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Survey examining Mojave Desert's fault lines -

A twin-engine plane has been making low-level runs over the Mojave Desert this week in the area between Fort Irwin and the Marine base at Twentynine Palms.

Vicki Langenheim, a geophysicist for the U.S. Geological Survey in Menlo Park, said the plane carries special equipment to help map the region's fault lines and geological framework.

"We're collecting magnetic field variation measurements," Langenheim said. "This is a technique that was originally developed to detect submarines, but it also has the application for looking for big magnetic rocks."

By looking at the displacement of similar rocks and rock formations, fault lines can be determined, she said. It also helps determine the way water flows through the region. The technique is especially effective in areas of loose and sandy soils, where other types of underground mapping don't work well.

Magnetic surveys of the area date to the 1970s, she said, but many lack the detail needed for modern study   Read Full Article...