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2002 Denali Earthquake
The 2002 Denali earthquake occurred at 22:12:41 UTC (1:12 PM Alaska Time Zone, Local Time) November 3 with an epicenter 66 km ESE of Denali National Park, Alaska, United States. This 7.9 Moment magnitude scale, Mw earthquake was the largest recorded in the United States in 37 years (after the 1965 Rat Islands earthquake). The shock was the strongest ever recorded in the interior of Alaska. Due to the remote location, there were no fatalities and only one injury. Due to the shallow depth, it was felt at least as far away as Seattle and it generated seiches on bodies of water as far away as Texas and New Orleans, Louisiana. About 20 houseboats were damaged by a seiche on a lake in Washington State. Tectonic setting The Denali Fault, Denali-Totschunda fault is a major dextral (right lateral) Fault (geology)#Strike-slip faults, strike-slip system, similar in scale to the San Andreas Fault system. In Alaska, moving from east to west, the plate interactions change from a transfo ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Moment Magnitude Scale
The moment magnitude scale (MMS; denoted explicitly with or Mwg, and generally implied with use of a single M for magnitude) is a measure of an earthquake's magnitude ("size" or strength) based on its seismic moment. was defined in a 1979 paper by Thomas C. Hanks and Hiroo Kanamori. Similar to the local magnitude scale, local magnitude/Richter scale () defined by Charles Francis Richter in 1935, it uses a logarithmic scale; small earthquakes have approximately the same magnitudes on both scales. Despite the difference, news media often use the term "Richter scale" when referring to the moment magnitude scale. Moment magnitude () is considered the authoritative magnitude scale for ranking earthquakes by size. It is more directly related to the energy of an earthquake than other scales, and does not saturatethat is, it does not underestimate magnitudes as other scales do in certain conditions. It has become the standard scale used by seismological authorities like the United State ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
San Andreas Fault
The San Andreas Fault is a continental Fault (geology)#Strike-slip faults, right-lateral strike-slip transform fault that extends roughly through the U.S. state of California. It forms part of the tectonics, tectonic boundary between the Pacific plate and the North American plate. 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. The average slip rate along the entire fault ranges from per year. In the north, the fault terminates offshore near Eureka, California, at the Mendocino triple junction, where three tectonic plates meet. The Cascadia subduction zone intersects the San Andreas fault at the Mendocino triple junction. It has been hypothesized that a major earthquake along the Cascadia subduction zone could trigger a rupture along the San Andreas Fault. In the south, the fault terminates near Bombay Beach, Califor ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Supershear Earthquake
In seismology, a supershear earthquake is when the propagation of the Earthquake rupture, rupture along the Fault (geology), fault surface occurs at speeds in excess of the seismic S wave, shear wave (S wave) velocity. This causes an effect analogous to a sonic boom. Rupture propagation velocity During seismic events along a fault surface the displacement initiates at the focus and then propagates outwards. Typically for large earthquakes the focus lies towards one end of the slip surface and much of the propagation is unidirectional (e.g. the 2008 Sichuan earthquake, 2008 Sichuan and 2004 Indian Ocean earthquakes). Theoretical studies have in the past suggested that the upper bound for propagation velocity is that of Rayleigh waves, approximately 0.92 of the shear wave velocity. However, evidence of propagation at velocities between S wave and P wave, compressional wave (P wave) values have been reported for several earthquakesArchuleta,R.J. 1984A faulting model for the 1979 Impe ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Surface Rupture
In seismology, surface rupture (or ground rupture, or ground displacement) is the visible offset of the ground surface when an earthquake rupture along a Fault (geology), fault affects the Earth's surface. Surface rupture is opposed by buried rupture earthquakes, buried rupture, where there is no displacement at ground level. This is a major risk to any structure that is built across a fault zone that may be active fault, active, in addition to any risk from ground shaking. Surface rupture entails vertical or horizontal movement, on either side of a ruptured fault. Surface rupture can affect large areas of land. Lack of surface rupture Not every earthquake results in surface rupture, particularly for smaller and deeper earthquakes. In some cases, however, the lack of surface effects is because the fault that moved does not reach the surface. For example, the 1994 Northridge earthquake had a Moment magnitude scale, moment magnitude of 6.7, caused major damage in the Los Angeles a ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Susitna Glacier
Susitna Glacier is an alpine or valley glacier in the Alaska Range. Susitna Glacier flows over a seismically active area. The 7.9-magnitude 2002 Denali earthquake struck the region in November 2002. The earthquake initiated with thrust movement on the previously unrecognized Susitna Glacier fault. See also * Susitna River * Matanuska-Susitna Valley * 2002 Denali earthquake References Glaciers of Alaska Glaciers of Denali Borough, Alaska Glaciers of Matanuska-Susitna Borough, Alaska Glaciers of Southeast Fairbanks Census Area, Alaska Glaciers of Unorganized Borough, Alaska {{Alaska-glacier-stub ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Coulomb Stress Transfer
Coulomb stress transfer is a Seismology, seismic-related geology, geological process of Stress (mechanics), stress changes to surrounding material caused by local discrete deformation events. Using mapped displacements of the Earth's surface during earthquakes, the computed Coulomb stress changes suggest that the stress relieved during an earthquake not only dissipates but can also move up and down Fault (geology), fault segments, concentrating and promoting subsequent tremors. Importantly, Coulomb stress changes have been applied to earthquake-forecasting models that have been used to assess potential Seismic hazard, hazards related to earthquake activity. Coulomb stress change The Mohr–Coulomb theory, Coulomb failure criterion requires that the Coulomb stress exceeds a value σf defined by the shear stress τB, normal stress σB, pore pressure p, and coefficient of friction μ of a failure plane, such that It is also often assumed that changes in pore fluid pressure induced b ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Foreshock
A foreshock is an earthquake that occurs before a larger seismic eventthe mainshockand is related to it in both time and space. The designation of an earthquake as ''foreshock'', ''mainshock'' or aftershock is only possible after the full sequence of events has happened. Occurrence Foreshock activity has been detected for about 40% of all moderate to large earthquakes, and about 70% for events of M>7.0. They occur from a matter of minutes to days or even longer before the main shock; for example, the 2002 Sumatra earthquake is regarded as a foreshock of the 2004 Indian Ocean earthquake with a delay of more than two years between the two events. Some great earthquakes (M>8.0) show no foreshock activity at all, such as the M8.6 1950 Assam–Tibet earthquake, 1950 India–China earthquake. The increase in foreshock activity is difficult to quantify for individual earthquakes but becomes apparent when combining the results of many different events. From such combined observations, t ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Aleutian Islands
The Aleutian Islands ( ; ; , "land of the Aleuts"; possibly from the Chukchi language, Chukchi ''aliat'', or "island")—also called the Aleut Islands, Aleutic Islands, or, before Alaska Purchase, 1867, the Catherine Archipelago—are a chain of 14 main, larger volcanic islands and 55 smaller ones. Most of the Aleutian Islands belong to the U.S. state of Alaska, with the archipelago encompassing the Aleutians West Census Area, Alaska, Aleutians West Census Area and the Aleutians East Borough, Alaska, Aleutians East Borough. The Commander Islands, located further to the west, belong to the Russian Federal subjects of Russia, federal subject of Kamchatka Krai, of the Russian Far East. The islands form part of the Aleutian Arc of the Northern Pacific Ocean, and occupy a land area of 6,821 sq mi (17,666 km2) that extends westward roughly from the Alaska Peninsula, Alaskan Peninsula mainland, in the direction of the Kamchatka Peninsula; the archipelago acts as a border between ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Destructive Boundary
A convergent boundary (also known as a destructive boundary) is an area on Earth where two or more lithospheric plates collide. One plate eventually slides beneath the other, a process known as subduction. The subduction zone can be defined by a plane where many earthquakes occur, called the Wadati–Benioff zone. These collisions happen on scales of millions to tens of millions of years and can lead to volcanism, earthquakes, orogenesis, destruction of lithosphere, and deformation. Convergent boundaries occur between oceanic-oceanic lithosphere, oceanic-continental lithosphere, and continental-continental lithosphere. The geologic features related to convergent boundaries vary depending on crust types. Plate tectonics is driven by convection cells in the mantle. Convection cells are the result of heat generated by the radioactive decay of elements in the mantle escaping to the surface and the return of cool materials from the surface to the mantle. These convection cells bring ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Accretion (geology)
In geology, accretion is a process by which material is added to a tectonic plate at a subduction zone, frequently on the edge of existing continental landmasses. The added material may be sediment, volcanic arcs, seamounts, oceanic crust or other igneous features. Description Accretion involves the addition of material to a tectonic plate via subduction, the process by which one plate is forced under the other when two plates collide. The plate which is being forced down, the subducted plate, is pushed against the upper, over-riding plate. Sediment on the ocean floor of the subducting plate is often scraped off as the plate descends. This accumulated material is called an accretionary wedge (or accretionary prism), which is pushed against and attaches to the upper plate. In addition to accumulated ocean sediments, volcanic island arcs or seamounts present on the subducting plate may be amalgamated onto existing continental crust on the upper plate, increasing the contine ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Yakutat Block
The Yakutat Block is a terrane in the process of accreting to the North American continent along the south central coast of Alaska. It has been displaced about northward since the Cenozoic along the Queen Charlotte-Fairweather fault system. The block subducts between this fault system and the Alaska-Aleutian Subduction Zone. The thickness of the Yakutat Block varies, ranging from approximately 15 km in the west to 30 km in the east. The Yakutat Block is bounded on the northeast by the Fairweather Fault, and on the north by a system of thrust and possibly strike-slip faults in the Chugach Mountains and Saint Elias Mountains. The Yakutat Block is bounded on its southwest side by an as yet undefined underwater geologic feature known as the Transition Zone. Global Positioning System (GPS) measurements indicate that the Yakutat block has a distinctive velocity relative to both the Pacific Plate and the North American Plate. Thus it appears to be a terrane in the process o ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
List Of Tectonic Plates
This is a list of tectonic plates on Earth#Surface, Earth's surface. Plate tectonics, Tectonic plates are pieces of Earth's crust and uppermost mantle (geology), mantle, together referred to as the lithosphere. The plates are around thick and consist of two principal types of material: oceanic crust (also called ''Sima (geology), sima'' from silicon and magnesium) and continental crust (''sial'' from silicon and aluminium). The composition of the two types of crust differs markedly, with mafic basaltic rocks dominating oceanic crust, while continental crust consists principally of lower-density felsic granite, granitic rocks. Current plates Geologists generally agree that the following tectonic plates currently exist on Earth#Surface, Earth's surface with roughly definable boundaries. Tectonic plates are sometimes subdivided into three fairly arbitrary categories: ''major'' (or ''primary'') ''plates'', ''minor'' (or ''secondary'') ''plates'', and ''microplates'' (or ''tertiary ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
