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J.S. Derr

Publications and source records attributed to J.S. Derr.

8 recordsLinked to original sources
USGS2006

Earthquake lights and the stress-activation of positive hole charge carriers in rocks

Earthquake-related luminous phenomena (also known as earthquake lights) may arise from (1) the stress-activation of positive hole (p-hole) charge carriers in igneous rocks and (2) the accumulation of high charge carrier concentrations at asperities in the crust where the stress rates increase very rapidly as an earthquake approaches. It is proposed that, when a critical charge carrier concentration is reached, the p-holes form a degenerated solid state plasma that can break out of the confined rock volume and propagate as a rapidly expanding charge cloud. Upon reaching the surface the charge cloud causes dielectric breakdown at the air-rock interface, i.e. corona discharges, accompanied by the emission of light and high frequency electromagnetic radiation. ?? 2006 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Physics and Chemistry of the Earth↗
USGS1988

The Argos seismic data message system

A reliable, inexpensive method for sending limited daily seismic data messages from remote observatories to the National Earthquake Information Center has been developed for use with the Argos satellite system. Data messages are compressed on a microcomputer and passed automatically to a simple transmitter. About 4 hr later, the data are available at the National Earthquake Information Center, where they are decompressed and reformatted into standard telegrams for use in quick epicenter determinations. Epicenter data are available daily to the international scientific community.

Bulletin of the Seismological Society of America↗
USGS1986

Luminous phenomena and earthquakes in southern Washington

Luminous phenomena, mostly nocturnal lights, are associated with very small earthquakes in southern Washington state. The phenomena seem to be electrical in nature, related to earthquake lights, and tend to occur when the locus of earthquake activity moves across an active fault in an area of compressional stress. ?? 1986 Birkha??user Verlag Basel.

Experientia↗
USGS1979

Structure of the atmosphere of Venus up to 110 kilometers: Preliminary results from the four Pioneer Venus entry probes

The four Pioneer Venus entry probes transmitted data of good quality on the structure of the atmosphere below the clouds. Contrast of the structure below an altitude of 50 kilometers at four widely separated locations was found to be no more than a few degrees Kelvin, with slightly warmer temperatures at 30° south latitude than at 5° or 60° north. The atmosphere was stably stratified above 15 or 20 kilometers, indicating that the near-adiabatic state is maintained by the general circulation. The profiles move from near-adiabatic toward radiative equilibrium at altitudes above 40 kilometers. There appears to be a region of vertical convection above the dense cloud deck, which lies at 47.5 to 49 kilometers and at temperature levels near 360 K. The atmosphere is nearly isothermal around 100 kilometers (175 to 180 K) and appears to exhibit a sizable temperature wave between 60 and 70 kilometers. This is where the 4-day wind is believed to occur. The temperature wave may be related to some of the wavelike phenomena seen in Mariner 10 ultraviolet photographs.

Science↗
USGS1978

Prediction monitoring and evaluation program; a progress report

Can your friend's relative really predict earthquakes? Or how about that fellow in the mountains who has always liked geology, does he have the answer to the "when" of earthquakes? And if these people do actually predict an earthquake, is it a lucky guess or are they tuned in to something? A lucky guess would be interesting; 1 correct guess in 100 tries is hardly prediction. But 90 out of 100-now that's prediction! As part of an attempt to separate useful predictions from inaccurate guesses, we have kept score on earthquake predictions from all sources brought to our attention over the past year and a half. The program was outlined in "Earthquake Prediction;Fact and Fallacy" by Roger N. Hunter (Earthquake Information Bulletin, vol. 8, no. 5, September-October 1976, p. 24-25). The program attracted a great deal of public attention, and, as a result, our files now contain over 2500 predictions from more than 230 different people.

Earthquake Information Bulletin (USGS)↗
USGS1977

Earthquake lights

Explore the source record for details and available documents.

Earthquake Information Bulletin (USGS)↗