Scientists Say A Major Earthquake Fault Line Is Waking Up
Dawson City, Yukon, Canada near the Dempster highway, a small entertainment tool. Credit – Robert Postma/Design Pics Editorial/Universal Images Group – Getty Images
HIn the Yukon region of Canada, IGH is bending a seismic weapon and aimed at the small community of Dawson City – 1,600 population. If New work in the journal Geophysical Research Letters True, one of the others in that town or region can be shaken by a large earthquake at any time. The source of the danger is a formation of 1,000 km (620 ml.), Known as the tintina error that cuts the northwest along the Yukon and ends in Alaska. Mostly it has been still for the last 12,000 years, but it seems to be preparing to life.
“There are several small earthquakes that have been identified during the last few decades, but there is nothing to claim that he can do great ruptures, The Reron Finley, the Chief writer of Victoria University of Victoria and his chief author of the study. Finley is not a complete story of this story. The last few decades suggested and that the geological record is two different things – and according to the article, the tintina is much more threatening than it appears.
What attracts the attention of Finley and his colleagues is the segment of 130 km (80 mi.) Of the error near the Dawson City, and the surface features of the Kuaterner, which lasted until 2.6 million years ago, when the surface properties occurred in a relatively new geological history. In order to get a better understanding, the researchers used a high -resolution images library existing from aircraft, satellites and drones caught by some. lidar– Uses impact laser emissions to produce 3D maps of the surface. This allowed them to examine this stress in an unprecedented detail and to find a number of geological secrets that were clearly stored.
At one point of the tintina segment, a fault where the soil was broken and 1,000 m (3,280 ft.) Broken discovered a sequential crack on the surface. This is a long series of earthquakes that have occurred about 2.6 million years ago according to the computer models of the land. At another point, they found another mis -aligned with a more modest 75 m (250 ft), which occurred from smaller but still important earthquakes that occurred about 132,000 years ago. In the last 12,000 years, significant earthquake evidence has emerged at any time, ie Tintina is relatively stable throughout Holocene PeriodIt dates back to the present day 11,700 years ago.
But for modern people living in Dawson and elsewhere, this has recently been bad news. The fact that a mistake does not cause earthquakes does not mean that it is not on movement. Finley and his colleagues estimate that Tintina has moved and accumulated between 0.2 mm to 0.8 mm per year. For 12,000 years, this millimeter is collected and when the tension is suddenly released – it must be after all – the result will not be good.
Finley said in a statement, “We have determined that future earthquakes in Tintina error can overcome 7.5 magnitude.” He said. “Based on the data, we think that the error could be in a relatively late stage of a seismic cycle, accrued a sliding deficit or a six -meter coercion accumulation. [20 ft] In the last 12,000 years. If this was to be released, it would cause an important earthquake. “
The estimated 7.5 magnitude of the earth would put it on a scale with some of the larger warnings of history, including China. 1976 Tangshan Event This claimed that the estimated was 240,000 to 650,000 life; And 2010 Haiti EarthquakeHe killed 300,000. The Yukon region is much more frequent than Tangshen or Haiti, which means less loss. Nevertheless, there will be great deaths as well as damaging local highways, mines, and other infrastructure. The area is also prone to earth shifts that can be triggered by an earthquake.
“Our results,” the researchers wrote, “There are significant effects on the seismic danger in the Yukon soils and neighboring Alaska.
Of course, it is impossible to know exactly when this species will be released – one of the things that make seismology such a confusing science. The best thing that scientists can do is long -term risks and Leave them to prepare them Go to bags, survival kits and evacuation plans. The world will have an earthquake in will; We can only react.
Corrections, July 30: The original version of this story misunderstood the year of the Haiti earthquake. It was not 2020, 2010. In addition, this story shows that the age of the scars was wrong. Researchers used computer modeling, not erosion analysis. The article also said that individual earthquakes are responsible for the 1,000 -meter and 75 -meter misconception on the ground. Both sites had not only one, but more than one earthquake.
To write Jeffrey Kluger, Jeffrey.kluger@time.com.
