SEVERE GEOMAGNETIC STORM ARRIVES AT 05:45 - 06:02 UT NOV 24

A severe (Kp>=9) geomagnetic storm arrived this morning at
about 06:00 UT. This was a suden commencement storm and severely
degraded to readability of most of the on-line seismograms.
Areas which are sub-solar include regions within 20 degrees longitude
of 90E; anti-solar areas are within 20 degrees longitude of
90W, however the strength of the storm suggests that 30-35 degrees
should be taken about the anti- and sub-solar longitudes to be
included in the seismic watch.
The seismic watch will include regions between 125W and 55W and
between 125E and 55E and will extend for the next 5 days. The
largest events are most likely to occur 4-6 days following the
storm, i.e. on November 30 to December 2, 2001 and are most likely
to occur in one of these longitude bands and/or at high latitudes.
These areas include (sub-solar) the aftershock zone of the
Qinghai, China earthquake and the Pakistan/Afghanistan event today;
Sumatera; northern India and most of the Himalyas, the Philippines;
the Moluccas, Taiwan and portions of the Ryukyu Islands. Anti-solar
zones include most of the U.S. and Canada as well as the Caribbean
and the western coast of South America.
Any of these regions could see strong seismicity in the next
5-6 days. Regions most vulnerable towards the end of the period
include regions of high heat flow, such as Yellowstone and
So. California near Calexico and Mammoth Lakes CA or mid-ocean
ridges (in this case the south Indian ridge and the East Pacific Rise).
The Central California region along the San Andreas/Calaveras/
Hayward fault system is especially senstitive to such storms as
is the region of Alaska/Aleutians.

Lowell Whiteside
November 24, 2001