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Is the San Andreas Fault a continental transform fault?
The San Andreas Fault System. The San Andreas Fault is one of the most intensely studied faults on the planet. It is a continental transform that separates the Pacific plate from the North American plate along its entire trace. The trace of the fault through California is shown in Figure 17.1.
Why is San Andreas considered a popular fault and how is it formed?
The San Andreas Fault was born about 30 million years ago in California, when the Pacific Plate and the North America plate first met. The new configuration meant the two plates slid past one another instead of crashing into each other, a boundary called a strike-slip fault.
What is the San Andreas Fault an example of?
strike-slip fault – a fault on which the two blocks slide past one another. The San Andreas Fault is an example of a right lateral fault.
How is the San Andreas Fault moving?
Blocks on opposite sides of the San Andreas fault move horizontally. If a person stood on one side of the fault and looked across it, the block on the opposite side would appear to have moved to the right. Geologists refer to this type fault displacement as right-lateral strike-slip.
What will happen if San Andreas fault breaks?
Narrator: Parts of the San Andreas Fault intersect with 39 gas and oil pipelines. This could rupture high-pressure gas lines, releasing gas into the air and igniting potentially deadly explosions. Stewart: So, if you have natural-gas lines that rupture, that’s how you can get fire and explosions.
What cities will be affected by San Andreas fault?
The fault line runs deep under some of California’s most populated areas, such as Daly City, Desert Hot Springs, Frazier Park, Palmdale, Point Reyes, San Bernardino, Wrightwood, Gorman, and Bodega Bay.
What will happen if San Andreas Fault breaks?
What cities will be affected by San Andreas Fault?
Is California going to fall into the ocean?
No, California is not going to fall into the ocean. California is firmly planted on the top of the earth’s crust in a location where it spans two tectonic plates. The strike-slip earthquakes on the San Andreas Fault are a result of this plate motion.
What would a 10.0 earthquake do?
A magnitude 10 quake would likely cause ground motions for up to an hour, with tsunami hitting while the shaking was still going on, according to the research. Tsunami would continue for several days, causing damage to several Pacific Rim nations.
Is a 10.0 earthquake possible?
No, earthquakes of magnitude 10 or larger cannot happen. The magnitude of an earthquake is related to the length of the fault on which it occurs. The largest earthquake ever recorded was a magnitude 9.5 on May 22, 1960 in Chile on a fault that is almost 1,000 miles long…a “megaquake” in its own right.
Could a tsunami hit California?
In California more than 150 tsunamis have hit the coastline since 1880. The most recent damaging tsunami occurred in 2011 when an earthquake and tsunami that devastated Japan traveled across the Pacific Ocean, causing $100 million of damage to California harbors and ports.
Which type of plate boundary is the San Andreas Fault?
San Andreas Fault. The San Andreas Fault is a continental transform fault that extends roughly 1,200 kilometers (750 mi) through California. It forms the tectonic boundary between the Pacific Plate and the North American Plate, and its motion is right-lateral strike-slip (horizontal).
What is the rate of slippage on the San Andreas Fault?
The Pacific Plate, to the west of the fault, is moving in a northwest direction while the North American Plate to the east is moving toward the southwest, but relatively southeast under the influence of plate tectonics. The rate of slippage averages about 33 to 37 millimeters (1.3 to 1.5 in) a year across California.
When was the first earthquake on the San Andreas Fault?
The San Andreas Fault has had some notable earthquakes in historic times: 1857 Fort Tejon earthquake: About 350 kilometers (220 mi) were ruptured in central and southern California. 1906 San Francisco earthquake: About 430 kilometers (270 mi) were ruptured in Northern California.
Which is not used as evidence for continental drift?
2) Which of the following was not used as evidence for continental drift? 3) Fossils of ancient polar plants are currently found near the equator because the ________. 4) All continents fit together with the least number of overlaps and gaps when the continents are matched along ________.