Fault Maturity Shapes Inelastic Strain and Earthquakes

Fault Maturity Shapes Inelastic Strain and Earthquakes

In the dynamic realm of tectonic activity, earthquakes remain among the most captivating yet least understood natural phenomena. These sudden ground-shaking events result from the abrupt release of accumulated elastic strain energy stored within Earth’s crust. This release primarily occurs as material on either side of a fault slips past one another, often instantaneously, producing seismic waves that ripple through the planet’s surface. While t…