Size of Japan's quake surprises seismologists

The 8.9 magnitude earthquake is among the top 10 ever recorded and occurred on an irregular fault line where a smaller temblor would be expected.The magnitude 8.9 earthquake that struck Friday off the coast of Japan "is going to be among the top 10 earthquakes recorded since we have had seismographs," said seismologist Susan Hough of the U.S. Geological Survey in Pasadena. "It's bigger than any known historic earthquake in Japan, and bigger than expectations for that area."

Read the whole article on LA Times - Science

More from LA Times - Science