The fault was first identified in 1895 by Professor Andrew Lawson of UC Berkeley. Sediment deposited by the Colorado River is preventing the trough from being filled in with sea water from the gulf. In this region (known as the Salton Trough), the plate boundary has been rifting and pulling apart, creating a new mid-ocean ridge that is an extension of the Gulf of California. Here, the plate motion is being reorganized from right-lateral to divergent. In the south, the fault terminates near Bombay Beach, California in the Salton Sea. It has been hypothesized that a major earthquake along the subduction zone could rupture the San Andreas Fault and vice versa. In the north, the fault terminates offshore near Eureka, California at the Mendocino Triple Junction, where three tectonic plates meet. The average slip rate along the entire fault ranges from 20 to 35 mm (0.79 to 1.38 in) per year. Traditionally, for scientific purposes, the fault has been classified into three main segments (northern, central, and southern), each with different characteristics and a different degree of earthquake risk. It forms the tectonic boundary between the Pacific Plate and the North American Plate. The San Andreas Fault is a continental right-lateral strike-slip transform fault that extends roughly 1,200 kilometers (750 mi) through the Californias. Plaque showing location of San Andreas Fault in San Mateo County San Francisco, San Bernardino, San Juan BautistaĬalaveras, Hayward, Elsinore, Imperial, Laguna Salada, San Jacintoġ857, 1906 ( M w ≈7.8), 1957 ( M w 5.7), 1989 ( M w ≈6.9), 2004 © 2023 NYP Holdings, Inc.Arrows show relative motion of the North American Plate (southeastward) and the Pacific Plate (northwestward)ģ5☀7′N 119☃9′W / 35.117°N 119.650°W / 35.117 -119.650 USGS An earthquake also hit Ocotillo Wells on Saturday, just days after other quakes in the region. A swarm of earthquakes struck southern California near the Mexican border over the weekend. The seismic activity comes just days after earthquakes rattled the Ocotillo Wells and El Centro areas, where there have been at least five recent earthquakes of a magnitude of 3 or higher, according to the UGS. There were no immediate reports of damage or injuries after the earthquakes. In between the swarms of seismic activity, a 3.2-magnitude quake hit the eastern shore of the Salton Sea near Ocotillo Wells at 10:55 p.m. and reached a higher magnitude of 4.5, which was felt by about 30 people, UGS said. The second swarm struck nearly 40 miles north, by the town of Niland, where more than 25 tremors then shook the southeast shore of the Salton Sea starting at 12.09 a.m. The Herber quakes reached up to 3.7 in magnitude and were felt by about 60 people. Sunday, the US Geological Survey reported. Saturday in the US-Mexico border town of Herber, with nearly 50 tremors shaking the area until 5:12 a.m. Magnitude 7.2 earthquake kills at least 800 in Morocco, buildings destroyed as residents flee homesĪ slew of earthquakes shook up the Salton Sea region of Southern California within 24 hours over the weekend, with the seismic activity reaching up to 4.5 in magnitude. Morocco declares three days of mourning after devastating earthquake leaves over 2,000 dead Rescuers race to find survivors over 48 hours after Morocco quakeĪftershock rattles Morocco as rescuers seek survivors from the earthquake that killed over 2,000
0 Comments
Leave a Reply. |
AuthorWrite something about yourself. No need to be fancy, just an overview. ArchivesCategories |