Faulty behavior: New earthquake fault models show that 'stable' zones may contribute to the generation of massive earthquakes

In an earthquake, ground motion is the result of waves emitted when the two sides of a fault move rapidly past each other. Not all fault segments move so quickly, however -- some slip slowly and are considered to be "stable." One hypothesis suggests that creeping fault behavior is persistent over time, with stable segments acting as barriers to fast-slipping earthquakes. But a new study shows that this might not be true.

Read the whole article on Science Daily

More from Science Daily