Background Any country as large as the USA faces difficult choices within its earthquake monitoring strategy. Striking the right balance between the possibility of a large earthquake in a remote area causing little disruption and a smaller earthquake in a densely populated causing massive damage is a risk to be very carefully managed. A current area of significant risk has been identified as surrounding the San Francisco East Bay and the Hayward fault areas. Challenge On 6 Jun 2009 a 3.1 earthquake rattled the East Bay, but there were no immediate reports of injury or damage. Scientists then probed the Lucas Valley for earthquake clues as the one almost certain thing around the East Bay area is that something bigger now appears to be looming. On 25 Jun 2009 the USGS described th

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