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<p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;" align="center"><b style=""><span style="color: maroon;">Oliver, please announce this symposium to the listserve. <br></span></b></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;" align="center"><b style=""><span style="color: maroon;"><br></span></b></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;" align="center"><b style=""><span style="color: maroon;">Seismic Symposium for the Central U.S.
Earthquake Sources<o:p></o:p></span></b></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="color: maroon;"><o:p> </o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 6pt; text-align: justify;"><span style="color: maroon;"><span style=""> </span>Eugene
“Buddy” Schweig (U.S. Geological Survey, USGS) and Greg Hempen (URS
Corporation) are developing a Seismic Symposium for the 2008 Association of
Environmental & Engineering Geologists (AEG) Annual Meeting in New Orleans,
LA.<span style=""> </span>The Symposium title is “</span><b style=""><span style="color: red;">Seismic Sources (Hazards)
in the Central U.S.: <i style="">Is New Madrid all
there is?</i></span></b><span style="color: maroon;">”<span style=""> </span>The Symposium will likely by held on
Thursday, September 18, 2008, but perhaps the day before or after.<span style=""> </span><o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 6pt; text-align: justify;"><span style="color: maroon;"><span style=""> </span>Although
the New Madrid seismic zone is presents the most significant threat, the state
of practice for evaluating seismic hazards may be in flux concerning sources
other than the New Madrid Seismic Zone (NMSZ) or characterization of sources
outside the NMSZ is in flux.<span style=""> </span>Many
practitioners evaluate zones outside New Madrid as background seismicity.<span style=""> </span>A decade ago many may have used specific
seismic source areas with “floating” events.<span style="">
</span>Another issue is educating professionals that there are important
seismic sources in the Central U.S. besides the NMSZ.<span style=""> </span>Engineers, architects, and planners are among
the cadre of professionals who should be aware that local sources may impact
the built environment as much as the NMSZ.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 6pt; text-align: justify;"><span style="color: maroon;"><span style=""> </span>The <b style="">Seismic Hazards in the Central U.S.
Symposium </b>offers an opportunity to discuss whether general background
seismicity remains the best model outside of the New Madrid Seismic Zone.<span style=""> </span>Has the science developed adequately to
revise the practice or does background seismicity address the issue most
properly?<span style=""> </span>Many feel that the Wabash
Valley Seismic Zone should be recognized.<span style="">
</span>Other zones also have been recognized in the past by government and
private offices.<span style=""> </span>Some offices currently use
distinct source zones.<span style=""> </span><o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 6pt; text-align: justify;"><span style="color: maroon;"><span style=""> </span></span>Three
speakers have been invited.<span style=""> </span>Randy Cox,
Ph.D., (University of Memphis) will discuss “Liquefaction in north Louisiana
and south Arkansas and possible earthquake sources.”<span style=""> </span>Charles (Chuck) Mueller, Ph.D., (USGS) has
the topic of “USGS Seismic Hazard Modeling in the C & E US.”<span style=""> </span>Martitia (Tish) Tuttle, Ph.D., (M. Tuttle
& Associates) will be speaking on "Paleoseismology and Long-Term
Deformation in the Central U.S.: Implications for Earthquake
Sources."<span style=""> </span><o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 6pt; text-align: justify;"><span style=""> </span><b style=""><i style=""><u>Abstracts are requested</u></i></b>
concerning the causative geologic structure and the seismicity of other possible
seismic zones outside the well known New Madrid Seismic Zone.<span style=""> </span>If other zones have a causative structure and
allied earthquakes (historic seismicity or microseismicity or paleoseismicity),
what geographic boundaries, recurrence rates and maximum event size would be
associated with the suggested seismic zone?<span style="">
</span>Conversely, abstracts could be submitted specifying why background
seismicity continues to be appropriate.<span style=""> </span><o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 6pt; text-align: justify;"><span style=""> </span>Seismologists, geophysicists and
geologists active in the Central U.S. should consider providing their view of
this source zone topic.<span style=""> </span>Please submit
your abstract at the meeting web page,
http://www.aegweb.org/i4a/pages/Index.cfm?pageID=3836. Instructions are
provided at the website.<span style=""> </span>Be sure to note
that the abstract is intended for the <b style="">Seismic
Hazards in the Central U.S. </b>(or New Madrid)<b style=""> Symposium.<span style=""> </span></b>The abstract
deadline is May 1.<span style=""> </span>Should you have any
difficulty with abstract submission or not quite make the abstract deadline,
you may contact Greg Hempen (314.743.4136 or <a href="mailto:Greg_Hempen@urscorp.com"><span style="color: windowtext; text-decoration: none;">Greg_Hempen@urscorp.com</span></a>).<span style=""> </span><o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 6pt; text-align: justify;"><span style=""> </span>Please consider submitting an
abstract for the <b style="">Seismic Hazards in the
Central U.S. Symposium</b>.<span style=""> </span>If you feel
strongly about this issue but choose not to submit an abstract, please attend
the Symposium to voice your concerns and interests.<span style=""> </span>Hope to see you in New Orleans! <o:p></o:p></p>
<br><br><br><div>Regards, <br>Greg <br><br>Greg Hempen, PhD, PE, RG, Geophysicist <br>URS Corporation <br>1001 Highlands Plaza Dr. West, Suite 300 <br>St. Louis, Missouri 63110 <br><a href="mailto:greg_hempen@urscorp.com">greg_hempen@urscorp.com</a> <br>314-429-0100, ext. 3036; Direct, 314-743-4136;<br> fax, 314-429-0462 <br></div></div></FONT><BR><table border="0" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" width="610"><tr><td><FONT SIZE="1" COLOR=#4F4F4F FACE="Default Sans Serif"><br />This e-mail and any attachments are confidential. If you receive this message in error or are not the intended recipient, you should not retain, distribute, disclose or use any of this information and you should destroy the e-mail and any attachments or copies.<br /></FONT></td></tr></table><br />