MIT geologists discover where energy goes during an earthquake
12 hours ago
- #energy-budget
- #geology
- #earthquakes
- Earthquakes release energy in three main forms: ground shaking, heat, and rock fracturing.
- MIT geologists have quantified the energy budget of lab quakes, finding 80% goes into heat, 10% into shaking, and less than 1% into fracturing.
- The deformation history of a region affects how earthquake energy is distributed, influencing future seismic risks.
- Lab quakes simulate natural earthquakes, helping scientists understand and predict seismic events.
- Researchers used granite samples and magnetic particles to measure temperature spikes and shaking during lab quakes.
- Findings suggest similar energy distributions occur in natural earthquakes, aiding in improving earthquake models and hazard mitigation.