Megathrust earthquakes occur at subduction zones at destructive convergent plate boundaries, where one tectonic plate is forced underneath another. These interplate earthquakes are the planet's most powerful, with moment magnitudes (Mw) that can exceed 9.0. Since 1900, all earthquakes of magnitude 9.0 or greater have been megathrust earthquakes. No other type of known terrestrial source of tectonic activity has produced earthquakes of this scale.
Terminology
During the rupture, one side of the fault is pushed upwards relative to the other, and it is this type of movement that is known as thrust. They are one type of dip-slip faults. A thrust fault is a reverse fault with a dip of 45° or less.Oblique-slip faults have significant components of different slip styles. The term megathrust does not have a widely accepted rigorous definition, but is used to refer to an extremely large thrust fault, typically formed at the plate interface along a subduction zone such as the Sunda megathrust.
Earthquakes Subduction-zone mega-thrust earthquakes, the most powerful earthquakes in the world, can produce tsunamis through a variety of structures that are missed by simple models including: fault boundary rupture, deformation of overlying plate, splay faults, and landslides during earthquakes. From a hazards viewpoint, it is critical to remember that tsunamis are multiple waves that often arrive on shore for many hours after the initial wave.In this animation we explore different tsunami-producing mechanisms by examining three famous earthquakes: Japan 2011, Chile 2010, and Alaska 2014.
Written & directed by Robert F. Butler, University of Portland
Animation & graphics by Jenda Johnson, Earth Sciences Animated
Narrated by Katryn Wiese, City College of San Francisco
U.S. Geological Su...
published: 26 Mar 2014
Megathrust Earthquakes - QUEST Northwest
Experts warn that an offshore quake powerful enough to kill thousands and discharge a tsunami could hit the West coast anytime. QUEST Northwest talks with geologists and seismologists about cutting edge research in earthquake prediction, and what it would look like if the next "big" one hits close to home.
published: 07 Sep 2011
New Zealand's Hidden Megathrust Fault
More info at: https://www.gns.cri.nz/Home/Learning/Science-Topics/Earthquakes/New-Zealands-Largest-Fault
published: 24 Mar 2017
Simulation of a Magnitude 8.4 Megathrust Quake in New Zealand
Yoshihiro Kaneko shows how computer models of seismic waves and the associated tsunami from a plate boundary earthquake allow us to estimate the potential impacts. This work was funded by New Zealand's Natural Hazards Research Platform and public research funding from the Government of New Zealand.
The Pacific Northwest is host to more than the anticipated megathrust earthquake that will happen off the Cascadia coast in the future. That earthquake will be due to the stress building between the Juan de Fuca and North American plates as the oceanic Juan de Fuca plate dives deep beneath the Pacific Northwest. However, there are also deep earthquakes within the subducting plate, and shallow earthquakes in the overlying continental crust. This is because of additional forces acting on the region besides subduction-zone processes.
Written and directed by Dr. Robert Butler, University of Portland, OR
Animation and graphics by Jenda Johnson, Earth Sciences Animated
Narrated by Roger Groom, teacher, Mount Tabor Middle School Portland OR
Science advisor: Dr. Ray Wells, U.S.Geological Survey
R...
Sumatra—A Tale Of Two Earthquakes & A Tale of Two Upcoming Tectonic Plates
Data released in the Sept 2012 Nature journal yielded new information about the 2012 Sumatra earthquake. Surprising elements of this earthquake include, that it was both the largest intra-plate earthquake and the largest strike-slip earthquake ever recorded, plus the 10th largest earthquake of any kind ever recorded. Not to mention the most complex.
In 2004 a Magnitude 9.1 interplate subduction earthquake triggered a tsunami that killed over 230,000 people. Yet a nearby magnitude 8.7 intraplate earthquake in 2012, caused little damage and generated minimal ocean waves. Although the earthquakes appeared similar in magnitude and were close in proximity, they were caused by different tectonic processes related to the greater Indo Australian plate.
This animation describes the different te...
published: 13 Nov 2012
Will the Cascadia Earthquake be the Worst Disaster North America’s Ever Seen? | Weathered
PBS Member Stations rely on viewers like you. To support your local station, go to: http://to.pbs.org/DonateTerra.
↓ More info below ↓
The Cascadia Subduction Zone is a sleeping monster lurking just off the Northwest coast of the United States. It extends 600 miles between Northern California and Vancouver B.C. and experiences a massive megathrust earthquake every 250 years on average. The last one happened 321 years ago and scientists say there is a 30% chance we’ll see another in the next 50 years. It’s expected to rival the 9.0 quake that shook Japan for 6 minutes, which was the most destructive natural disaster in human history. It unleashed a tsunami that reached 100 feet in some areas, caused an estimated $360 billion in damages and claimed some 16,000 lives.
If this sounds ominou...
Earthquakes Subduction-zone mega-thrust earthquakes, the most powerful earthquakes in the world, can produce tsunamis through a variety of structures that are m...
Earthquakes Subduction-zone mega-thrust earthquakes, the most powerful earthquakes in the world, can produce tsunamis through a variety of structures that are missed by simple models including: fault boundary rupture, deformation of overlying plate, splay faults, and landslides during earthquakes. From a hazards viewpoint, it is critical to remember that tsunamis are multiple waves that often arrive on shore for many hours after the initial wave.In this animation we explore different tsunami-producing mechanisms by examining three famous earthquakes: Japan 2011, Chile 2010, and Alaska 2014.
Written & directed by Robert F. Butler, University of Portland
Animation & graphics by Jenda Johnson, Earth Sciences Animated
Narrated by Katryn Wiese, City College of San Francisco
U.S. Geological Survey consultants:
Peter J. Haeussler, Alaska Science Center
Robert C. Witter, Alaska Science Center;
Reviewed by Susan Beck, seismologist, University of Arizona and George Zandt, seismologist, University of Arizona
Funding from the National Science Foundation
Earthquakes Subduction-zone mega-thrust earthquakes, the most powerful earthquakes in the world, can produce tsunamis through a variety of structures that are missed by simple models including: fault boundary rupture, deformation of overlying plate, splay faults, and landslides during earthquakes. From a hazards viewpoint, it is critical to remember that tsunamis are multiple waves that often arrive on shore for many hours after the initial wave.In this animation we explore different tsunami-producing mechanisms by examining three famous earthquakes: Japan 2011, Chile 2010, and Alaska 2014.
Written & directed by Robert F. Butler, University of Portland
Animation & graphics by Jenda Johnson, Earth Sciences Animated
Narrated by Katryn Wiese, City College of San Francisco
U.S. Geological Survey consultants:
Peter J. Haeussler, Alaska Science Center
Robert C. Witter, Alaska Science Center;
Reviewed by Susan Beck, seismologist, University of Arizona and George Zandt, seismologist, University of Arizona
Funding from the National Science Foundation
Experts warn that an offshore quake powerful enough to kill thousands and discharge a tsunami could hit the West coast anytime. QUEST Northwest talks with geolo...
Experts warn that an offshore quake powerful enough to kill thousands and discharge a tsunami could hit the West coast anytime. QUEST Northwest talks with geologists and seismologists about cutting edge research in earthquake prediction, and what it would look like if the next "big" one hits close to home.
Experts warn that an offshore quake powerful enough to kill thousands and discharge a tsunami could hit the West coast anytime. QUEST Northwest talks with geologists and seismologists about cutting edge research in earthquake prediction, and what it would look like if the next "big" one hits close to home.
Yoshihiro Kaneko shows how computer models of seismic waves and the associated tsunami from a plate boundary earthquake allow us to estimate the potential impac...
Yoshihiro Kaneko shows how computer models of seismic waves and the associated tsunami from a plate boundary earthquake allow us to estimate the potential impacts. This work was funded by New Zealand's Natural Hazards Research Platform and public research funding from the Government of New Zealand.
Yoshihiro Kaneko shows how computer models of seismic waves and the associated tsunami from a plate boundary earthquake allow us to estimate the potential impacts. This work was funded by New Zealand's Natural Hazards Research Platform and public research funding from the Government of New Zealand.
The Pacific Northwest is host to more than the anticipated megathrust earthquake that will happen off the Cascadia coast in the future. That earthquake will be ...
The Pacific Northwest is host to more than the anticipated megathrust earthquake that will happen off the Cascadia coast in the future. That earthquake will be due to the stress building between the Juan de Fuca and North American plates as the oceanic Juan de Fuca plate dives deep beneath the Pacific Northwest. However, there are also deep earthquakes within the subducting plate, and shallow earthquakes in the overlying continental crust. This is because of additional forces acting on the region besides subduction-zone processes.
Written and directed by Dr. Robert Butler, University of Portland, OR
Animation and graphics by Jenda Johnson, Earth Sciences Animated
Narrated by Roger Groom, teacher, Mount Tabor Middle School Portland OR
Science advisor: Dr. Ray Wells, U.S.Geological Survey
Reviewed by: Dr. Rob Witter, U.S. Geological Survey
The Pacific Northwest is host to more than the anticipated megathrust earthquake that will happen off the Cascadia coast in the future. That earthquake will be due to the stress building between the Juan de Fuca and North American plates as the oceanic Juan de Fuca plate dives deep beneath the Pacific Northwest. However, there are also deep earthquakes within the subducting plate, and shallow earthquakes in the overlying continental crust. This is because of additional forces acting on the region besides subduction-zone processes.
Written and directed by Dr. Robert Butler, University of Portland, OR
Animation and graphics by Jenda Johnson, Earth Sciences Animated
Narrated by Roger Groom, teacher, Mount Tabor Middle School Portland OR
Science advisor: Dr. Ray Wells, U.S.Geological Survey
Reviewed by: Dr. Rob Witter, U.S. Geological Survey
This earthquake drowned the Pacific Northwest long ago—and there’s still evidence of it today.
Find out more in “Making North America: Human”: http://to.pbs.or...
Data released in the Sept 2012 Nature journal yielded new information about the 2012 Sumatra earthquake. Surprising elements of this earthquake include, that ...
Data released in the Sept 2012 Nature journal yielded new information about the 2012 Sumatra earthquake. Surprising elements of this earthquake include, that it was both the largest intra-plate earthquake and the largest strike-slip earthquake ever recorded, plus the 10th largest earthquake of any kind ever recorded. Not to mention the most complex.
In 2004 a Magnitude 9.1 interplate subduction earthquake triggered a tsunami that killed over 230,000 people. Yet a nearby magnitude 8.7 intraplate earthquake in 2012, caused little damage and generated minimal ocean waves. Although the earthquakes appeared similar in magnitude and were close in proximity, they were caused by different tectonic processes related to the greater Indo Australian plate.
This animation describes the different tectonic settings of the two plates, and how the Indo-Australian plate seems destined to become two distinct tectonic plates: the Indian and the Australian plates.
Yue, Lay, Koper Nature article:
http://www.nature.com/nature/journal/v490/n7419/full/nature11492.html
Animation by Jenda Johnson, Earth Sciences Animated
Data released in the Sept 2012 Nature journal yielded new information about the 2012 Sumatra earthquake. Surprising elements of this earthquake include, that it was both the largest intra-plate earthquake and the largest strike-slip earthquake ever recorded, plus the 10th largest earthquake of any kind ever recorded. Not to mention the most complex.
In 2004 a Magnitude 9.1 interplate subduction earthquake triggered a tsunami that killed over 230,000 people. Yet a nearby magnitude 8.7 intraplate earthquake in 2012, caused little damage and generated minimal ocean waves. Although the earthquakes appeared similar in magnitude and were close in proximity, they were caused by different tectonic processes related to the greater Indo Australian plate.
This animation describes the different tectonic settings of the two plates, and how the Indo-Australian plate seems destined to become two distinct tectonic plates: the Indian and the Australian plates.
Yue, Lay, Koper Nature article:
http://www.nature.com/nature/journal/v490/n7419/full/nature11492.html
Animation by Jenda Johnson, Earth Sciences Animated
PBS Member Stations rely on viewers like you. To support your local station, go to: http://to.pbs.org/DonateTerra.
↓ More info below ↓
The Cascadia Subduction ...
PBS Member Stations rely on viewers like you. To support your local station, go to: http://to.pbs.org/DonateTerra.
↓ More info below ↓
The Cascadia Subduction Zone is a sleeping monster lurking just off the Northwest coast of the United States. It extends 600 miles between Northern California and Vancouver B.C. and experiences a massive megathrust earthquake every 250 years on average. The last one happened 321 years ago and scientists say there is a 30% chance we’ll see another in the next 50 years. It’s expected to rival the 9.0 quake that shook Japan for 6 minutes, which was the most destructive natural disaster in human history. It unleashed a tsunami that reached 100 feet in some areas, caused an estimated $360 billion in damages and claimed some 16,000 lives.
If this sounds ominous, that’s because it is. As catastrophic as the Tohoku quake was, Japan is light years ahead of the United States when it comes to earthquake preparedness. This grim reality has many experts very worried. And in this episode of Weathered we spoke with some of them about what we can expect when the “Big One” does hit, the kinds of work that need to be done to make our communities more resilient, and what you can do to keep yourself and your loved ones safe.
Weathered is a show hosted by meteorologist Maiya May and produced by Balance Media that helps explain the most common natural disasters, what causes them, how they’re changing, and what we can do to prepare.
Subscribe to PBS Terra so you never miss an episode! https://bit.ly/3mOfd77
And keep up with Weathered and PBS Terra on:
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/PBSDigitalStudios
Twitter: https://twitter.com/pbsds
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/pbsds
Thank you to Margaret A. Cargill Philanthropies for supporting PBS.
PBS Member Stations rely on viewers like you. To support your local station, go to: http://to.pbs.org/DonateTerra.
↓ More info below ↓
The Cascadia Subduction Zone is a sleeping monster lurking just off the Northwest coast of the United States. It extends 600 miles between Northern California and Vancouver B.C. and experiences a massive megathrust earthquake every 250 years on average. The last one happened 321 years ago and scientists say there is a 30% chance we’ll see another in the next 50 years. It’s expected to rival the 9.0 quake that shook Japan for 6 minutes, which was the most destructive natural disaster in human history. It unleashed a tsunami that reached 100 feet in some areas, caused an estimated $360 billion in damages and claimed some 16,000 lives.
If this sounds ominous, that’s because it is. As catastrophic as the Tohoku quake was, Japan is light years ahead of the United States when it comes to earthquake preparedness. This grim reality has many experts very worried. And in this episode of Weathered we spoke with some of them about what we can expect when the “Big One” does hit, the kinds of work that need to be done to make our communities more resilient, and what you can do to keep yourself and your loved ones safe.
Weathered is a show hosted by meteorologist Maiya May and produced by Balance Media that helps explain the most common natural disasters, what causes them, how they’re changing, and what we can do to prepare.
Subscribe to PBS Terra so you never miss an episode! https://bit.ly/3mOfd77
And keep up with Weathered and PBS Terra on:
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/PBSDigitalStudios
Twitter: https://twitter.com/pbsds
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/pbsds
Thank you to Margaret A. Cargill Philanthropies for supporting PBS.
Earthquakes Subduction-zone mega-thrust earthquakes, the most powerful earthquakes in the world, can produce tsunamis through a variety of structures that are missed by simple models including: fault boundary rupture, deformation of overlying plate, splay faults, and landslides during earthquakes. From a hazards viewpoint, it is critical to remember that tsunamis are multiple waves that often arrive on shore for many hours after the initial wave.In this animation we explore different tsunami-producing mechanisms by examining three famous earthquakes: Japan 2011, Chile 2010, and Alaska 2014.
Written & directed by Robert F. Butler, University of Portland
Animation & graphics by Jenda Johnson, Earth Sciences Animated
Narrated by Katryn Wiese, City College of San Francisco
U.S. Geological Survey consultants:
Peter J. Haeussler, Alaska Science Center
Robert C. Witter, Alaska Science Center;
Reviewed by Susan Beck, seismologist, University of Arizona and George Zandt, seismologist, University of Arizona
Funding from the National Science Foundation
Experts warn that an offshore quake powerful enough to kill thousands and discharge a tsunami could hit the West coast anytime. QUEST Northwest talks with geologists and seismologists about cutting edge research in earthquake prediction, and what it would look like if the next "big" one hits close to home.
Yoshihiro Kaneko shows how computer models of seismic waves and the associated tsunami from a plate boundary earthquake allow us to estimate the potential impacts. This work was funded by New Zealand's Natural Hazards Research Platform and public research funding from the Government of New Zealand.
The Pacific Northwest is host to more than the anticipated megathrust earthquake that will happen off the Cascadia coast in the future. That earthquake will be due to the stress building between the Juan de Fuca and North American plates as the oceanic Juan de Fuca plate dives deep beneath the Pacific Northwest. However, there are also deep earthquakes within the subducting plate, and shallow earthquakes in the overlying continental crust. This is because of additional forces acting on the region besides subduction-zone processes.
Written and directed by Dr. Robert Butler, University of Portland, OR
Animation and graphics by Jenda Johnson, Earth Sciences Animated
Narrated by Roger Groom, teacher, Mount Tabor Middle School Portland OR
Science advisor: Dr. Ray Wells, U.S.Geological Survey
Reviewed by: Dr. Rob Witter, U.S. Geological Survey
Data released in the Sept 2012 Nature journal yielded new information about the 2012 Sumatra earthquake. Surprising elements of this earthquake include, that it was both the largest intra-plate earthquake and the largest strike-slip earthquake ever recorded, plus the 10th largest earthquake of any kind ever recorded. Not to mention the most complex.
In 2004 a Magnitude 9.1 interplate subduction earthquake triggered a tsunami that killed over 230,000 people. Yet a nearby magnitude 8.7 intraplate earthquake in 2012, caused little damage and generated minimal ocean waves. Although the earthquakes appeared similar in magnitude and were close in proximity, they were caused by different tectonic processes related to the greater Indo Australian plate.
This animation describes the different tectonic settings of the two plates, and how the Indo-Australian plate seems destined to become two distinct tectonic plates: the Indian and the Australian plates.
Yue, Lay, Koper Nature article:
http://www.nature.com/nature/journal/v490/n7419/full/nature11492.html
Animation by Jenda Johnson, Earth Sciences Animated
PBS Member Stations rely on viewers like you. To support your local station, go to: http://to.pbs.org/DonateTerra.
↓ More info below ↓
The Cascadia Subduction Zone is a sleeping monster lurking just off the Northwest coast of the United States. It extends 600 miles between Northern California and Vancouver B.C. and experiences a massive megathrust earthquake every 250 years on average. The last one happened 321 years ago and scientists say there is a 30% chance we’ll see another in the next 50 years. It’s expected to rival the 9.0 quake that shook Japan for 6 minutes, which was the most destructive natural disaster in human history. It unleashed a tsunami that reached 100 feet in some areas, caused an estimated $360 billion in damages and claimed some 16,000 lives.
If this sounds ominous, that’s because it is. As catastrophic as the Tohoku quake was, Japan is light years ahead of the United States when it comes to earthquake preparedness. This grim reality has many experts very worried. And in this episode of Weathered we spoke with some of them about what we can expect when the “Big One” does hit, the kinds of work that need to be done to make our communities more resilient, and what you can do to keep yourself and your loved ones safe.
Weathered is a show hosted by meteorologist Maiya May and produced by Balance Media that helps explain the most common natural disasters, what causes them, how they’re changing, and what we can do to prepare.
Subscribe to PBS Terra so you never miss an episode! https://bit.ly/3mOfd77
And keep up with Weathered and PBS Terra on:
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/PBSDigitalStudios
Twitter: https://twitter.com/pbsds
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/pbsds
Thank you to Margaret A. Cargill Philanthropies for supporting PBS.
Megathrust earthquakes occur at subduction zones at destructive convergent plate boundaries, where one tectonic plate is forced underneath another. These interplate earthquakes are the planet's most powerful, with moment magnitudes (Mw) that can exceed 9.0. Since 1900, all earthquakes of magnitude 9.0 or greater have been megathrust earthquakes. No other type of known terrestrial source of tectonic activity has produced earthquakes of this scale.
Terminology
During the rupture, one side of the fault is pushed upwards relative to the other, and it is this type of movement that is known as thrust. They are one type of dip-slip faults. A thrust fault is a reverse fault with a dip of 45° or less.Oblique-slip faults have significant components of different slip styles. The term megathrust does not have a widely accepted rigorous definition, but is used to refer to an extremely large thrust fault, typically formed at the plate interface along a subduction zone such as the Sunda megathrust.