Table of Contents

Preface ix Acknowledgments xv ONE: The Plate Tectonics Revolution 1 TWO: Sizing Up Earthquakes 24 THREE: Earthquake Interactions 52 FOUR: Ground Motions 80 FIVE: The Holy Grail of Earthquake Prediction 107 SIX: Mapping Seismic Hazard 131 SEVEN: A Journey Back in Time 165 EIGHT: Bringing the Science Home 192 Notes 225 Suggested Reading 227 Index 23 1

Promotional Information

By frankly taking the point of view of a participating seismologist, this book is a fresh contribution to the shelf of science for the public. -- Robert Phinney, Princeton University I know of no other book for the general public that presents seismic hazards better than Earthshaking Science. It offers a great deal to commend: Hough conveys the big picture really well, and hits the nail on the head with important details. -- Paul G. Richards, Lamont-Doherty Earth Observatory, Columbia University This book is a major contribution to its field, and an excellent summary of our current approaches to understanding earthquakes. All geoscientists should find it a stimulating read, and others with a reasonable grounding in science will be well rewarded for the time spent with it. -- William R. Green, "The Leading Edge"

About the Author

Susan Elizabeth Hough is a seismologist with the United States Geological Survey in Pasadena, California, and has published more than forty articles in journals such as Nature, Science, Natural History, and the Journal of Geophysical Research. She has also written occasional editorials on earthquakes for the Los Angeles Times.

Reviews

One of Choice's Outstanding Academic Titles for 2002 " Earthshaking Science takes on the difficult task of reviewing the state of earthquake science at a time when the field is evolving rapidly. Its author, Susan Hough, has done an admirable job of clearly and accurately illuminating the boundary between our knowledge and our ignorance... [She] has written a book that is accessible to readers in other disciplines and to a non-technical audience, but provides enough thoughtful commentary and perspectives to hold the attention of specialists."--Gregory C. Beroza, Nature "A reader with no background in earth science or seismology can easily absorb the material presented... Hough's writing style is easy and engaging, and she makes the subject matter entertaining."--Mark Zoback, American Scientist "An excellent outline of how, why and where earthquakes happen... It presents a real picture of a lively research field in all its gritty glory, written with a sharp eye for the absurdities of scientific life... This is an intelligent look at a broad field of science that affects many lives. Anyone heading for an earthquake area should buy a copy."--Sue Bowler, New Scientist "Earthshaking Science is without equal--literally, a book for everyone... Hough's writing style is exceptionally engaging; she asks copious insightful questions to reveal the current state of knowledge and where research and discovery must lead."--Choice "Fascinating and clearly written."--Thomas Jones, London Review of Books "This is a very ambitious book... Hough does a good job, and the interested non-scientific reader will come away with a solid knowledge of the topic... [T]hroughout the book [Hough] integrates state-of-the-art research with explanations of earth quake phenomena and attempts to explain many of the current controversies."--Sandy Steacy, Times Higher Education Supplement