Whose `Fault`?
Blog｜更新日：2022年4月28日／木曜日
Last time we learned that earthquakes are caused by the “slipping” of tectonic plates at fault lines! Today we’re going to talk about the different types of fault lines that exists in the world!
Did you know that there are three main types of faults?
The first is a normal fault. This is a fault where the block of rock above the fault has moved downward relative to the block below it. This type of fault is often observed in the Western United States Basin and Range Province and along oceanic ridge systems.
The next type is known as a thrust fault – a fault where the upper block, above the fault plane, moves up and over the lower block. This type of fault is common in areas of compression, such as regions where one plate is being subducted under another as in Japan. When the dip angle is shallow, a reverse fault is often described as a thrust fault.
The last is called a strike-slip fault. This is a fault where the two blocks slide past one another. The San Andreas Fault is an example of a strike-slip fault.
Come back soon for part three of my earthquake special!
Erica
from Erica
