{"id":1707,"date":"2021-04-26T07:53:42","date_gmt":"2021-04-26T07:53:42","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/horizon.peachpuff-wolverine-566518.hostingersite.com\/?p=1707"},"modified":"2021-04-26T07:53:42","modified_gmt":"2021-04-26T07:53:42","slug":"what-happens-below-earths-surface-when-the-most-powerful-earthquakes-occur","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/scienceblog.com\/horizon\/1707\/what-happens-below-earths-surface-when-the-most-powerful-earthquakes-occur\/","title":{"rendered":"What happens below Earth\u2019s surface when the most powerful earthquakes occur"},"content":{"rendered":"
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At 03:34 local time on 27 February 2010, Chile was struck by one of the most powerful earthquakes in a century. The shock triggered a tsunami, which devastated coastal communities. The combined events killed more than\u00a0500 people<\/a>. So powerful was the shaking that, by one NASA estimate,\u00a0it shifted Earth\u2019s axis of spin<\/a>\u00a0by a full 8 cm.<\/strong><\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n

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Like nearly all the of the most powerful earthquakes, this was a megathrust earthquake. These happen at subduction zones, places where one tectonic plate is forced under another. If the plates suddenly slip \u2013 wallop, you get a massive earthquake. The 2010 Chile quake was a magnitude 8.8: strong enough to\u00a0shift buildings<\/a>\u00a0off their foundations.<\/p>\n

We understand subduction zones poorly, which is why geophysicist Professor Anne Socquet, based at Universit\u00e9 Grenoble Alpes in France, had planned to visit Chile. She wanted to install seismic monitoring instruments to collect data. By coincidence, she arrived just a week after the quake. \u2018It was terrifying,\u2019 she said. \u2018The apartment we had rented had fissures in the walls that you could put your fist inside.\u2019<\/p>\n

Most people who study megathrust quakes focus on the foreshocks that immediately precede the main quake, Prof. Socquet says. But an unusual feature of megathrust quakes is that they are often followed by a series of other very powerful megathrust quakes several years later and with epicentres hundreds of kilometres away. The 2010 Chile quake, for instance, was followed by other events in 2014, 2015 and 2016 centred on areas up and down the Chile coast. Prof. Socquet wanted to look at these sequences of megathrust earthquakes and investigate the potential links between those great quakes. This requires a careful examination of seismological and geodetic data at a greater scale than has previously been done.<\/p>\n

\u2018No one knows what the initial trigger is, the thing that triggers the first slip.\u2019<\/p>\n

Professor Matteo Alvaro, University of Pavia, Italy<\/p><\/blockquote>\n

Megathrust<\/strong><\/p>\n

We know that megathrust quakes are the result of the subduction of one tectonic plate below another. But beyond that, we have very little understanding of the dynamics of the subduction and how it might trigger an instability that leads to another megathrust event a few years later. There is some evidence that it could be to do with the release and migration of fluids at great depth. Prof. Socquet\u2019s\u00a0DEEP-trigger project<\/a>\u00a0is about filling that gap. \u2018This is kind of virgin territory in terms of observations,\u2019 she said.<\/p>\n

The first step of the six-month-old project was supposed to be adding to the network of about 250 GPS instruments that she has contributed to in Chile since 2007 and building a new instrument network in Peru. Currently unable to travel to South America due to the Covid-19 pandemic, she\u2019s been working with local contacts to begin the installation. She\u2019s also working on computational tools to begin analysing legacy data from the region.<\/p>\n

\u2018The critical thing will be to have systematic observations of the link between the slow slip and the seismic fractures at large time and space scales. This will be a very big input to science.\u2019<\/p>\n

At the University of Pavia in Italy, mineralogist Professor Matteo Alvaro is also interested in megaquakes \u2013 albeit much, much older ones.<\/p>\n

It turns out that we can get a unique window on subduction zones as they were millions of years ago. There are certain places, few and far between, where rocks that have been through subduction zones are forced up to the surface. By analysing these rocks we can deduce the depths and pressures at which the subduction happened and build up a picture of how subduction works \u2013 and maybe how megathrust earthquakes are triggered.<\/p>\n

Crystal<\/strong><\/p>\n

It usually works like this. Geologists find a rock made of a mineral with what\u2019s called an inclusion crystal inside it. This inclusion was trapped inside the mineral as two subducting plates squeezed each other at great depth, perhaps 100 km or more below the surface. It will have a particular crystal structure \u2013 a specific, repeating spatial arrangement of atoms \u2013 which depends on the pressure it experienced as it formed. The crystal can reveal the pressure the inclusion was exposed to and hence depth it was formed at.<\/p>\n

The trouble is, this is an over simplification. It only holds if the inclusion is cube-shaped \u2013 and it almost never is. This whole idea of pressure equals depth \u2013 we all know this might be incorrect, says Prof. Alvaro. \u2018The natural questions is, okay, but by how much are we wrong?\u2019 That\u2019s what he decided to find out in his project\u00a0TRUE DEPTHS<\/a>.<\/p>\n

The plan was simple in principle.\u00a0Prof Alvaro wanted\u00a0to measure the strain experienced\u00a0by the crystal while still trapped inside the mineral.\u00a0If he could understand the tiny displacement of\u00a0the atoms from\u00a0their\u00a0usual positions in a typical, unpressurised crystal structure, that would provide a better measure of the stress applied\u00a0by\u00a0the surrounding\u00a0rock as the crystal was formed and so a more accurate measure of the depth at which it was formed.\u00a0To study the atomic structure, he uses a combination of\u00a0x-ray\u00a0crystallography\u00a0and a technique called\u00a0Raman\u00a0spectroscopy.<\/p>\n

Prof. Alvaro has just demonstrated the first successful application of his techniques. He looked at a sample of a rock from a location known as the\u00a0Mir pipe in Siberia<\/a>. This is a shaft of molten kimberlite rock that rose very fast from huge depths. (We get most of our diamonds from kimberlite pipes like this, and indeed, Mir has been mined extensively.) Prof. Alvaro looked at rocks of garnet with a tiny quartz inclusions inside that were brought up. \u2018The kimberlite is the elevator that brings it to the surface,\u2019 he said.<\/p>\n

Trigger<\/strong><\/p>\n

By\u00a0measuring the strain on the inclusions, he could confirm<\/a>\u00a0it formed at pressure of 1.5 gigaPascals (about 15,000 times that found at Earth\u2019s surface) and a temperature of 850o<\/sup>C. This isn\u2019t entirely surprising, but it is the first proof that Prof. Alvaro\u2019s technique really works. He is now looking to make more measurements and build a library of examples.<\/p>\n

He also wonders, more speculatively, if it\u2019s possible that the formation and deformation of the inclusions might act as the very first trigger of megathrust earthquakes. The idea would be that these tiny changes set off cracks in larger rocks that eventually lead a fault to slip out of place. Prof. Alvaro is planning to explore this further.<\/p>\n

\u2018No one knows what the initial trigger is, the thing that triggers the first slip,\u2019 said Prof. Alvaro. \u2018We started thinking \u2013 and maybe it\u2019s a completely crazy idea \u2013 that maybe it\u2019s these inclusions. A cluster of them, maybe subject to an instantaneous phase change and so a change in volume. Maybe that could be the very first trigger.\u2019<\/p>\n

The research in this article was funded by the EU.\u00a0<\/em><\/p>\n

Originally published on Horizon Magazine<\/a><\/em><\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

At 03:34 local time on 27 February 2010, Chile was struck by one of the most powerful earthquakes in a century. The shock triggered a tsunami, which devastated coastal communities. The combined events killed more than\u00a0500 people. So powerful was the shaking that, by one NASA estimate,\u00a0it shifted Earth\u2019s axis of spin\u00a0by a full 8 … Read more<\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":298,"featured_media":1708,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"generate_page_header":"","jetpack_post_was_ever_published":false,"_jetpack_newsletter_access":"","_jetpack_dont_email_post_to_subs":false,"_jetpack_newsletter_tier_id":0,"_jetpack_memberships_contains_paywalled_content":false,"_jetpack_memberships_contains_paid_content":false,"footnotes":""},"categories":[11],"tags":[337,415,414],"class_list":["post-1707","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-earth-energy-environment","tag-earthquakes","tag-megathrust","tag-seismology"],"yoast_head":"\nWhat happens below Earth\u2019s surface when the most powerful earthquakes occur - Horizon Magazine Blog<\/title>\n<meta name=\"robots\" content=\"index, follow, max-snippet:-1, max-image-preview:large, max-video-preview:-1\" \/>\n<link rel=\"canonical\" href=\"https:\/\/scienceblog.com\/horizon\/1707\/what-happens-below-earths-surface-when-the-most-powerful-earthquakes-occur\/\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:locale\" content=\"en_US\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:type\" content=\"article\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:title\" content=\"What happens below Earth\u2019s surface when the most powerful earthquakes occur\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:description\" content=\"At 03:34 local time on 27 February 2010, Chile was struck by one of the most powerful earthquakes in a century. 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But about 20 years ago, a new type of earthquake was discovered. We cannot feel them, and geologists still know very little about them, such as how often they occur. Regular earthquakes occur when rock underground breaks along a fault \u2013\u2026","rel":"","context":"In "Earth, Energy & Environment"","block_context":{"text":"Earth, Energy & Environment","link":"https:\/\/scienceblog.com\/horizon\/category\/earth-energy-environment\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"Unlike regular earthquakes, which can cause visible damage, slow earthquakes cannot be felt at the Earth's surface. Image credit - Pixabay\/ marcellomigliosi1956, licensed under pixabay license","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/scienceblog.com\/horizon\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/4\/2019\/12\/earthquake-1790921_1920.jpg?resize=350%2C200&ssl=1","width":350,"height":200,"srcset":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/scienceblog.com\/horizon\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/4\/2019\/12\/earthquake-1790921_1920.jpg?resize=350%2C200&ssl=1 1x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/scienceblog.com\/horizon\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/4\/2019\/12\/earthquake-1790921_1920.jpg?resize=525%2C300&ssl=1 1.5x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/scienceblog.com\/horizon\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/4\/2019\/12\/earthquake-1790921_1920.jpg?resize=700%2C400&ssl=1 2x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/scienceblog.com\/horizon\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/4\/2019\/12\/earthquake-1790921_1920.jpg?resize=1050%2C600&ssl=1 3x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/scienceblog.com\/horizon\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/4\/2019\/12\/earthquake-1790921_1920.jpg?resize=1400%2C800&ssl=1 4x"},"classes":[]},{"id":2693,"url":"https:\/\/scienceblog.com\/horizon\/2693\/deadly-earthquakes-trigger-hunt-for-speedier-alerts\/","url_meta":{"origin":1707,"position":1},"title":"Deadly earthquakes trigger hunt for speedier alerts","author":"Horizon Magazine","date":"March 6, 2024","format":false,"excerpt":"Researchers in Europe have identified an underground signal that may be a precursor to strong quakes. By Vedrana Simi\u010devi\u0107 Dr Quentin Bletery has some good news regarding an all-too-often gloomy subject: earthquakes. A researcher at the French National Research Institute for Sustainable Development, or IRD, Bletery thinks it might one\u2026","rel":"","context":"Similar post","block_context":{"text":"Similar post","link":""},"img":{"alt_text":"","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/scienceblog.com\/horizon\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/4\/2024\/03\/6.jpg?resize=350%2C200&ssl=1","width":350,"height":200,"srcset":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/scienceblog.com\/horizon\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/4\/2024\/03\/6.jpg?resize=350%2C200&ssl=1 1x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/scienceblog.com\/horizon\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/4\/2024\/03\/6.jpg?resize=525%2C300&ssl=1 1.5x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/scienceblog.com\/horizon\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/4\/2024\/03\/6.jpg?resize=700%2C400&ssl=1 2x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/scienceblog.com\/horizon\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/4\/2024\/03\/6.jpg?resize=1050%2C600&ssl=1 3x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/scienceblog.com\/horizon\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/4\/2024\/03\/6.jpg?resize=1400%2C800&ssl=1 4x"},"classes":[]},{"id":1857,"url":"https:\/\/scienceblog.com\/horizon\/1857\/keeping-one-step-ahead-of-earthquakes\/","url_meta":{"origin":1707,"position":2},"title":"Keeping one step ahead of earthquakes","author":"Horizon Magazine","date":"November 3, 2021","format":false,"excerpt":"While accurately predicting earthquakes is in the realm of science fiction, early warning systems are very much a reality. As advances in research and technology make these systems increasingly effective, they\u2019re vital to reducing an earthquake\u2019s human, social and economic toll. \u00a0 Damaging earthquakes can strike at any time. 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By Tom Cassauwers Whenever you have a scan at a hospital, both you and the operators are exposed to a small amount of radiation. For hospital staff,\u2026","rel":"","context":"In "Earth, Energy & Environment"","block_context":{"text":"Earth, Energy & Environment","link":"https:\/\/scienceblog.com\/horizon\/category\/earth-energy-environment\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"Researchers are using AI to improve nuclear technology across a wide range of fields, from healthcare to earthquake prediction. \u00a9 bigjom jom, Shutterstock.com","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/scienceblog.com\/horizon\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/4\/2025\/06\/24.jpg?resize=350%2C200&ssl=1","width":350,"height":200,"srcset":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/scienceblog.com\/horizon\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/4\/2025\/06\/24.jpg?resize=350%2C200&ssl=1 1x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/scienceblog.com\/horizon\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/4\/2025\/06\/24.jpg?resize=525%2C300&ssl=1 1.5x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/scienceblog.com\/horizon\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/4\/2025\/06\/24.jpg?resize=700%2C400&ssl=1 2x"},"classes":[]},{"id":1374,"url":"https:\/\/scienceblog.com\/horizon\/1374\/qa-plate-tectonics-is-fundamental-to-understanding-earths-evolution-but-big-questions-remain\/","url_meta":{"origin":1707,"position":4},"title":"Q&A: Plate tectonics is fundamental to understanding Earth\u2019s evolution \u2013 but big questions remain","author":"Aisling Irwin","date":"August 4, 2020","format":false,"excerpt":"The division of the Earth\u2019s surface into seven major mobile plates is fundamental to our planet\u2019s uniqueness, creating a habitable environment and possibly the conditions under which life itself originated. 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