Did you feel that? Early November saw a 0.4-magnitude earthquake shake things up just off the northwest coast of Wales. This small tremor happened at a depth of 17km, right in the Irish Sea, southwest of Rhosneigr, and thankfully, the British Geological Survey (BGS) hasn’t reported any damage on land.
Wales seems to be a bit of a seismic hotspot lately. Just this past July, a 0.2-magnitude quake was detected northeast of Amlwch in Anglesey. Then, in August, a more noticeable 1.6 magnitude tremor hit Llwyndyrus on the Llŷn Peninsula. September wasn’t calm either, with a 0.7 shake felt in Bannau Brycheiniog National Park at Llangyndir. Powys County has been rumbling with no less than six tremors in just three months!
But it’s not just Wales dealing with these jitters. Late October saw a 3.3-magnitude earthquake rattle Scotland’s Perth and Kinross, centred in Glen Lyon.
Recently, some scientists have been exploring if there’s a link between solar flares and these seismic events. This week, Earth faced two massive geomagnetic storms, with the second piggybacking off the first in a dramatic “cannibal storm.” While a direct connection between solar activity and earthquakes is still up for debate, ongoing research hopes to uncover insights that might improve earthquake predictions.
In one study from Japan, solar activity appeared to influence seismic patterns, and further studies suggest it could even affect Earth’s surface temperature and water movement underground. While we can’t blame the sun entirely for the shakes, including solar data in temperature models might refine future forecasts. Stay tuned for more insights and keep an eye on what Mother Nature (and the cosmos) have in store! 🌍✨