Researcher says a sinking Santa Catalina could pose tsunami threat--Today's LA Times:

[CaliforniaPeggy]

For decades, researchers have debated whether Santa Catalina is sinking or rising.

Now there is new study that makes the case that the island is sinking, albeit very slowly.

A Stanford University researcher says new underwater imaging suggests Catalina could be completely submerged in 3 million years, though that remains in dispute. He also contends the movement could pose a tsunami risk for Los Angeles and Orange counties.

The study's author, Stanford graduate student Chris Castillo, said the potential threat should be investigated further. He said his conclusions came from underwater images of Catalina made by Stanford University last year.

All of it at the link:
http://www.latimes.com/local/california/la-me-catalina-20150425-story.html

[SoapBox]

1. In only 3 million?

I don't think I could live on an island anywhere. I would be in constant discomfort thinking that I could sink or be blown off by a monster storm.

[Brother Buzz]

2. Randall Schumann isn't 100% convinced yet, and he argues some good points

And all these years, I thought the Channel islands were slowly moving north, just like the Farallon Islands in Northern California.

[CaliforniaPeggy]

3. The fact that we are discussing it is really the important point.

[Brother Buzz]

4. Schumann made the same point

"So far, no one has been able to produce conclusive evidence of either uplift or subsidence on Catalina," Schumann said. "It is encouraging to see that scientists are continuing to determine a definitive answer to this complex question."

A geology professor once told me if you can sort out all the mysteries of California geology, the rest is easy.

[CaliforniaPeggy]

5. Good luck doing that!

California is very complex, geologically!