Faulted for Quake Prediction, He Now Shakes Up Economists

ST. LOUIS — Iben Browning has incurred the wrath of geologists and seismologists for projecting a 50-50 chance for a major earthquake on the New Madrid Fault zone in early December.

He may soon be getting in trouble with economists.

During a presentation Thursday to a St. Louis business group, the New Mexico scientist said it appears that conditions are right for the world to fall into a depression in 1992.

“For climatological reasons, we will reach the bottom of the depression about the end of 1992. . . . I expect (it) will be the most severe since 1776, more severe than the 1930s,” Browning said.

Among other things, he said that:

* High tidal forces have affected such things as the size of the wheat crop in the Soviet Union and the rise of Nazism before World War II.

* Volcanoes cause acid rain, not coal-burning factories and power plants.

* The temperature of ice in Greenland affects the world economy.

One thing he didn’t spend much time talking about was his projection that strong tidal forces could touch off a major earthquake in the Midwest about Dec. 3. He also had nothing to say about the overwhelming criticism it has prompted.

“That would be a waste of time. I’d rather just stick to my work,” Browning said.

Although he referred to his projection as a “guesstimate,” he said he was confident in his reasoning.

Earthquake experts say there’s a good chance of another quake in the region eventually but have dismissed Browning’s theories.