Working Group on California Earthquake Probabilities

Thumbnail image of The Uniform California Earthquake Rupture Forecast, Version 2 (UCERF 2) report cover

California’s 35 million people live among some of the most active earthquake faults in the United States. Public safety demands credible assessments of the earthquake hazard to maintain appropriate building codes for safe construction and earthquake insurance for loss protection. Seismic hazard analysis begins with an earthquake rupture forecast—a model of probabilities that earthquakes of specified magnitudes, locations, and faulting types will occur during a specified time interval.

Thumbnail image of Seismic Hazards in Southern Califomia: Probable Earthquakes, 1994 to 2024 journal article first page

We combine geodetic, geologic, and seismic information to estimate frequencies of damaging earthquakes in three types of seismotectonic zones.

Thumbnail image of Probabilities of Large Earthquakes Occurring in California on the San Andreas Fault report cover

Because of increased public interest and concern about expected losses from future earthquakes in California, the National Earthquake Prediction Evaluation Council recommended that the probability of occurrence of large (magnitude 7 or greater) earthquakes in California be evaluated. In response to this recommendation, the U.S. Geological Survey formed the Working Group on California Earthquake Probabilities.

Media Point of Contact

Amanda Oliver
amanda.oliver@usda.gov

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