A divergent boundary is where two adjacent tectonic plates are moving away from each other.
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A divergent boundary is where two adjacent tectonic plates are moving away from each other.
Elastic rebound is what happens to the crustal material on either side of a fault during an earthquake. The idea is that a fault is stuck until the strain accumulated in the rock on either side of the fault has overcome the friction making it stick.
Elastic rebound is what happens to the crustal material on either side of a fault during an earthquake. The idea is that a fault is stuck until the strain accumulated in the rock on either side of the fault has overcome the friction making it stick.
A horst is an upthrown block lying between two steep-angled fault blocks. A graben is a down-dropped block of the earth's crust resulting from extension, or pulling, of the crust.
A horst is an upthrown block lying between two steep-angled fault blocks. A graben is a down-dropped block of the earth's crust resulting from extension, or pulling, of the crust.
Liquefaction is a process by which water-saturated sediment temporarily loses strength and acts like a fluid... like when you wiggle your toes in the wet sand near the water at the beach. This effect can be caused by earthquake shaking.
Liquefaction is a process by which water-saturated sediment temporarily loses strength and acts like a fluid... like when you wiggle your toes in the wet sand near the water at the beach. This effect can be caused by earthquake shaking.
Normal, or Dip-slip, faults are inclined fractures where the blocks have mostly shifted vertically. If the rock mass above an inclined fault moves down, the fault is termed normal, whereas if the rock above the fault moves up, the fault is termed a Reverse fault.
Normal, or Dip-slip, faults are inclined fractures where the blocks have mostly shifted vertically. If the rock mass above an inclined fault moves down, the fault is termed normal, whereas if the rock above the fault moves up, the fault is termed a Reverse fault.
The shadow zone is the area of the earth from angular distances of 104 to 140 degrees that, for a given earthquake, that does not receive any direct P waves. The shadow zone results from S waves (not shown in animation) being stopped entirely by the liquid core and P waves being bent (refracted) by the liquid core.
The shadow zone is the area of the earth from angular distances of 104 to 140 degrees that, for a given earthquake, that does not receive any direct P waves. The shadow zone results from S waves (not shown in animation) being stopped entirely by the liquid core and P waves being bent (refracted) by the liquid core.
Strike-slip faults are vertical (or nearly vertical) fractures where the blocks have mostly moved horizontally. If the block opposite an observer looking across the fault moves to the right, the slip style is termed right-lateral; if the block moves to the left, the motion is termed left-lateral.
Strike-slip faults are vertical (or nearly vertical) fractures where the blocks have mostly moved horizontally. If the block opposite an observer looking across the fault moves to the right, the slip style is termed right-lateral; if the block moves to the left, the motion is termed left-lateral.
A thrust fault is a reverse fault with a dip of 45° or less, a very low angle. This animation shows a reverse fault which is a steeper-angle fault, but it moves the same way.
A thrust fault is a reverse fault with a dip of 45° or less, a very low angle. This animation shows a reverse fault which is a steeper-angle fault, but it moves the same way.
The wavefront is the instantaneous boundary between the seismic waves in the earth material, and the material that the seismic energy has not yet reached. As a seismic wave propagates through the earth, the wavefront moves.
The wavefront is the instantaneous boundary between the seismic waves in the earth material, and the material that the seismic energy has not yet reached. As a seismic wave propagates through the earth, the wavefront moves.
The shortest path between two points on the surface of a sphere lies along a great circle. On a 2-dimensional map, this looks like a line, but when it's on a 3-dimensional sphere, it's an arc... part of a circle.
The shortest path between two points on the surface of a sphere lies along a great circle. On a 2-dimensional map, this looks like a line, but when it's on a 3-dimensional sphere, it's an arc... part of a circle.
Title: Predictable Earthquakes - updating earthquake prediction - fact vs. fiction
Title: Predictable Earthquakes - updating earthquake prediction - fact vs. fiction
This film depicts the realistic outcome of a hypothetical, but plausible, magnitude 7.8 earthquake on the San Andreas fault in Southern CA.
This film depicts the realistic outcome of a hypothetical, but plausible, magnitude 7.8 earthquake on the San Andreas fault in Southern CA.
This film takes you on a visceral journey through the USGS ShakeOut Earthquake Scenario.
This film takes you on a visceral journey through the USGS ShakeOut Earthquake Scenario.
Blowing the Lid off Seismic Science for 40 Years
Ross Stein, representing the USGS Earthquake Hazards Team
Blowing the Lid off Seismic Science for 40 Years
Ross Stein, representing the USGS Earthquake Hazards Team
New Estimates of Earthquake Hazard and Risk Across the Bay Region
By Michael Blanpied, Geophysicist
New Estimates of Earthquake Hazard and Risk Across the Bay Region
By Michael Blanpied, Geophysicist
Deep Drilling to Test Fundamental Theories About Faulting and Earthquakes
By Stephen H. Hickman, Geophysicist
Deep Drilling to Test Fundamental Theories About Faulting and Earthquakes
By Stephen H. Hickman, Geophysicist
New Mapping Techniques Reveal Potential Seismic Sources Beneath Seattle
By Richard J. Blakely, Geophysicist and Ralph A. Haugerud, Geologist
New Mapping Techniques Reveal Potential Seismic Sources Beneath Seattle
By Richard J. Blakely, Geophysicist and Ralph A. Haugerud, Geologist