“supershear” earthquakes that move faster than seismic waves, producing shock fronts similar to sonic booms But researchers say the state faces an overlooked threat These rare but powerful ruptures could unleash more violent shaking over wider areas than typical quakes, putting cities.
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Supershear earthquakes are more common than previously believed, some scientists say — carrying potentially profound risk for communities across california.
According to the team, supershear earthquakes are not just rare scientific curiosities
They’re a real and underappreciated danger that could unleash shock fronts — waves of energy similar to sonic booms — causing more violent and widespread shaking than typical quakes of the same magnitude. But by the turn of the century, there had been only one earthquake globally that some scientists suspected was a supershear event — the magnitude 6.4 imperial valley earthquake in 1979 It was only in the late 1990s that the idea of supershear earthquakes began to be taken more seriously. What is a supershear earthquake
Energy bunches up into a shock front, delivering an intense initial jolt—then the ongoing rupture drives prolonged shaking This “ double strike ” can be more damaging than in typical quakes of the same magnitude. Most californians are familiar with earthquakes
