Hi All,

Since we seem to have gone a lot off topic I thought I'd would reel you back in and talk about my project a little. I can't provide all of the details, but you'll know and may offer some constructive ideas. If we don't do anything else here, maybe this is a good group go round.

The basis of the project is to instrument the center segment of the Rodgers Creek Fault. The location is on Lichau Road,(at the crest of the hill) east of Rohnert Park. This section seems to be locked, but there are clues from earthquakes occurring to the east of the fault, it may not be locked for a long, rather < than 10 years. The northern end is somewhat active and the lower end is not moving, except for the very tip which sits in the SF Bay itself.

Therefore, if this area is the segment to move first, instrumentation may be able to detect subtle clues to what lies ahead. The instrument package will include a seismograph, ULF which will also measure down to 0 infrasound, geophones and an accelerometer. The price of this 300 pound unit is only $60,000 and is beyond current standards of other instruments which are currently in use. SSU has a seismograph, but it is off line now, and will go on-line in a few months. So we need two new units in the area.

There is a large sag pond near the side of the road, an active stream and a gravity anomaly as well. Lichau Road has a sharp ascent/decent and in this area when one puts their car in neutral going downhill, the car will remain stationary. I'm not sure if this is something that other earthquake faults have, or if it is just peculiar to this area.

Insofar as continuing pre-project research, I'm trying to determine if there was every any trenching across the fault nearby, but I hit a dead wall, which is probably temporary in locating one person who probably knows.

The next part of the project is to firm up the cost of installing the unit and then contacting the property owner to secure permission to place this unit in a 10 X 10 area. While some of the unit can operate on solar panels, some will require 110v electricity.

I doubt you've read anything you haven't read somewhere else about another project; but this one has a special purpose beyond the monitoring operations. This project will be designed as an education focal point for young women to boost their interest in geo-sciences. From 5th grade through college, they can observe, watch the monitoring operation, understand instruments, how papers are written, posters prepared, learn what rocks are in the Sonoma volcanics and learn not to understand why earthquakes do what they do, when they do.

In Women for Women, (WOW) I expect the project to be run and operated by as many women as possible from the scientific realm, digging operations for installation of the equipment, sponsor work to fund its life, to general accounting. And for funding sources those should be bolstered by women as well. It's time, I think.

Petra