Researchers from Kyoto University and ETH Zurich analyzed large earthquake sequences in Japan, finding that b-values are controlled more by mainshock location than time-dependent changes. The study suggests local geological conditions play a key role in shaping earthquake size distributions.
A study reviews China's development in seismic risk management, tracing the field's progress from disaster response policies to catastrophe risk management and emergency management. The authors suggest strengthening engineering foundations while prioritizing system recovery and adaptation after earthquakes.
Researchers uncovered previously undetected slow slip events in Parkfield, California, and found that these silent fault movements systematically follow increased low-frequency earthquake activity. The discovery suggests that slow slip may play an important role in how stress evolves along active faults.
A magnitude 7.7 earthquake struck Myanmar, causing widespread damage and leaving communities to face years of recovery. Researchers mapped the fault behavior behind the event, finding a 500km surface rupture along the Sagaing Fault.
Researchers reconstructed the 2025 Kamchatka earthquake's rupture evolution using two methods, finding it extended about 500 km from its epicenter. The rupture overlap with the 1952 magnitude 9.0 event suggests local structural features control megathrust margin ruptures.
A study proposes a new mechanism, the 'delayed seismic champagne effect,' where earthquakes can trigger fires by releasing methane from soft sediment layers beneath cities. The research found intense shaking that drove methane into a supersaturated state, leading to localized ruptures and rapid gas releases.
Researchers have identified an active fault along the Hunua Ranges in South Auckland with a high potential for a major earthquake, posing serious consequences for people living in the region. The Mangatangi Fault has ruptured within the past 10,000 years and is considered an active fault due to its movement in the past 125,000 years.
Researchers confirmed locations for nine well-below-Earth's-crust deep earthquakes, proving the existence of continental mantle earthquakes. The study revealed striking patterns, including extremely high temperatures and a heterogeneous structure in the Wyoming Craton.
A study using real-time data from the 2024 Noto Peninsula earthquake response found that unclear tasks, command structures, and lack of meal and rest breaks significantly contributed to self-reported fatigue among disaster responders. Fatigue can compromise decision-making, lead to poor care outcomes, and affect public safety.
New models reconstruct the movement of faults during the 8.8 magnitude Kamchatka earthquake, revealing limited shallow rupture and affecting tsunami risk. The study provides valuable insights into predicting giant earthquakes and protecting coastal communities.
Researchers at Kyoto University discovered a previously unrecognized feature in near-fault seismic records of large earthquakes: a distinct stopping phase. This phase represents a systematic signal associated with the termination of rupture, demonstrating that many near-field recordings contain this coherent stopping phase.
Researchers found that incorporating data from ocean bottom seismometers could improve ShakeAlert's detection time by 5-9 seconds. This technology has the potential to increase warning times for regional offshore earthquakes by up to 40 seconds.
A new method, MIDA, uses physics-based ground motion simulations tied to earthquake magnitude to better assess seismic performance of near-fault structures. This approach reduces subjectivity and nonphysical distortion, providing a more stable and realistic prediction of structural response.
A recent study combines two modelling approaches to capture the seismicity associated with land uplift and earthquake swarms in the Phlegraean Fields. The model explains long-term trends in earthquake activity by combining changes in stress within the Earth's crust with friction behaviour of geological faults.
New research uses SWOT satellite data to detect two-dimensional tsunami wave patterns near the earthquake's source, offering critical insight for coastal risk evaluation. The study found that trailing tsunami waves are linked to an earthquake rupture occurring less than 10 kilometers beneath the trench.
Researchers found that three-dimensional velocity models can reasonably reproduce observed ground motion, outperforming one-dimensional models. Averaging predictions from multiple models reduces systematic bias and improves results.
A magnitude 6.9 earthquake on the Island of Hawaiʻi in 2018 may have stalled episodes of periodic slow slip along a major fault underlying the volcano, according to scientists. The resulting 'stress shadow' could keep these events from happening again for decades.
A massive Kamchatka earthquake with a magnitude of 8.8-8.9 struck off the peninsula in 2025, rupturing nearly the same region as a 1952 M9-class earthquake. The study estimated fault slip reached 9-12 m across a broad area, substantially exceeding the accumulated slip deficit since 1952.
Eduardo Miranda, a Stanford University professor, has been recognized for his pioneering work in developing new ground motion models and intensity measures. His research has significantly shaped seismic design provisions and emphasized the use of strong-motion data in both research and teaching.
Researchers drilled up to 7,906 meters below the sea surface to investigate what caused the Tōhoku-oki fault to rupture and trigger the earthquake. The clay layer was found to be soft, slippery, and exceptionally weak, allowing it to act like a natural 'tear line' that caused the fault to form.
Researchers previously estimated a powerful earthquake on Chalke Island in 1843 caused up to 600 deaths and a tsunami. However, a new study finds the event was likely a magnitude 5.93 earthquake with no deaths or tsunami reported at the time.
A new 3D model of the fault beneath the Marmara Sea reveals where a future major earthquake could take place, helping improve earthquake forecasts. The study uses magnetotelluric measurements to identify distinct high-resistivity and low-resistivity zones, shedding light on ongoing processes of fault mechanics.
A new seafloor study revealed that a thin, clay-rich layer hidden beneath the seafloor enabled the 2011 Japan earthquake to rupture all the way to the trench, producing massive displacement. This finding could help scientists better understand and respond to other intense earthquakes and tsunamis.
Kevin Milner, a research geophysicist at the USGS Geologic Hazards Science Center, has been awarded the Seismological Society of America's Charles F. Richter Early Career Award for his innovative work in seismic hazard analysis modeling and earthquake forecasting.
Lisa Wald, a renowned USGS scientist, has been honored by the Seismological Society of America for creating the Earthquake Hazards Program's information hub. Her groundbreaking work made a wealth of earthquake information accessible to everyone, from the general public to seismologists and governments.
New research simulates 10,000 years of seismic activity to show how underground temperature and sediment patterns control where earthquakes start, spread, and stop. This study provides a more accurate picture of the Main Marmara Fault's behavior, essential for building codes, emergency planning, and infrastructure decisions.
Researchers confirm that a 30-meter-thick layer of soft and slippery pelagic clay at the Japan Trench enabled the earthquake to rupture all the way to the trench, producing a massive tsunami. The discovery sheds new light on why the 2011 earthquake behaved so differently from predicted models.
A recent Science study analyzing seismic data reveals a series of eastward-propagating M>5 events along the Main Marmara Fault over the last ~15 years. This finding highlights the need for continuous monitoring to assess the potential impact of a large quake on Istanbul's 18 million inhabitants.
Researchers used satellite data to study the 2025 Myanmar earthquake, which struck along a geologically 'mature' fault. The study found that the energy released by the earthquake was highly focused and came right to the surface, potentially leading to more intense ground shaking near the fault line.
Scientists have developed a reduced model to simulate seismic waves caused by earthquakes, enabling faster and more accurate assessments of earthquake risks. This breakthrough allows for better understanding of the subsurface composition and improved prediction tools.
Sánz-Sesma's work on seismic wave propagation has made a significant impact on seismic hazard assessment and earthquake engineering. His research integrates theoretical rigor, numerical modeling, and empirical observation to advance our understanding of seismic wave phenomena.
A satellite deployed to measure ocean surface heights captured the first high-resolution track of a great subduction zone tsunami. The track shows an unexpectedly complex pattern of waves dispersing and scattering across the ocean basin.
Researchers have developed AI-powered forecasting tools that can predict the risk of aftershocks within seconds of an initial earthquake, offering a significant improvement over current methods. The new models trained on global earthquake data demonstrate comparable accuracy to existing systems while providing near real-time results.
Hongfeng Yang has been appointed as the first deputy editor-in-chief of Seismological Research Letters (SRL), a journal published by the Seismological Society of America. Yang brings over a decade of editorial experience and fresh ideas to promote SRL's growth.
Citizens' smartphones can be used to create highly detailed site amplification maps, providing critical input for seismic hazard assessment and supporting earthquake emergency response. The new approach, based on the Earthquake Network initiative, aggregates thousands of measurements to yield reliable high-resolution amplification maps.
A new study on the March 2025 Mandalay earthquake reveals that an unusually thick, low-velocity fault zone enabled a supershear rupture to sustain for hundreds of kilometers. This behavior often occurs on simple, straight faults like the San Andreas and Sagaing faults.
A recent study published in Science reveals that Myanmar's Sagaing Fault produced a supershear earthquake with speeds up to five kilometers per second, causing widespread destruction. The researchers attribute this phenomenon to the fault's ideal geometry and contrasting rock properties.
Researchers created a high-resolution 3D liquefaction hazard map using machine learning and geotechnical data. The model accurately predicted soil properties and liquefaction risk, identifying high-risk areas in reclaimed coastal zones and river floodplains with unprecedented clarity and precision.
A recently discovered chain of events in a Chilean earthquake was found to have supercharged its strength, breaching temperatures above 650 degrees Celsius and leading to increased shaking. The study's findings have implications for future earthquake hazard assessments and could support emergency response and long-term planning.
A team of scientists developed a novel model, DASFormer, that learns to monitor earthquakes from continuous DAS data on its own, effectively serving as an 'artificial seismologist'. The model achieved the highest performance across all evaluation metrics, with a peak ROC-AUC of 0.906 and an F1 score of 0.565.
The UN University attributes the high death toll to decades of conflict, diplomatic isolation, and poor construction, which left buildings vulnerable to moderate earthquakes. The analysis calls for improved disaster relief frameworks to ensure humanitarian aid reaches all populations, regardless of government sanctions.
Researchers will generate maps showing the intensity and extent of an earthquake, helping to identify regions with a higher probability of infrastructure damage. The simulation will recreate a hypothetical scenario of an 8.1 magnitude earthquake in Mexico's Michoacán state.
Researchers at MIT have traced the energy released by 'lab quakes' and found that 80% of a quake's energy goes into heating up the region around the epicenter, while only 10% causes physical shaking. The study's findings could help seismologists predict earthquake vulnerability in regions prone to seismic events.
Researchers used AI to identify four times more earthquakes than earlier tools and pinpoint previously unknown faults in the region. The study expands seismicity recorded by monitoring stations from 2022 to 2025, revealing two faults converging under the town of Pozzuoli west of Naples.
A new study reveals that a 1954 magnitude 6.5 earthquake in Northern California was likely triggered by the Cascadia subduction interface, challenging previous assumptions about its source.
The magnitude 7.7 Myanmar earthquake had the highest recorded rupture velocity, exceeding 5.3 km/s, a phenomenon known as supershear propagation. This was confirmed by analysis of satellite images and seismic station recordings.
Researchers found that the sediment surge after the Wenchuan Earthquake led to a significant increase in bedload flux, accounting for 65% of the overall sediment flowing through the river. The elevated flux persisted for at least ten years, with no evidence of declining back to background levels.
A new report estimates that an earthquake early warning (EEW) system could provide at least 10 seconds of warning time for hazardous shaking in Alaska. Increasing the density and spacing of seismic stations can add up to 15 seconds, according to researchers. The study aims to help expand the US ShakeAlert system to Alaska.
A proposed earthquake early warning system for Alaska could provide critical seconds of warning time before strong shaking, according to research by Alex Fozkos. The system would use a network of seismic sensors to detect an earthquake's fast-moving primary waves and send alerts before slower secondary waves arrive.
A recent study analyzed CCTV footage of the 2025 Myanmar Earthquake, capturing unprecedented details about the fault motion. The team found that the fault slipped sideways by 2.5 meters in just 1.3 seconds, with a maximum speed of 3.2 meters per second.
A recent large earthquake in Myanmar was recorded on CCTV camera footage, capturing the first direct visual evidence of curved fault slip. The video analysis revealed that the fault slipped 2.5 meters over 1.3 seconds, with a peak velocity of 3.2 meters per second, confirming previous inferences made from seismic waveforms.
A new study published in Science Advances uses machine learning to re-examine historical earthquake data from the Yellowstone caldera over a 15-year period. The team detected and assigned magnitudes to approximately 86,276 earthquakes, significantly improving previous understanding of volcanic and seismic systems.
Researchers analyzed seismic data to conclude that the 2025 Myanmar earthquake ruptured at supershear velocity, reaching speeds of up to 6 kilometers per second. The rupture occurred along a 480-kilometer stretch of the Sagaing Fault, causing significant damage and loss of life in Myanmar and neighboring countries.
A global Android smartphone-based earthquake detection and early warning system detects seismic activity in real time and delivers effective alerts, rivaling traditional seismic networks. The system, which harnesses the power of existing smartphones, has collected voluntary feedback through user surveys, indicating that 85% of recipien...
A recent study analyzed seismic waveform data from a tsunami earthquake (Mw 8.3-8.5) that occurred off the British South Sandwich Islands in 2021. The team found a combination of directional variation in rupture propagation and slow slip events contributing to long-duration shaking, differing from conventional models.
Researchers analyzed seismic waveform data to reveal a complex source process with multiple rupture episodes. The study found that the earthquake exhibited unconventional rupture behavior, with asymmetric ruptures propagating in both north and south directions.
Researchers detected a slow slip earthquake in Japan's Nankai Fault, behaving like a tectonic shock absorber. The event revealed fluids are a key ingredient for slow earthquakes and confirmed that the fault releases pent-up energy harmlessly.
A powerful earthquake struck Myanmar, causing widespread collapse of vulnerable buildings that led to majority of deaths and destruction. The report calls for adopting modern seismic building codes and prioritizing retrofitting of existing structures.
A new laboratory earthquake model connects the microscopic real contact area between fault surfaces to earthquake occurrences, offering insights into earthquake mechanics and potential prediction. Continuous monitoring of physical properties could provide new tools for short-term systems and reliable prediction.