Nambucca Heads earthquakes follow up

Yesterday, following the rare experience of a noticeable earthquake in our region, I provided a very rough map of the location of earthquakes in preceding 24hours to the one many people felt. I have since incorporated earthquakes since and for the week before. I've also increased the area we are looking at.

Mapping is all about enough data, and enough decent data. Collecting the data is essential and then looking at it so see whether it adds to the story helps us understand the world in which we live. Geoscience Australia provide an excellent online service to the public showing all the earthquake activity in our Country. Yesterday's post had enough data to demonstrate that there appears to be little relationship between inferred or known faults in the region and the location of earthquakes. More data since means more interesting features!

A comment from a reader asked about the trace of the Demon fault system (a system that is very evident even today despite it being apparently inactive for many millions of years). I have included a thick pale blue line that roughly approximates the Demon Fault system strike.

The map I have just updated implies that there is a fault system previously unknown. I have included a line that approximates the pattern of many quakes in area. What is interesting is that the apparent line of most quakes is perpendicular to the old Demon Fault. It is also interesting that the 'major' 4.2 quake is separate from the apparent line of quakes experienced in the last week or so. It is likely that the quakes in the Nambucca area are a parallel line of stress to the most frequent quake trend.

Either way, the map says more that I can so have a look and tell me what you think.

 *Update: At least three more quakes have been identified (one occurred since the above map) and another couple which was subsequently identified after cleaning out the background 'noise.

I also note that the quakes were almost entirely situated in a structural block known as the Nambucca Block. I guess another post will have to be done since the Nambucca Block provides insights into the way the New England Orogen has formed (Shaanan, Rosenbaum & Ranauld 2016).