Unlocking the secrets: How slow creep ignites earth's quakes
Researchers have found the "ignition" mechanism of earthquakes, with their latest findings published in "Nature." They believe that understanding the slow movements of tectonic plates preceding these extreme events could aid in predicting earthquakes.
Scientists have examined the hidden mechanism that explains the "ignition" of earthquakes. Their latest findings are detailed in the scientific journal "Nature." The researchers suggest that a period of slow, creeping movement without tremors may be a necessary prelude to shocks. This discovery sheds new light on the fundamental mechanisms of these catastrophic events and opens up potential possibilities for predicting them.
Laboratory experiments reveal the physics of fractures
Research conducted by physicist Jay Fineberg from the Hebrew University in Jerusalem focused on fractures in sheets of plastic under laboratory conditions. Although these materials differ from the rocks that make up the Earth's crust, the experiments help in understanding the basic principles of physics regarding the formation of fractures by transforming friction into a sudden split at the junction of two surfaces.
Earthquakes occur when tectonic plates moving against each other become locked, and stresses along the fault increase. Fineberg explains that these plates are subjected to increasing forces but are blocked by a rigid part of the boundary that separates them and eventually breaks. This process does not occur immediately; an initial fracture must form, which, after reaching the boundaries of the brittle zone, accelerates and leads to strong ground vibrations.
From slow "creeping" to sudden fracture
The mystery was how this initially slow process transforms into rapid fracturing. The research team discovered that a so-called nucleation front, an initial fracture, develops slowly in the zone between tectonic plates before the fracture. Although these fronts move slowly and don't release much energy, they expand over time, and the energy needed for further fracturing increases with the area of the fracture.
Ultimately, when the fracture extends beyond the brittle zone, additional energy penetrates further, leading to sudden and violent displacement. Fineberg notes that understanding aseismic movement could allow for earthquake prediction. Fineberg's team is currently studying how such movement transforms into seismic in the laboratory, which could assist in future forecasts warning of earthquakes based on early signs.
The potential for earthquake prediction
Fineberg and his team are conducting laboratory research to identify indicators of the shift from aseismic to seismic movement. The researcher explained that their work might uncover insights that are impossible to obtain from real fault lines, as detailed information about earthquake activity often becomes available only after the event occurs.
These discoveries demonstrate how slow creeping before a fracture can rapidly turn into an earthquake. Theoretically, if aseismic movement before a fracture could be measured—for example, on a fault or even in a mechanical object like an airplane wing—it would be possible to predict the fracture before it occurs.
The discovery of the hidden "ignition" mechanism of earthquakes represents a breakthrough in understanding these catastrophic events. The potential possibilities of predicting earthquakes open new perspectives for protecting lives and infrastructure.
