FRENCH ASTROLOGICAL 

EARTHQUAKES STUDIES
 

      By Emmanuel LAPÉBIE
         for Project Enceladus, June 2001 Research 
 
 

1.  Book Review: 
     Weather and Earthquake Forecasting With Astrology

This book has been written by a French astrologer, Georges DUPEYRON, and was published in France in 1995 under the ISBN 2-908713-09-8 by CÉDRA-ASTRALIS. The first part of the book deals with weather forecasting, so it’s of no use for our purpose. The second part is dedicated to an astrological view of earthquake prediction. This second part is divided into 8 chapters from which I will try to extract important information.

Briefly speaking, it’s an interesting book but sometimes untidy, and it’s easy to loose the thread of the author’s thoughts on some points. Anyway, some of the astrological factors proposed in this work are original and worth working on.

Most of the following reflects the opinions of Georges DUPEYRON, with my personal comments are in blue italics.  (Note from the website manager: the blue italic text did not transfer over here.)
 

1.1 Chapter I: Basic notions about earthquakes
Nothing about astrology, but a brief review of seismic activity in the world, including:
- a few words about different kind of earthquakes (vertical or horizontal ones, a.s.o.),
- an interesting cartography of active seismic zones of the world,
- a presentation of the Richter scale.
Since other topics will consider scientific data about EQ, I won’t comment any longer…
 

1.2 Chapter II: Earthquakes and Moon phases
Here we are !
Even if it’s not clearly said, the author uses part of the techniques of Mundane Astrology, namely the analysis of Moon phases preceding earthquakes.
After a listing of 120 EQ or so (for 90 of them, the date/time of the preceding Moon phase is given), Dupeyron states that Moon phases (especially New Moon) and EQ are in frequent correlation (he quotes a “Lestrade constant”, from the name of a geologist).

Some “delaying factors” may explain why the dates may differ from several days:
- Non astrological factors related to Earth geological structure (maybe introducing a kind of time constant in the phenomenon) ,
- Astrological patterns, for example involving a strong Saturn linked to planets related to a possible earthquake.

This first rough indicator is easy to analyze from a statistical point. It might be useful to draw first conclusions about this supposed correlation, because many authors (even in the EQ field) are using Moon phases charts as a starting point for a hierarchy of mundane charts (moon phase, new moon, sun ingress in sign, seasonal ingress, annual ingress). The simplicity of this indicator makes it perfect for testing on big EQ databases.
 

1.3 Chapter III: Astrology and earthquakes
This chapter presents the “EQ research” meaning of Houses in moon phases charts and EQ events charts. (There is a big problem for EQ forecasting, because we need the location to compute house cusps, and obviously we don’t know where the next EQ will take place !!! If reliable EQ factors are to be found, one solution may be to compute automatically thousands of charts located around seismic zones to detect the occurrence of EQ indicators).

By decreasing order of importance, we find;
- House XII: Ruling the internal forces of Earth, and being the house of ordeals;
- House IV: The underground, the ground structure under the city, (building  foundations also), but also means the END of things.
- House VI: Representing the health and accidents of the world, and being the result of XII: damage, landscape modifcations, a.s.o.,
- House VIII at least, because it means deep changes (of the underground), but also linked to casualties.

The cusp of XII in Earth signs (in the moon phase chart) may indicate seismic activity, especially if house XII is occupied by “violent” planets (Sun, Mars, Jupiter, Uranus) and/or rulers of other seismic houses(VI, IV, VIII). The ruler of XII in other seismic houses will increase the risk, as it does in angular houses (I, IV, VII, X), and in the last case the magnitude will be greater. (these indicators or “risk factors” are easy to check also…).

The same analysis has to be made for houses IV and VIII.

Aspects are to be taken into account for planets linked to seismic houses (both harmonic and disharmonic aspects are effective, the last increasing casualties and damages).

We can try to determine the precise moment for the EQ by checking exact aspects during the current moon phase. When aspects (and also declination parallels or anti parallels) involving risk factors and seismic houses are becoming exacts, the EQ is more likely to occur.
1.4 Chapter IV: The meaning of planets in EQ astrology
The nature of the planets linked to seismic houses will give indications about the kind of earthquake, its violence, and so on…

Sun is mainly found in vertical EQ, when the ground moves up. Moreover, EQ are more frequent and more violent when solar activity (sun spots) is high (any idea about where to find tabulated data about solar activity for a long period ?).

Moon indicates that the EQ will occur near water (harbors, lakes, seaside, …).

Mercury , closely linked to Pluto, means that tectonic plates will move. When moving past the Sun disc, it may cause big EQ (in particular when solar activity is high). Mercury is also involved when there is a lot of small earth tremors.

Venus plays a small role in EQ, except when passing the Sun disc.

Mars in very active in violent and sudden EQ, especially horizontal ones.

Jupiter is by far the most dangerous planet, increasing dramatically the effects of a seism. Also involved in EQ causing damage in a very large area, and in deep EQ.

Saturn, on the opposite, means limitation and stability, so it is not prominent in EQ activation. Saturn and Pluto are in relation with magma, and are important in volcanic activity. Saturn may precise the location of EQ in hilly regions, or in mountains.

Uranus if a main cause in sudden, short (a few seconds) and deadly EQ. Also appears in uncommon seismic activity.

Neptune has no clear role in triggering EQ, but indicates a location in deep sea, possibly with tsunamis. Involved in the caving-in, collapse or flooding of areas.

Pluto is efficient only when in VIII or ruler of VIII, and then we can expect a lot of casualties.

Most of the time, two planets are necessary to move tectonic plates: Mars (strength) with Mercury (direction); Mercury (motion) with Sun or Pluto (energy); Pluto with Saturn (effort). Strangely enough, these pairs rules signs in sextile (Mars-Aries with Mercury-Gemini; the last with Sun-Leo; Mercury-Virgo with Pluto-Scorpio, and the last with Saturn-Capricorn).

1.5 Chapter V: The role of aspects and signs
Aspects are important between “seismic pairs” such as Mars and Mercury, but we have to check also planets linked with seismic houses, especially when the ruler of XII makes aspects to the rulers of or planets in IV, VI or VIII.

Relationships between the following planets are to be checked:
Sun with Mercury, Mars, Jupiter, Uranus and Pluto;
Mercury with Mars, Jupiter, Uranus and Pluto;
Mars with Jupiter, Uranus and Pluto;
Jupiter with Uranus and Pluto;
Uranus with Pluto;

The more risk factors we find in a moon phase chart, the more an EQ is likely to occur.

Signs are used for the localization of EQ.
I won’t go in details through the rest of this chapter, since it repeats the well-known attributes of signs (for example: Aries and industrial zones, Taurus and countryside, …) and some traditional relations between signs and countries or cities (Aries with Germany, Japan, South Africa; Scorpio with North Africa, Libya, Lebanon, …). (more details can be found in mundane astrology books if necessary).
 

1.6 Chapter VI: Planets transiting critical signs and degrees
In addition to houses and aspects, some planetary positions are more likely to cause EQ. Planets on the boundary between two signs (for the author, it includes the first and the last 10 degrees of each sign, but it seems a lot !!!); Mars when transiting a Water sign, Jupiter in Air signs or Uranus in Earth signs.

Some degrees are “critical ones”:

Deg. ^ _ ` a b c d e f g h i
00 M     M M M  M M 
01        M M  M 
02 M M   M     M  M
03    M M  M M   M 
04  M M    M 
05 M   M M M M M 
06    M    M    M
07       M    M 
08 M M M  M M M   M 
09       M M M M M 
10 M    M M M     M
11    M     M  M 
12   M    M    M 
13  M M M     M M M 
14   M        M 
15 M M   M   M  M  M
16    M M   M M 
17 M  M    M     M
18  M        M  M
19   M  M    M M M 
20  M M   M 
21 M M  M   M M    M
22    M M   M M  M 
23  M M      M M 
24    M  M   M 
25 M   M   M M   M 
26   M M M      M M
27 M  M  M    M   M
28        M 
29   M M     M 

(it’s difficult to take this list “as is”. 126 out of the 360 degrees are supposed to be critical, and that’s quite a lot ! No indication is given by the author on how he found this, and there’s no clear link with other astrological techniques, such as Sabian symbols or the ancient Azemen degrees, so does it proceed from a statistical work ?).

The author takes also into account heliocentric positions for Mercury, Venus and Mars, and even aspects between heliocentric positions and geocentric ones (!!!!).
 

1.7 Chapter VII: An astrological point of view on some EQ
Several EQ are studied with the preceding risk factors (moon phase chart, with critical degrees and analysis of seismic houses, and then the event chart itself, looking for relations with moon phase chart). The chart coordinates are NOT those of the epicenter.
- 01/25/1946 18:32, Sion (This one is not in the databases I’ve downloaded …),
- 06/11/1909 21:06 UT, Marseille, France (my place of birth, but not my date !),
- 02/23/1887 05:38 UT, Menton, France,
- 04/18/1906 13:13 UT, San Francisco, USA,
- 02/24/1955, Pointe-de-Grave, France: successive tremors (not in databases…),
- 05/12/1972, Aix-en-Provence, France (not in databases…),
 

1.8 Chapter VIII: Linked problems and some ideas for research
There are still other risk factors to check, and among others:
- parallels and anti parallels of declination, to forecast the precise date/time of the EQ following the current moon phase,
- eclipses (it seems that EQ take place more often after “simple” moon phases than after eclipses)
- planetary perigees (from studies made by the author on weather forecasting, planetary perigees seem to be interesting in relation with full moons) and planetary nodes,
- …
 

1.9 Personal comments about this book
Dupeyron’s book is the only one I found with several chapters dedicated to EQ forecasting. The idea to check for the presence of “risk factors” in the moon phase, and to assess the actual risk from the number of risk factors present in the chart is very attractive. Defining the meaning of houses and planets in relation to EQ problems seems a good idea also, and critical degrees might be interesting to look at, but certainly with a smaller list !

These critical degrees may be dependent on the area affected by EQ (see below the review of some Astralis articles). For example, critical degrees for California will differ from Turkey ones and a possible explanation is that critical EQ degrees are linked to country / cities horoscopes (position of “natal” planets in VIII or XII, house cusps, midpoints, …).

The big problem is always EQ location, because if we need to draw a moon phase chart to find EQ risk factors (most of them being dependant of houses), it’s a dead-end ! One solution may be to work seismic zone by seismic zone. Moreover, it gives the opportunity to find location dependant risk factors in addition to global ones.

Looking at an EQ map shows that they are located on precise lines (the boundaries of tectonic plates), and it seems difficult to explain this by astrology only !
 

Let’s try to apply Dupeyron’s indicators to the big (8.1) recent  Peruvian EQ which occurred on 06/23/2001 at UT 20:33:13, LON 073W24, LAT 16S09. Last Moon phase was new moon (06/21/2001 UT 11:59:26, same place.
 

The event occurred actually short after a moon phase. The ruler of Asc is the Moon, and the EQ occurred on the Peruvian coast.

As far as seismic houses are concerned, the ruler of VI (Jupiter) is in XII, the rulers of VIII (Uranus) and of XII (Mercury) are in their own houses. The ruler of Asc (Moon) is in XII. Seismic houses are strongly occupied: Mars and South Node are in VI; Uranus is in VIII; Mercury, Jupiter, Moon/Sun and North Node are in XII. Three rulers of seismic houses are dignified (in their own signs), and so it is for moon, ruler of the chart.

All seismic pairs are linked by aspects (Mars/Mercury; Mercury/Sun; Mercury/Pluto, Pluto/Saturn) and 12 out the 15 possible relations between Sun, Mercury, Mars, Jupiter, Uranus and Pluto are fullfilled (aspects), the exceptions being Sun, Jupiter and Uranus with Pluto (casualties were relatively low for such a big EQ) ! These numerous factors may explain the rare magnitude of the event.

Moon/Sun are on the boundary between Gemini and Cancer. Most of the planets are in the first or last 10 degrees of a sign. Jupiter is transiting an Air sign. Critical degrees doesn’t seem to be very effective, even if we find house cusps of IV, VI and XII on some of them. Only Venus, Pluto and North Node are also on critical degrees.

Well, it’s just an example, but it seems to work quite well, even for the prediction of an unusual intensity…

We can add a few things by ourselves:

Two relevant midpoints (at least !) are linked to Sun/Moon position with small orbs:
- Pluto-North Node is 060° to Sun/Moon (being involved in tragic collective events)
- Pluto-IC is 135° to Sun/Moon (absolute necessity, a force surpassing mankind)

If we compare this chart to Peru’s independence chart (see link to country horoscopes below), we can notice obvious links:
- Moon/Sun of moon phase chart is conjunct to “natal” South Node of Peru,
- Pluto of moon phase chart is EXACTLY (< 1’) trine to “natal” Jupiter,
- “Natal” Pluto is precisely (< 1°) square to moon phase chart Sun/Moon,
- “Natal” Ascendant is in house VIII of moon phase chart,
- “Natal” Neptune is on the VII house cusp of moon phase chart, conjunct to North Node.

The event chart is interesting in itself:
- Uranus and Mean Black Moon are conjunct to the cusp of IV (in VIII of the moon phase chart),
- Part of Fortune is conjunct to South Node,
- Asc of moon phase chart is in house VIII of the event,
- …
 
 

2.   Articles in Astralis  magazine

2.1 The Armenian EQ, by Nicole GIRARD, comments by Maurice CHARVET
This article, published in issue #25 of Astralis (Oct. Nov. Dec. 1988) presents a study on the deadly (estimated 25000 deaths) Armenian EQ. This EQ happened on 17/07/1988 07:41 UT, 40N45 044E20 (slightly different epicenter locations in NEIC database: 40N59 044E11).

Nicole GIRARD analyses the event chart (no clear indicator) and it to USSR chart (11/08/1917 02:10, Saint Petersburg).

Maurice CHARVET, in his comments, applies mundane astrology techniques to this event, focusing on houses VIII and XII. He shows that the different charts are closely linked (annual ingress, fall ingress, Sagittarius ingress, moon phases, …).

2.2 San Francisco earthquakes, by José Luis SAN MIGHEL DE PABLOS
A comparison (Astralis #29, Oct. Nov. Dec. 1989) of two significant San Francisco earthquakes:
- 04/18/1906 13:12 UT, San Francisco, USA,
- 10/18/1989 00:04 UT, San Francisco, USA,

(These two events are studied for San Francisco, but epicenters differ from 1° in longitude and 1° in latitude. No time is given for the second one.).
 

The author points out an unusual correlation between the events:
- The older one takes place with Neptune opposite Uranus (Uranus in close conjunction to IC), and the most recent with Uranus (still at IC and at the same place than in 1906) not far from the conjunction with Neptune),
- 1989 Jupiter is  conjunct to 1906 Neptune,
- 1989 Sun, Mercury (involved in both charts in a T square) and North Node are opposite to their 1989 positions.

2.3 The Los Angeles earthquake, by Nicole GIRARD, comments by Maurice CHARVET
Nicole GIRARD spots in Astralis #42 (Oct. Nov. Dec. 1993) the connections between Los Angeles 01/17/1994 12:31UT EQ and two other charts:

- The USA Chart (one of the numerous …) with 12°21’ Sag. Rising,
- The chart for the integration of Los Angeles city in the USA (09/04/1781 17:04UT)

Among other things:
- Sun and Venus of the event chart (27° Capricorn) were transiting Pluto of the USA chart
- Moon and Black Moon were close to Los Angeles “natal” positions.

Maurice CHARVET interesting comments are again based on mundane astrology.
 
 

3.   Several Good Web Sites

http://www.ngdc.noaa.gov/seg/hazard/sig_srch.shtml
Listing of “Most Significant Earthquakes”, including historical ones. 
Sometimes several entries for the same EQ.

https://members.tripod.com/tra_nations/a_index_nations.htm
Very interesting for Mundane Astrology. 
Probably useful if we focus to several local areas instead of worldwide events.

http://wwwneic.cr.usgs.gov/
By far my favorite. Excellent databases with various search facilities (date, magnitude, source, …). It’s even possible to find EQ in a precise rectangular or circular area. Lots of technical details for recent EQ (aftershocks …).
 
 

        This page was created 1 September 2001
          -  Steve Lee,  Project Enceladus Coordinator