A gaping, 2-mile-long crack has opened in the barren earth in Arizona, and it will likely continue to grow, geologists say.
Recent footage from a flyover by an Arizona Geological Survey drone revealed the extent of the huge fissure in Pinal County, between Casa Grande and Tucson, showing the enormous gash splitting the barren land. The crack is so big that it dwarfs people walking along its edges in the video.
The northern part of the fissure, which is older and partially filled in, is shallow, while the southern portion is tens of feet deep in some spots, according to Joseph Cook, a geologist with the Arizona Geological Survey (AZGS). [Check Out Insane Photos of Sinkholes]
"Some areas are about 10 feet [3 meters] across and up to 25-30 feet [7.5 to 9 m] deep (tapering crack, narrowing with depth), while others are a narrow surface crack less than an inch across," Cook told Live Science in an email. "These narrow sections sometimes have open voids underground, so collapse of the overlying material is possible — this is how the deep open portions of the fissure formed."
After mapping the fissure using GPS, Cook said, they got another look using a drone.
Water withdrawal, primarily for agriculture, is the culprit, Cook said. As groundwater is pulled up, it leaves a void and the land above it subsides, leading to cracks. Arizona is full of these cracks, Cook said. "We see earth fissures forming around the margins of these subsidence areas and along mountain fronts within the subsidence areas," Cook said.
Cook and others with the AZGS have set up 26 study areas where they've mapped a total of 170 miles (275 km) of these earth fissures.
Not only does Cook expect the crack to lengthen, but the opening beneath the surface is likely bigger than what can be seen.
"I am sure the length of this fissure will increase over time, we are only seeing the surface crack of what collapsed, the underlying fissure is longer," Cook said.
"The crack is worrisome, but it's out in the middle of the desert with nothing nearby," Cook said. His main concern is that someone riding an off-road vehicle could stop by the crack, get off the vehicle to explore it, fall in and get stuck or buried.
Original article on Live Science.
Poster Comment:
Tommy and anyone thinking of moving to Arizona needs to see this.
I believe that Tom's moving well north of that part of AZ.
“The most dangerous man to any government is the man who is able to think things out... without regard to the prevailing superstitions and taboos. Almost inevitably he comes to the conclusion that the government he lives under is dishonest, insane, intolerable.” ~ H. L. Mencken
I remember that movie -- not a bad one at all -- but hadn't remembered its cast. "Magma! Its' magma! Magma!" Disaster flix are so popular because everybody knows deep down humynkind is a disaster machine ;)
USA! USA! USA! Bringing you democracy, or else! there were strains of VD that were incurable, and they were first found in the Philippines and then transmitted to the Korean working girls via US military. The 'incurables' we were told were first taken back to a military hospital in the Philippines to quietly die. – 4um
I saw it as a kid. One scene I remembered while watching the trailer was one of the 2 volcanonauts falling into the lava. That was kinda horrifying for me.
But at some young age, the idea of a self-promulgating crack ripping it's way around the world struck me as quite impossible. I should watch it again.
Most movies (speshly horror) are rife with incongruities -- mebbe that's half the fun. I do consider horror totally inappropriate for kids tho and believe it's done them a great deal of harm since movies got rolling 100+ years ago.
USA! USA! USA! Bringing you democracy, or else! there were strains of VD that were incurable, and they were first found in the Philippines and then transmitted to the Korean working girls via US military. The 'incurables' we were told were first taken back to a military hospital in the Philippines to quietly die. – 4um
"Call Me Ishmael" -Ishmael, A character from the book "Moby Dick" 1851. "Call Me Fishmeal" -Osama Bin Laden, A character created by the CIA, and the world's Hide And Seek Champion 2001-2011. -Tommythemadartist
