The “Sleeping Giant” mistake appears under Canada the main seismic potential

After 12 thousand years of relative lack of activity, it seems that the geological error extends across Yukon, Canada, and Alaska is now able to produce a Large earthquakeAccording to a new study. The results indicate an unrecognized source of seismic danger in northwestern Canada.

Scientists previously believed that the Tintina error, which extends about 620 miles (1000 km) from northeastern British Columbia via Yukon and Alaska, has been calm over the past forty million years. These new results, which were published on July 15 in the magazine Geophysical research messagesChallenge that theory. Using high -resolution topographic data, a team of researchers has identified a 81 -mile chip (130 km long) from Tintina that recently produced many large earthquakes. The last time happened about 12,000 years ago, and stress has been on the error since then. When torn at the end, the earthquake can be strong – its size exceeds 7.5.

Such an earthquake threatens the small Yukon societies near Tintina, especially the city of Dawson, home to more than 1500 people. Severe shake can lead to ground collapses and damage near highways and mining infrastructure. Over the past twenty years, there have been a few small earthquakes from 3 to 4 along Tintina, but no big rupture, according to Vinley. He and his colleagues set out to determine whether this error was able to produce larger earthquakes.

“In the past two years, there has been a more prevalent availability of high -resolution topographic data,” Venley told Gizmodo. His team used data collected from satellites, aircraft and drones to wipe the area near Tintina to get a rift. These features are formed when earthquakes are torn as the surface of the earth, as they act as a guide on previous earthquakes.

The researchers found a series of 81 miles long (130 km long) of rift tools that pass 12 miles (20 km) from Dawson. To determine the timing of the earthquakes you created, they noticed the forms of the earth left by the ice incursions that occurred 12000, 132000 and 2.6 million years. This revealed that the error has produced multiple major earthquakes for 2.6 million years, which is likely to slide several meters at a time.

However, the 12,000 -year -old ground shapes have not been compensated, indicating that there has been no major rupture since then. For thousands of years, tintina accumulated a stress at a rate of about 0.2 to 0.8 millimeters annually, according to the study. Accordingly, Vinley and his colleagues estimate that nearly 20 feet (6 meters) of the disability of the slip have arisen.

Finally, he said that the building’s dynasty will tear the error and may produce a major earthquake. However, this does not mean that this region is in immediate danger. “Although large earthquakes can occur on this error, it is likely to happen with thousands of years between them.” “It is impossible to say, from our current understanding, whether the person is imminent or thousands of years.”

However, the possibility of a major earthquake in Tintina requires some review of seismic risks in northwestern Canada. The national seismic risk model (NSHM) – which reaches seismic building laws and other engineering safety standards – does not currently get to know Tintina as a rear source of earthquakes, according to UVIC Release. Finley results will eventually be integrated into NSHM and shared with local governments and emergency managers to improve seismology. He said: “What our information is doing is to improve the location of the place where it will be some of the biggest risks in this seismic risk model.”