Earthquakes, Decoupled Faulting, and Tsunamis

In Japanese, the word tsu means harbor, and nami means wave. Large earthquakes and landslides that occur under or near the ocean cause tsunamis. During the Sumatra-Andaman earthquake in 2004, the overriding plate slipped along the fault line, moving vertically away from the subducting plate, as shown in Figure 9.4.

Decoupled faulting which occurs along the Sumatra subduction zone

Figure 9.4 Decoupled faulting which occurs along the Sumatra subduction zone.

Source: Eric Geist, USGS Pacific Coastal and Marine Science Center, https://www.usgs.gov/media/images/decoupled-faulting
Public Domain Mark This work is in the Public Domain.

Last modified: Friday, April 7, 2023, 3:05 PM