Natural and Human-Made Stress Changes that May Trigger Earthquakes (IMAGE)

Southern Methodist University

Natural and Human-Made Stress Changes that May Trigger Earthquakes

Caption

Several natural and man-made factors can influence the subsurface stress regime resulting in earthquakes. Natural ones include intraplate stress changes related to plate tectonics and natural water table or lake level variations caused by changing weather patterns or water drainage patterns over time, or advance or retreat of glaciers. Man-made include human-generated changes to the water table, including dam construction, and industrial activities involving the injection or removal of fluids from the subsurface.

Credit

(<i>Nature Communications</i>/SMU)

Usage Restrictions

Please credit

License

Licensed content

Disclaimer: AAAS and EurekAlert! are not responsible for the accuracy of news releases posted to EurekAlert! by contributing institutions or for the use of any information through the EurekAlert system.