Hi Don,

Good post. Earthquake swarms certainly area a phenomena which need greater understanding in having some sense about the number of possible quakes and whether those quakes are expected to stay at low mags or possibly produce quakes within the swarms that are much larger.

Though the events around San Simeon and Palo Robles are not quake swarms, but aftershocks it leaves us always wondering how long this series will last and how many > 5 quakes could occur within the next year. I wonder in the end if they will conclude that there was a shock near San Simeon and a triggered quake down by Templeton. During this aftershock period there is a definite gap between the two locations, which gives on pause to think about this is not a result of one single epicenter.

Time and more research will surely make it clear.

Petra