Scientists Are Worried After Google Earth Captured a 2-Mile-Long Crack in Arizona Desert

With advancing technology, accessing even the most remote locations of the world has become convenient. Making use of drones for the first time, the Arizona Geological Survey (AZGS) is investigating a long fissure intimidating the Arizona desert. The extensive crack, stretching about two miles, in the Tator Hills of southern Pinal County was first spotted on Google Earth and later garnered attention from the public and researchers alike. 

The scientists determined that the fissure in the Arizona desert was formed between March 2013 and December 2014 and it’s barely anything to worry about. Unlike the mammoth fissure in the Ethiopian desert of Africa, the Arizona fissure could be a possible result of heavy monsoon rains in 2014, the geologists explained. They theorized that the deeper ends may have existed as a void underground until the rains washed off its lid leaving behind the gaping holes in the Earth’s crust. The rapidly shrinking levels of groundwater could also be a potential factor in the fissure formation. 

The AZGS researchers reached the site flying drones over the fissure to examine it from different angles, offering perspective on the severity of the situation. In one YouTube video (@azgsweb), they observed the long earthen crack from the edge while the drone, operated by B. Gootee of AZGS, hovered over their heads and higher into the sky showcasing its true length. The second video shared attempted to offer glimpses of the depth of the Arizona fissure as the drone flew upwards from the deep end of the crack. 

As mentioned in the video’s description, the AZGS is currently “experimenting” with the fairly new drone technology and GPS receivers as a tool for mapping fissures and other features, including landslides and rockfalls. However, the researchers were not as surprised by the geological event because similar fissures have popped up in the desert before, and in Pinal County as well. The AZGS was instructed to map such fissures after one such crack opened up in Queen Creek following the monsoon seasons instigating public concerns. 

According to the report, fissures range from hairline fractures to open ground cracks up to miles long, and 15 to 25 feet wide. The depth may range up to 90 feet. By definition, earth fissures are pervasive cracks that occur on valley floors as a consequence of basin subsidence related to groundwater withdrawal. While the Arizona fissure is little to worry about, these events are fundamentally a hazard to human life, livestock, and urban civilizations. An earth fissure was formed on the roadbed during the construction of the Red Mountain Highway in Phoenix, repairs and risk mitigation cost about $200,000. Similar cracks have been observed in La Paz, Cochise, Pima, and Pinal Counties. 

The AZGS has been actively mapping earth fissures for decades now. Prior to examination by drones, as done recently, the researchers first review existing maps, and technical reports, consult with geoscientists, and engineers, and study historical aerial photographs. This step is followed by an on-field examination and characterization of the fissure with the help of a high-precision global positioning system (GPS) which collects data on the width and depth every 5 to 15 feet. The data collected was uploaded into the information system (GIS) map environment. Then, the information is added to study area field sheets later to be reviewed by experts and released on the AZGS Online Document Repository. All earth fissures have been mapped using this process of data collection.