no expert and I am probably biased), who will ever take me seriously?

It would be pretty cool if it were true and the UN forced country A to pay reparations to Country B, altho' I don't see (in practice) how you could force North Korea to pay anything to the State of Hawaii.


[ Parent ]

Re: Does nuclear testing cause earthquakes? (#3)

by Anonymous on Tue Oct 17, 2006 at 03:46:01 PM GMT

Russian underground test site is, Novaya Zemlya...
China's is, Lop Nur.
Thear lodes on this on the net, look under Nuke Polifferation.


[ Parent ]

Re: Does nuclear testing cause earthquakes? (#4)

by Anonymous on Wed Oct 18, 2006 at 07:08:12 PM GMT

There are several hundred magnitude 4+ earthquakes each day. I think that nuclear testing causes shock waves straight after testing but after that nothing.

I would be just a pure coincidence. Plus Hawaii is on a hotspot so volcanoes and earthquakes are expected.


Does nuclear testing cause earthquakes? | 4 comments (4 topical)