Gofar transform fault: This underwater fault near Ecuador has baffled scientists for decades. They just cracked it
A new study published in Science says that hidden “barrier zones” buried within the fault act as natural brakes, preventing earthquakes from becoming larger and more destructive, according to a report by Science Daily.
This discovery gives researchers a rare look at how some faults can naturally control earthquake size; This is something scientists have been trying to explain for decades.
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Why does this fault always produce the same earthquakes?
The mysterious fault, known as the Gofar transform fault, is located deep in the eastern Pacific Ocean, about 1,600 miles west of Ecuador. It marks the boundary where the Pacific and Nazca tectonic plates cross each other.
For at least three decades, the fault has repeatedly produced magnitude 6 earthquakes every five to six years. What surprised the researchers most was how similar the earthquakes were. They continued to break down nearly the same areas each cycle and grow to nearly the same size.
Scientists have long thought this kind of consistency to be highly unusual.
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“We’ve known for a long time that these barriers exist, but the question has always been: What are they made of and why do they continue to stop earthquakes so reliably from cycle to cycle?” Seismologist Jianhua Gong, lead author of the study and Assistant Professor of Earth and Atmospheric Sciences at Indiana University Bloomington College of Arts and Sciences, said:
Researchers from Woods Hole Oceanographic Institution, Scripps Institution of Oceanography at UC San Diego, the U.S. Geological Survey, Boston College, McGill University and many other institutions participated in the investigation.
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What are the hidden “barriers” underwater?
To understand what’s happening inside the fault, scientists examined data collected during major seafloor studies conducted in 2008 and between 2019 and 2022.
Special instruments called ocean floor seismometers are placed directly on the seafloor to monitor earthquake activity. These devices recorded tens of thousands of small tremors before and after the two magnitude 6 earthquakes.
The research revealed that the silent segments separating larger fracture zones were not active at all.
Instead, these areas appeared to be highly fractured regions where the fault split into several smaller branches. Small side slips between these strips create openings deep within the fault structure.
Researchers also found evidence that seawater was seeping into these fractured areas. Together, the unusual structure and trapped fluids create what scientists call “enhancement of expansion.” During an earthquake, the pressure inside the liquid-filled rock suddenly drops. This pressure change temporarily locks parts of the fault, slowing or stopping the rupture before it grows further, according to Science Daily.
In simple terms, the fault has its own natural braking system. “These obstacles are not just passive features of the landscape,” Gong explained. “These are active, dynamic parts of the fault system, and understanding how they work changes the way we think about earthquake boundaries on these faults.”
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Could this discovery improve earthquake prediction?
The Gofar fault is located far from densely populated areas; This means that earthquakes there pose little direct danger to humans.
But scientists believe the findings could have major implications around the world.
Transform faults similar to Gofar exist on the ocean floor, and researchers have long recognized that many underwater earthquakes cannot travel beyond certain limits, even if geological conditions suggest they do so.
This study now suggests that these hidden barrier zones may be responsible. The research team believes that similar natural “brakes” may exist on many ocean faults around the world, potentially limiting the size of some underwater earthquakes.
The study also provides valuable information for improving earthquake models and seismic hazard predictions in coastal areas closer to human populations, according to Science Daily.
Understanding how these barriers behave could help scientists better predict the size and spread of future earthquakes, the researchers say.
The project was funded by the US National Science Foundation and the Natural Sciences and Engineering Research Council of Canada.
FAQ
What is Gofar error?
It is an underwater transform fault located west of Ecuador in the Pacific Ocean.
Why is this discovery important?
Scientists believe the fault contains natural “brakes” that prevent earthquakes from growing larger.
