Justin Rubinstein, Research Geophysicist and Deputy Chief of the Induced Seismicity Project, Menlo Park Science Center, U.S. Geological Survey

In 2009, the central United States began to experience an unprecedented surge in earthquakes. They soared from an average of 21 per year to over 650 in 2014 alone. This increased seismicity has been found in just a few regions of the country, with a majority in Oklahoma, and is limited to areas of new and emerging oil and gas production. Rubinstein will discuss the many ways in which humans can cause earthquakes, how local geological conditions can influence their impact, and how scientists measure and analyze seismicity. He will also address the actions that states are taking to minimize or stop human-induced earthquakes and how academic scientists, regulators, and the oil and gas industry are collaborating in these efforts.

Presented in collaboration with the Incorporated Research Institutions for Seismology and the Seismological Society of America.