+1 vote
in General Factchecking by Genius (43.6k points)
Claim: The earthquake in Turkey is a "scripted" use of geo engineering weather modification HAARP.

Source:  Facebook / https://ghostarchive.org/archive/XqodV

3 Answers

+1 vote
by Journeyman (2.3k points)
selected by
 
Best answer
According to an article by USA Today titled, " Fact Check: False claim HAARP is responsible for the earthquake in Turkey," this claim is false. "The earthquakes occurred naturally in a well-known fault zone," seismologists said. Also, "nobody has the ability to intentionally create a large earthquake with any degree of certainty," Rachel Abercrombie said.

https://www.usatoday.com/story/news/factcheck/2023/02/15/fact-check-false-claim-haarp-responsible-turkey-earthquakes/11220907002/

Furthermore, HAARP does not have the ability to create natural disasters. According to the official HAARP website, it is stated that "HAARP is the worlds most capable high-power, high frequency transmitter for study of the ionosphere. The goal of the research at HAARP is to conduct fundamental study of the physical processes at work in the very highest portions of our atmosphere, called the thermosphere and ionosphere."

https://haarp.gi.alaska.edu/faq

This claim is a conspiracy theory that has started to spread on social media. This claim is false as there is no evidence that HAARP can manipulate/cause manmade natural disasters.
False
+1 vote
by Novice (580 points)

Contrary to the claims circulating on social media, like the one linked from a Facebook post, it is not possible for HAARP to manipulate the weather or cause natural disasters, such as triggering earthquakes. In "Fact Check - Earthquake in Turkey was not a HAARP operation", Reuters explains that HAARP uses artificial radio waves that penetrate the ground less than 1 cm deep, whereas an earthquake occurs much, much deeper within the Earth. The Turkey Earthquake originated 17 Kilometers deep for reference. 

Toshi Nishimura, a research associate professor at Boston University told Reuters, "he is not aware of any scientific evidence that 'artificial waves can create much stronger disturbances and impact local seismic conditions. Further, there is currently 'no technology to launch radio waves from the ground and hit a city precisely. It doesn’t seem to be possible that radio waves can impact distant seismic conditions'".

Additionally, videos that sparked this rumor claimed that lightning was not common during earthquakes and was created by HAARP. However, the same article goes on to explain that HAARP cannot create lightning and that "a phenomenon known as Earthquake Lights, however, is in fact 'fairly common,'" according to Jamesina Simpson, a professor of electrical and computer engineering at The University of Utah. 

Based on the credible sources and limited technological capabilities of HAARP, it's safe to say that the Turkey earthquake was a natural disaster and not a HAARP operation. 

Source: https://www.reuters.com/article/factcheck-haarp-earthquake-turkey/fact-check-earthquake-in-turkey-was-not-a-haarp-operation-idUSL1N34Q1HG

by Genius (43.6k points)
Nice job with your detailed explanation. Going forward, don't forget to choose a rating (true, false, misleading, opinion, etc.)
+1 vote
by Journeyman (2.9k points)

This information has been proved false from multiple sources including politicfact.com that fights misinformation.  This portion of Turkey is known for having seismic activity as it is located near a fault line and has previously had recorded earthquakes, which happen naturally when located on or near a fault line.

The High-frequency Active Auroral Research Program, HAARP, has been in place for many years and does not do anything that could effect seismic activity, but is instead designed to study the atmosphere through the use of radio waves. As for the cloud over Bursa, Turkey they are also trying to connect to the earthquake and the HAARP, this is also false. To help better understand this Bursa, Turkey is located approximately 5,438.03 miles away from Gakona, Alaska, according to distance.to. All claims about these two being connected have been stated as false. According to Politifact.com HAARP doesn’t have any capability of causing earthquakes.

https://www.politifact.com/factchecks/2023/feb/15/facebook-posts/turkey-syria-earthquakes-were-natural-disaster-not/

https://www.distance.to/Bursa/Gakona,AK,USA

According to all credible sources and the associated press this earthquake happened natural and is normal for this area.  Earthquakes are natural occurring natural disasters, and while earthquakes can be induced by human activity, radio waves are not one of those known causes. According to the United States Geological Survey there are three known primary human causes of earthquakes which are wastewater injection, hydraulic fracturing and enhanced oil recovery.

https://www.usgs.gov/news/featured-story/6-facts-about-human-caused-earthquakes

While I was able to find some dated articles on how sound waves could possibly cause earthquakes, I have yet to find any information saying that radio waves (like those used at HARRP) could induce earthquakes. I could however find information saying that earthquakes could not be caused them.

https://www.rappler.com/newsbreak/fact-check/earthquakes-not-caused-by-radio-waves/

False
by Genius (43.6k points)
Great job writing an extensive explanation and including so many sources to back up your fact-check.

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