Robin Lacassin @RobinLacassin@qoto.org

The prompt and the text written by #openai #GPT-3:

Prompt: Write a text explaining: why the discovery of the West Andean Thrust is important; why the fact that the Andes primarily formed by west directed faulting changes our understanding of orogeny linked to subduction; what is the role of the San Ramon Fault in these processes and the implications on earthquake hazard.

Answer:

The discovery of the West Andean Thrust is important because it provides evidence that the Andes primarily formed by west directed faulting. This changes our understanding of orogeny linked to subduction, as it shows that the Andes were not created solely through east-directed thrusting from subduction zones. Instead, this west-directed faulting has been found to be a major contributor to the formation and uplift of the Andes.

The San Ramon Fault plays an important role in these processes, as it is one of the main faults responsible for west-directed faulting in the region. It is believed that this fault was active during periods of mountain building, which allowed for increased uplift and deformation in the region. Furthermore, its activity has implications on earthquake hazard in the area, as earthquakes originating from this fault can cause significant damage due to its proximity to populated areas.

Overall, the discovery of the West Andean Thrust and its associated west-directed faulting contributes greatly to our understanding of orogeny linked to subduction and provides insight into how mountains form. The San Ramon Fault also plays an important role in these processes and has implications on earthquake hazard in nearby areas.

I asked #openai #GPT-3 #AI #LLM to write something about the #orogeny in the #Andes.

Well written, but verbose and without much meaning. It basically repeats the prompt's ideas introducing some new details. However it's not enough to say that something is important, you have to explain why. A student giving such an answer will get a bad mark.

I'm not surprised as there is no intention, no understanding by the AI. But such a text can impress / convince a naive person on the subject, and even perhaps even some decision-makers and managers of science.

#scicom #bullshit #tectonics

New #tectoldies post with three amazing maps of the Mont-Blanc and Geneva lake region dating back to the end of the 18th century.

https://tectoldies.mystrikingly.com/blog/old-maps-of-the-mont-blanc-region

#maps #cartography #oldmap #MontBlanc #chamonix

Speaking in Davos, the UN secretary general, António Guterres, accused big oil companies of peddling 'the big lie', calling for them to be held accountable.

“Today fossil fuel producers and their enablers are still racing to expand production knowing full well that this business model is inconsistent with human survival”

#ExxonKnew #climatechange #ClimateEmergency

https://www.theguardian.com/global/video/2023/jan/18/un-antonio-guterres-oil-companies-peddled-big-lie-climate-crisis-video

Magnitude Mw~7 #earthquake north of #Halmahera (#Maluku island, Indonesia) in a complex tectonic setting where several micro-plates interact. Quite large discrepancy btw depth estimates (16-46km), complicated source time function. Mechanism is mainly strike-slip.

Source of maps and MT solutions:
https://emsc-csem.org/Earthquake/earthquake.php?id=1211853#
and
http://geoscope.ipgp.fr/index.php/fr/catalogue/description-d-un-seisme?seis=us7000j553

#ExxonKnew in French mainstream media. Extremely clear message (in FR) citing @GeoffreySupran and @NaomiOreskes studies. Thanks France2 TV.

RT @infofrance2 https://twitter.com/infofrance2/status/1614563043286843398?s=20

#climatechange #ClimateEmergency #Exxon #Esso #Total

This #map of the Mont Blanc region dates back to June 1794. The rivers and lakes are almost exact and accurate. On the other hand the mountains are quite fanciful. They are represented like linear ridges placed there to separate the valleys. And even these simplified orographic plots are quite wrong.This reveals that mountains were much less explored and mapped at that time.

#geography #oldmap #MontBlanc #Savoie #Alps #mountain #Chamonix #mastoart

Source:https://bibliotheque-numerique.chambery.fr/collection/item/23441-departement-du-mont-blanc

Maria Graham's excerpt is from: Maria Graham, 1824, An Account of Some Effects of the Late Earthquakes in Chili, Transactions of the Geological Society, 2nd series, 24, 413-415.

Darwin's excerpt is from the famous voyage of the Beagle book: Darwin, C. R. 1845. Journal of researches into the natural history and geology of the countries visited during the voyage of H.M.S. Beagle round the world, under the Command of Capt. Fitz Roy, R.N. 2d edition. London: John Murray.

I cannot find any mention of Maria Graham account on the 1822 earthquake in Darwin's book.

I am totally astounded by what I read when I compare these two texts: Maria Graham's description of the coastal #uplift due to the 1822 #Valparaiso #earthquake, versus Charles Darwin's text on very similar phenomena related to the 1835 #Concepción earthquake.

Read carefully, paying attention to the expressions used. It's like if #Darwin borrowed Maria Graham's words, but also her interpretation about the accumulation of earthquakes raising the coast on the long term. 🤔
Any comment ?

Both 1822 and 1835 earthquakes happened in Central #Chile on the #subduction #megathrust between Nazca and South America #tectonic_plates. Darwin's description, based on Fitz Roy (Beagle's captain) observations, is considered as seminal.

Thanks @haq for pointing me to the work by Maria Graham.

In my new #tectoldies post I follow up on the 1891 #Japan #earthquake and the seminal article by Bunjiro Kotô published in 1893:

https://tectoldies.mystrikingly.com/blog/the-great-1891-earthquake-in-central-japan-2

In this article, probably for the first time in the world, B. Kotô makes detailed descriptions of the earthquake surface rupture and offsets, and explicitly linked #earthquakes to #tectonic faulting.

Kotô gave a beautiful 3D sketch 👇🏼 and an amazing narrative about mole-tracks (a now commonly used term for some specific surface ruptures): “Amongst the extraordinary things done by the earthquake, one that always drew attention was the earth-rent. It strikes across hills and paddy-fields alike, cutting up the soft earth into enormous clods and raising them above the surface. It resembles the pathway of a gigantic mole more than anything else.”

#mastoart #history #sciencehistory #tectonics

I wrote in my previous toot that I'm not a #dendroclimatologist. If more skilled researchers can interpret, or use the section of our just cut down #spruce tree that was dying because of dark beetle, here are some good photos. Don't hesitate to comment.

It's from our garden very close to #Fontainebleau #forest, just south of Paris in France. (ruler in cm)

#dendroclimatology #climatechange

As said yesterday, we had to cut down our 40 years old dying #spruce tree. It was severely attacked by bark beetle (you can see the holes on the edge of whole trunk section, and the larvae on other photos), likely after being stressed and weakened by #heatwave and #drought in the past years. A probable effect of #climatechange, #climatecrisis.

It's from our garden very close to #Fontainebleau #forest, 60km south of Paris, France.

I'm not a #dendroclimatologist so I cannot interpret in detail the trunk section. But I will post hr photos in next toot for those more skilled.

Task of the day: splitting wood 👇🏼

We had to cut down our 40 years old dying spruce tree 🌲. Will say more about it in forthcoming toots.