Jackie Caplan-Auerbach
@geophysichick.bsky.social
Seismologist, volcanologist, professor, and hazards junkie. Soapbox stander. Opinions are my own but I'm happy to share. She/her.
Timeline cleanse. The sun is warm, but Titan's head is very heavy.
January 25, 2026 at 10:25 PM
Timeline cleanse. The sun is warm, but Titan's head is very heavy.
Anyone want to rate this translation, as requested?
January 25, 2026 at 9:02 PM
Anyone want to rate this translation, as requested?
This figure shows such a model for the 2010 M8.8 Maule (Chile) earthquake (fig. from USGS). The gridded area is the portion of the Nazca plate that moved in that event. You can see that it is broken up into chunks for the model.
January 9, 2026 at 11:53 PM
This figure shows such a model for the 2010 M8.8 Maule (Chile) earthquake (fig. from USGS). The gridded area is the portion of the Nazca plate that moved in that event. You can see that it is broken up into chunks for the model.
I show my students that model too...it's great and it's a classic. But it also made them think that the brick represented the entire plate. They thus didn't understand why an earthquake in Japan wouldn't cause plate motion in California too--after all, both boundaries include the Pacific plate.
January 9, 2026 at 11:53 PM
I show my students that model too...it's great and it's a classic. But it also made them think that the brick represented the entire plate. They thus didn't understand why an earthquake in Japan wouldn't cause plate motion in California too--after all, both boundaries include the Pacific plate.
Wanna see how an earthquake works? Here's today's lab in my seismology class. An explanation follows.
🧪
🧪
January 9, 2026 at 11:53 PM
Wanna see how an earthquake works? Here's today's lab in my seismology class. An explanation follows.
🧪
🧪
First I failed the Wordle, and now this. Not a good start to 2026.
January 1, 2026 at 7:16 PM
First I failed the Wordle, and now this. Not a good start to 2026.
Space needle has a certain Arrival vibe to it this new year's Eve.
January 1, 2026 at 8:20 AM
Space needle has a certain Arrival vibe to it this new year's Eve.
Did the Daily Mail ask a single seismologist about these data? Did they interview a volcanologist? Did they talk with anyone who studies this volcano for a living?
No. Here's their data source: "volcano watchers on social media". 15/n
No. Here's their data source: "volcano watchers on social media". 15/n
November 19, 2025 at 9:49 PM
Did the Daily Mail ask a single seismologist about these data? Did they interview a volcanologist? Did they talk with anyone who studies this volcano for a living?
No. Here's their data source: "volcano watchers on social media". 15/n
No. Here's their data source: "volcano watchers on social media". 15/n
Let's compare the last day at station STAR to another nearby station (RCS). STAR is maxed out, whereas RCS shows lots of tiny little blips--these are likely creaks and pops from within Rainier's zillions of glaciers. 11/n
November 19, 2025 at 9:49 PM
Let's compare the last day at station STAR to another nearby station (RCS). STAR is maxed out, whereas RCS shows lots of tiny little blips--these are likely creaks and pops from within Rainier's zillions of glaciers. 11/n
Faulty instruments often generate wonky electrical signals. That's what is currently going on with station STAR on Mount Rainier. 8/n
November 19, 2025 at 9:49 PM
Faulty instruments often generate wonky electrical signals. That's what is currently going on with station STAR on Mount Rainier. 8/n
Speaking of bad science in media (and I am using the term "media" pretty loosely here), allow me to use The Daily Mail as evidence of why you should get your science information from reputable agencies rather than crap websites. I'm not going to link the article, but it looks like this:
1/n
1/n
November 19, 2025 at 9:49 PM
Speaking of bad science in media (and I am using the term "media" pretty loosely here), allow me to use The Daily Mail as evidence of why you should get your science information from reputable agencies rather than crap websites. I'm not going to link the article, but it looks like this:
1/n
1/n
Fox News has interpreted Amelia Earhart's final transmission as her being "near 157 degrees east longitude and 337 degrees south latitude."
Join me, friends, at 337 degrees south where we will party with the Loch Ness monster, Sasquatch, and a variety of other things that do not exist.
Join me, friends, at 337 degrees south where we will party with the Loch Ness monster, Sasquatch, and a variety of other things that do not exist.
November 19, 2025 at 5:51 PM
Fox News has interpreted Amelia Earhart's final transmission as her being "near 157 degrees east longitude and 337 degrees south latitude."
Join me, friends, at 337 degrees south where we will party with the Loch Ness monster, Sasquatch, and a variety of other things that do not exist.
Join me, friends, at 337 degrees south where we will party with the Loch Ness monster, Sasquatch, and a variety of other things that do not exist.
Job alert!!! My department (Geology at @wwu.edu ) is searching for a hydrogeologist at the assistant professor level (tenure track). Fabulous colleagues and students (undergrad and master's level), spectacular setting. Ping me with questions.
hr.wwu.edu/careers-facu...
hr.wwu.edu/careers-facu...
November 13, 2025 at 8:25 PM
Job alert!!! My department (Geology at @wwu.edu ) is searching for a hydrogeologist at the assistant professor level (tenure track). Fabulous colleagues and students (undergrad and master's level), spectacular setting. Ping me with questions.
hr.wwu.edu/careers-facu...
hr.wwu.edu/careers-facu...
Never realized how much excellent life advice is available in the comments to the New York Times cooking section.
October 25, 2025 at 10:11 PM
Never realized how much excellent life advice is available in the comments to the New York Times cooking section.
Intrigued by this extraordinarily inclusive list of languages one can select at a local doctors office. They apparently welcome time travelers and aliens as well as global citizens.
October 9, 2025 at 2:32 PM
Intrigued by this extraordinarily inclusive list of languages one can select at a local doctors office. They apparently welcome time travelers and aliens as well as global citizens.
Bit of fieldwork nostalgia--these photos of an amazing cave in columnar jointed rocks on Tanaga Island. Back in the day when my hair was still brown (almost all grey now).
September 29, 2025 at 8:29 PM
Bit of fieldwork nostalgia--these photos of an amazing cave in columnar jointed rocks on Tanaga Island. Back in the day when my hair was still brown (almost all grey now).
Someone just brought me a scrapbook that was found under the floorboards of my attic before I lived here. Includes some interesting news articles from 1927 and apparently the cure for diphtheria. Don't tell RFK.
September 27, 2025 at 11:42 PM
Someone just brought me a scrapbook that was found under the floorboards of my attic before I lived here. Includes some interesting news articles from 1927 and apparently the cure for diphtheria. Don't tell RFK.
Honestly, you can't make this stuff up.
September 26, 2025 at 8:53 PM
Honestly, you can't make this stuff up.
Adventures in algebra. Had to get a new oven knob. Temps on the old knob run from 275 to 500. New knob runs 220 to 440. The old knob conveniently marked temperatures at 25 degree intervals, whereas the new one has (no joke) marks every 36.7 degrees.
Find 350 degrees on the new knob. I dare you.
Find 350 degrees on the new knob. I dare you.
September 7, 2025 at 4:48 PM
Adventures in algebra. Had to get a new oven knob. Temps on the old knob run from 275 to 500. New knob runs 220 to 440. The old knob conveniently marked temperatures at 25 degree intervals, whereas the new one has (no joke) marks every 36.7 degrees.
Find 350 degrees on the new knob. I dare you.
Find 350 degrees on the new knob. I dare you.
Also posted by AEC, this figure showing the timing of the events--you can see that they become more frequent as we approach the time of the main landslide.
August 13, 2025 at 7:10 PM
Also posted by AEC, this figure showing the timing of the events--you can see that they become more frequent as we approach the time of the main landslide.
The Alaska Earthquake Center posted this figure showing the events: the tiny wiggles that precede the really big one are the precursors in question. (Read more at earthquake.alaska.edu/major-landsl...)
August 13, 2025 at 7:10 PM
The Alaska Earthquake Center posted this figure showing the events: the tiny wiggles that precede the really big one are the precursors in question. (Read more at earthquake.alaska.edu/major-landsl...)
Couldn't do much work on the recent AK landslide today because I was busy making curly fries at the NW Washington Fair. Science starts again tomorrow..
August 12, 2025 at 1:30 AM
Couldn't do much work on the recent AK landslide today because I was busy making curly fries at the NW Washington Fair. Science starts again tomorrow..
Good call, and yes!
August 11, 2025 at 3:03 PM
Good call, and yes!