Lucile M Jones

This is probably the only place on Earth where residents actually know the names of their favorite seismologists. Every time the ground rumbles and shakes, Southern Californians soon find the familiar faces of Dr. Kate Hutton and Dr. Lucile Jones on their TV screens. "The seismo heads," as one local journalist affectionately dubbed them. "The earthquake ladies," as they are known to fans who point and wave at them on the street as if they were Goldie Hawn.

This is probably the only place on Earth where residents actually know the names of their favorite seismologists. Every time the ground rumbles and shakes, Southern Californians soon find the familiar faces of Dr. Kate Hutton and Dr. Lucile Jones on their TV screens. "The seismo heads," as one local journalist affectionately dubbed them. "The earthquake ladies," as they are known to fans who point and wave at them on the street as if they were Goldie Hawn.

An earthquake has struck in Southern California. By the score, newspaper and television reporters rush to the Caltech Seismological Laboratory in Pasadena, which has become in recent years the center for information on such occasions. Amid the numerous seismographic machines, in the most crowded conditions, the news people struggle for position, while an array of earthquake experts tell what they know and try to put the quake into context.

An earthquake has struck in Southern California. By the score, newspaper and television reporters rush to the Caltech Seismological Laboratory in Pasadena, which has become in recent years the center for information on such occasions. Amid the numerous seismographic machines, in the most crowded conditions, the news people struggle for position, while an array of earthquake experts tell what they know and try to put the quake into context.

1. Donald Bren Chairman, Irvine Co. // 74, Newport Beach Simply put, Orange County looks like Orange County--much of it uniformly manicured and catering to the high life and high tech--because of the influence of one man. UC Irvine, Fashion Island, the Irvine Spectrum, University Research Park, Newport Coast, Orange County's thousands of acres of wilderness and parkland and its enviable public school systems all bear Bren's imprint.

This graph shows the decline in the number of daily aftershocks from the Jan. 17 earthquake. There have been more than 8,000 aftershocks, most of them too small to feel. But there still are about two aftershocks over magnitude 3.0 each week, and scientists believe there is a 56% chance of a magnitude 5 aftershock sometime in the next year. Note: Data is incomplete for one day in late January Source: Lucile M. Jones, U.S. Geological Survey

Management of the eastern Mojave Desert will be explored in a class offered by the Cal State San Bernardino Office of Extended Education on Friday, Saturday and Sunday at its Desert Studies Center near Baker. The course will include lectures, field experience and class discussion. Call (909) 880-5975 to register. GEOLOGY * Geologist Lucile M. Jones will discuss "Vertical Earthquakes and Other Earthquake Myths" on "Airtalk: The Caltech Edition" at 6 p.m. Wednesday on KPCC-FM (89.3 FM).

A swarm of about 200 small earthquakes, the largest a magnitude 3.4, have shaken an area southwest of the San Bernardino Valley town of Fontana in the last two weeks, but scientists at Caltech and the U.S. Geological Survey doubt that they are omens of a large quake.

A magnitude 4.8 earthquake centered between Lake Arrowhead and Big Bear shook much of Southern California on Wednesday, causing a few cracks in buildings near the epicenter and sending rocks onto highways in some places. No injuries were reported in the 12:01 p.m. temblor, which scientists at Caltech and the U.S. Geological Survey said was outside the aftershock zone of the 1992 Landers and Big Bear earthquakes and therefore was a separate seismic event. Although it was unrelated to the Jan.

Earthquake aftershocks may not be good for anyone's nerves, but according to some San Fernando Valley merchants, they're certainly good for business. Too good, maybe. Seismologists say that the recent bumps in the night are nothing to worry about. Try telling that to businesses swamped with new customers since the Jan. 17 quake. "Our business is affected dramatically," said Billy Carmen, whose Studio City-based company sells equipment to protect home and office furnishings.

Secretary of the Interior Bruce Babbitt on Wednesday assailed Republican budget cutters for proposing to eliminate three scientific agencies within the Interior Department, and warned that President Clinton might not be able to save them. Speaking at Caltech, Babbitt identified the endangered agencies as the U.S. Geological Survey, the National Biological Survey and the Bureau of Mines. He said the three agencies have budgets totaling about $1 billion a year.

Secretary of the Interior Bruce Babbitt on Wednesday assailed Republican budget cutters for proposing to eliminate three scientific agencies within the Interior Department, and warned that President Clinton might not be able to save them. Speaking at Caltech, Babbitt identified the endangered agencies as the U.S. Geological Survey, the National Biological Survey and the Bureau of Mines. He said the three agencies have budgets totaling about $1 billion a year.