Where would the Cascadia subduction zone rupture?
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Where would the Cascadia subduction zone rupture?
The Cascadia Subduction Zone (CSZ) “megathrust” fault is a 1,000 km long dipping fault that stretches from Northern Vancouver Island to Cape Mendocino California. It separates the Juan de Fuca and North America plates.
What is the largest earthquake that can happen along the Cascadia subduction zone?
The 1700 Cascadia earthquake occurred along the Cascadia subduction zone on January 26, 1700 with an estimated moment magnitude of 8.7–9.2….1700 Cascadia earthquake.
| USGS-ANSS | ComCat |
|---|---|
| Magnitude | 8.7–9.2 Mw |
| Epicenter | 45°N 125°WCoordinates:45°N 125°W |
| Fault | Cascadia subduction zone |
| Type | Megathrust |
What cities are in the Cascadia subduction zone?
Called the Cascadia subduction zone, a big quake along this fault could affect the cities of Seattle, Tacoma, Portland, Eugene, Salem, and Olympia.
What is the likelihood of a large magnitude earthquake along the Cascadia subduction zone in the future?
Seven times in the past 3,500 years, the CSZ has buckled and fractured to produce an earthquake so massive that it left a mark in the geologic record. There’s a one-in-10 chance that the next major Cascadia quake will occur sometime in the next 50 years.
What evidence is there that large earthquakes have occurred along the Cascadia subduction zone in the past?
Large, historically unprecedented earthquakes at the Cascadia subduction zone in western North America have left signs of sudden land level change, tsunamis, and strong shaking in coastal sediments.
What are the chances of a Cascadia earthquake?
Cascadia has now been building up strain for over 300 years, so the next great earthquake could happen at any time. Reduced to simple odds, the chances that an earthquake as large as magnitude 9.0 will occur along the zone within the next 50 years are about one in ten.