Chile (2010) vs Sumatra (2004) Open

Novice

How is Chile's subduction zone like Sumatra's?

Learn how Chile's tectonic setting and megathrust earthquake of 2010 is similar to the catastrophic earthquake in Sumatra in 2004 by touching icons on this interactive map. Includes, location of Great earthquakes, volcanoes, direction of plate movement, subduction zone, rupture zone and tsunami extent.

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Keypoints:

What do these subduction zones have in common?

  • Both have volcanoes lined up parallel to the plate boundary
  • Both have had Great earthquakes
  • Both have faster moving oceanic plate diving beneath a slower plate
  • Both have generated tsunamis that traveled across the Pacific Ocean

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This animation explores three major mechanisms for earthquakes in South America due to the interaction of the Nazca and South American plates.

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Más de una cuarta parte de los terremotos más significativos de todo el mundo, magnitud 8 o mayores, se han producido en el oeste de Sudamérica. Es el lugar de origen del megaterremoto de magnitud 9,5 ocurrido en Chile en 1960, siendo este el terremoto más grande jamás registrado, y con una serie de terremotos generados por procesos tectónicos de placa e intra-placa.

Animation Novice

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