Although we don’t often think of what lies beneath our feet, maybe we should, because an earthquake may be brewing under the soil of the Mississippi Valley. And that’s exactly what Assistant Professor of Geology James Harris and his students are keeping an eye on. Harris and his students study Mississippi Valley fault lines using a seismic reflection method.

“We check for things that can’t be determined with the naked eye,” says Harris. “We want to know if faults have moved, how much they have moved, and what the potential for future activity is.”

Harris’ research also tells scientists about earthquake recurrence on a regional scale. The New Madrid seismic zone, one of the most carefully studied fault systems in the nation, is surrounded by a geologic structure called the Reelfoot Rift. Geologists have recently begun to look outside this structure to examine lesser known faults, such as those in the lower Mississippi Valley, that may have been active in the last few thousand years. By combining what they discover about these faults with what we know about the New Madrid zone, geologists can make more accurate projections about when the next earthquake might strike.

Brant Cole, a Millsaps alumnus who is now pursuing a graduate degree in geophysics at New Mexico Tech, continues to work with Harris and current students to study Mississippi’s fault lines. “Not only is this valuable research,” said Cole, “it provides a wonderful opportunity for students to learn geophysics in a field environment, rather than just reading about it in a book.”

On November 13, 2000, the Millsaps research team presented information about Mississippi Valley fault lines to an audience of 7,000 geoscientists at the annual Geological Society of America (GSA) meeting in Reno, Nevada.

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Millsaps Magazine  |  Millsaps | Last Edited April 23, 2001