LEXINGTON, Ky- Aftershocks continue to rumble through southern California nearly a week after 6.4 and 7.1 magnitude earthquakes hit near Ridgecrest.  They are the strongest quakes in that area in 20 years.  The seismic waves were recorded by instruments across the country including in Kentucky.  Kentucky Geological Survey seismologist Seth Carpenter says he is studying data accumilated by other scientists.  "This is another earthquake that has occurred that geologists can go and study the fault lengths and then we can predict magnitude from the size of the fault where it occurred," Carpenter tells Spectrum News 1. 

   Survey director Bill Haneberg says it's no surprise these earthquakes happen, but by studying how fault zones react to one another, seismologist may better predict when, where and how big.  "I think that’s an important part of it.  We are not surprised when one occurs because we know California is a seismically active area so the only surprising thing is it occurred at that particular hour on that particular day," Haneberg eloborates.