A new study has uncovered a hidden mechanism that could explain how earthquakes start, offering a fresh perspective on how slow, creeping motion leads to the explosive shaking we feel during seismic events.
Researchers Discover How Slow 'Aseismic Creep' Triggers Powerful Earthquakes
Earthquakes occur when two tectonic plates, large pieces of the Earth's crust, move against each other. Initially, these plates get stuck at certain points along their edges, causing pressure to build up.
Over time, this pressure becomes too much for the plates to handle, leading to a sudden rupture and the violent shaking associated with earthquakes. But what causes this transition from slow movement to sudden, destructive force?
A study, led by Professor Jay Fineberg and his team from The Hebrew University of Jerusalem, offers a new explanation. Published in Nature, the research challenges long-held ideas about earthquake formation and offers hope for better predictions in the future.
According to LiveScience, the team discovered that before the plates rupture, there is a slow and almost undetectable process at work.
This process, known as "aseismic creep," is when the plates move slowly, without causing any noticeable shaking. This movement, while quiet, may be a crucial step in triggering the earthquake.
To better understand how this process works, the researchers used a material called plexiglass in laboratory experiments. They applied pressure to sheets of plexiglass, mimicking the forces that act on tectonic plates.
They found that when pressure builds up, cracks form in the material. However, these cracks don't appear instantly. Instead, the material first experiences a slow, creeping movement — similar to the aseismic creep observed in real-world faults.
Scientists Discover How Small Cracks Lead to Large Earthquake Ruptures
As the creeping motion continues, the cracks begin to grow. Eventually, this slow movement reaches a breaking point where the crack accelerates, causing a rapid rupture, PhysOrg reported. This sudden release of energy is what leads to an earthquake.
The researchers found that the energy needed to create this rupture builds up slowly at first, but once it exceeds a certain threshold, it is released quickly, much like the explosion of a spring.
By using advanced mathematical models and laboratory experiments, the researchers were able to show that the initial slow movement doesn't release any energy into its surroundings. However, once the crack grows beyond a certain point, excess energy is released, causing the sudden shaking we associate with earthquakes.
The researchers suggest that by monitoring the slow, creeping movement of faults, scientists could potentially identify when an earthquake is about to happen, giving people more time to prepare.
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