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So, it is not surprising that conventional geoscience cannot pre- dict earthquakes accurately. It had always been thought that com- pression is directed across the hills, not along their length. The killer hills were discovered in Australia 20 years ago; but since there were few earthquakes in Australia, the discovery was not pursued by contemporary Australian geoscience. Sadly, Kobe showed the futility of trying to understand earth- quakes by studying them as an effect, to the exclusion of the real causal mechanism(s). The last significant earthquake in Kobe prior to the 1995 disaster was in 1485. The modern tremor- recording stations had been in place for only 30 years when the great Kobe quake hit in 1995. Elsewhere, earthquakes occur more frequently but their pattern and intensity are vague, so the real key to anticipating earthquakes is understanding the overall mechanism of the tectonic processes within continents. So, Australia turned out to be a good place to study earthquakes after all. It has now been confirmed that compression is indeed transmitted along many hills, rather than across them. This has been deduced by drilling holes deep into killer hills and observing the deformation of the drill cores. The same technique can be used to anticipate major earthquakes far in advance. The concept of the killer hills phenomenon requires such a radi- cal shift in perspective that it will turn the science of tectonics upside down. It is, however, the only all-encompassing concept which explains all the 'mountains’ of geophysical data on conti- nents and rifts. This explanation will be hard to ignore. Indeed, investigations in Australia into why the discovery was not developed two decades ago have found no ‘fault’ in the concept or its application to tectonics, and the Australian Government has recently urged that it be promoted worldwide. As the safe disposal of the ever-growing stockpiles of nuclear waste material is fast becoming a high priority, the placement of these waste materials in a relatively quake-free burial site cries out for a much better understanding of the tectonic processes. Understanding the overall construction of continents reveals the regions which are inherently less disposed to earthquakes. However, such understanding demands an unshakeable faith in the process of breaking apart. This is especially true when one con- So, it is not surprising that conventional geoscience cannot pre- siders that whole continents like Australia are known to be under _ dict earthquakes accurately. It had always been thought that com- pervasive, radial compression. pression is directed across the hills, not along their length. But the other problem is that killer hills encircle all rifts. They The killer hills were discovered in Australia 20 years ago; but completely envelop these narrow depressions—and therein lies the since there were few earthquakes in Australia, the discovery was fatal flaw in the whole concept of continental drift. not pursued by contemporary Australian geoscience. So, it turns out that the ‘contracting Earth’ model was correct Sadly, Kobe showed the futility of trying to understand earth- after all, but with a major twist in the logic. Instead of mountains quakes by studying them as an effect, to the exclusion of the real being compressed across their grain, the compression is being causal mechanism(s). The last significant earthquake in Kobe channelled preferentially along them. This builds up fantastic prior to the 1995 disaster was in 1485. The modern tremor- pressures, and the rocks eventually snap at a weak point ona killer —_ recording stations had been in place for only 30 years when the hill, sending out a powerful shock wave. great Kobe quake hit in 1995. This is the point at which an innocent-looking hill becomes a Elsewhere, earthquakes occur more frequently but their pattern killer hill. But because these killer hills form a continuous, inter- and intensity are vague, so the real key to anticipating earthquakes locking and balanced network (nexus) over the whole planet, the is understanding the overall mechanism of the tectonic processes balance can be disrupted by an earthquake or a nuclear detonation, _ within continents. causing a spate of earthquakes (not necessarily ‘aftershocks’) to So, Australia turned out to be a good place to study earthquakes follow in quick succession. after all. It has now been confirmed that compression is indeed Kobe was severely damaged by a big quake emanating froma _ transmitted along many hills, rather than across them. This has nearby killer hill; and Neftegorsk, situated atop a killer hill on been deduced by drilling holes deep into killer hills and observing Sakhalin Island, was totally destroyed. the deformation of the drill cores. The same technique can be Yet Kobe's agony was not without an astounding benefit for used to anticipate major earthquakes far in advance. earthquake science. That quake produced data which completely The concept of the killer hills phenomenon requires such a radi- validates the discovery that killer hills are the conduits for the cal shift in perspective that it will turn the science of tectonics most powerful compressive forces on the planet. The seismic upside down. It is, however, the only all-encompassing concept recorders located all over Japan showed that the main earthquake = which explains all the 'mountains' of geophysical data on conti- near Kobe and all the aftershocks were distributed along the nar- _ nents and rifts. This explanation will be hard to ignore. row hill which crosses Osaka Bay and passes behind the devastat- Indeed, investigations in Australia into why the discovery was ed city. not developed two decades ago have found no ‘fault’ in the concept A killer hill also passes behind Los Angeles—and after one of __ or its application to tectonics, and the Australian Government has the recent earthquakes, the aftershocks threw up clouds of dust recently urged that it be promoted worldwide. along them. As the safe disposal of the ever-growing stockpiles of nuclear Such hills are typical of the killer hills which occur all over the —_ waste material is fast becoming a high priority, the placement of planet. The role of these killer hills is to concentrate the powerful _ these waste materials in a relatively quake-free burial site cries out forces produced by the contraction of the Earth as it cools. for a much better understanding of the tectonic processes. To demonstrate the main principle, one could slide a pencil hor- Understanding the overall construction of continents reveals the izontally into a block of sponge or foam. Then, by squeezing the regions which are inherently less disposed to earthquakes. block between one's hands so that the pencil's point is aimed at the | However, such understanding demands an unshakeable faith in the palm of either hand, one can then squeeze the block until the cushioning effect of the sponge is exhausted and the point penetrates through the sponge into the | Figure 1: Schematic diagram of hand. This is an extremely simple analogy to the very killer hills network running from Neft k big, complex phenomenon of the killer hill. There isa | Japan to Sakhalin Island. ertegors + “3 certain amount of compressibility along the hills, but, once this is exceeded, the structure becomes rigid and unyielding. In 1994, killer hills were even recorded in images of the surface of the planet Venus. It is, furthermore, not unreasonable to assume Venus is also cooling and there- fore contracting. A planct is either absorbing heat (heat- ing), radiating heat (cooling), or in a state of equilibrium (unchanging). The latter condition can occur when a planet re-radiates exactly all the extra heat it receives from its parent star and/or from the normal radioactive decay of matter in its core. On Earth, the absence of direct sunlight at the poles produces rapid freezing, so one could conclude there is very little heat emanating from the core. However, these tricky considerations can be avoided by studying the tectonic processes which deform the crust to produce the structures in which oil and mineral deposits form. After studying ‘mountains’ of data, it becomes clear that killer hills are the most fundamental structures within continents and, furthermore, that they control the rifting process. Previously it was thought that rifts represented tensional processes, but the concept of killer hills would indicate the opposite: rifts represent e» FORCE VECTOR compressional forces. CRUST NEXUS ¢ 13 FEBRUARY-MARCH 1996