Yukon fault thought long dormant could trigger 7.5 magnitude earthquake: new research
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Known as the Tintina Fault, it has built up structural strain that could lead to a large quake within our lifetime, according to researchers at the University of Victoria. They published their findings earlier this month in the journal, Geophysical Research Letters. The UVic team was led by Ph.D student, Theron Finley.
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The fault stretches about 1,000 kilometres from British Columbia to Alaska. It was once thought to be inactive for at least 40 million years — since before the last ice age ended. Now scientists say it has a history of large ruptures within the last 2.6 million years and could do so again.
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The Tintina Fault has not previously been recognized as a hazard within Canada's National Seismic Hazard Model (NSHM), which informs earthquake building codes and engineering standards. However, despite its quiet surface, the researcher warn it is far from dormant.
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Using high-resolution topographic data gathered by satellites, planes and drones, researchers discovered geological formations along the Tintina Fault, one about 2.6 million years old and another roughly 132,000 years old. They have shifted sideways by approximately 1,000 metres and 75 metres.
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While this suggests multiple past earthquakes, the exact timing and frequency are not known. Researchers cannot definitively state whether the fault is building pressure or predict when the next earthquake might occur.
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'We don't know exactly when these have occurred, so you can't actually then make statements about recurrence periods,' Yukon's Geoscience Research Manager, Jan Dettmer told the Yukon News.
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He cautioned against making definitive predictions about future seismic events and emphasized the need for additional study to fully understand the fault's earthquake potential.
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Unlike more active fault lines across the country, the researchers say Tintina was overlooked because faults in the region move very slowly and there are few instruments to detect earthquakes.
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'I expect this (research) will trigger many studies in the next few years to much better understand what's going on there,' Dettmer said.
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Yukon fault thought long dormant could trigger 7.5 magnitude earthquake: new research
New research is sounding the alarm about a major geological fault in the Yukon capable of triggering earthquakes of 7.5 magnitude or more. Article content Known as the Tintina Fault, it has built up structural strain that could lead to a large quake within our lifetime, according to researchers at the University of Victoria. They published their findings earlier this month in the journal, Geophysical Research Letters. The UVic team was led by Ph.D student, Theron Finley. Article content Article content Article content The fault stretches about 1,000 kilometres from British Columbia to Alaska. It was once thought to be inactive for at least 40 million years — since before the last ice age ended. Now scientists say it has a history of large ruptures within the last 2.6 million years and could do so again. Article content Article content The Tintina Fault has not previously been recognized as a hazard within Canada's National Seismic Hazard Model (NSHM), which informs earthquake building codes and engineering standards. However, despite its quiet surface, the researcher warn it is far from dormant. Article content Using high-resolution topographic data gathered by satellites, planes and drones, researchers discovered geological formations along the Tintina Fault, one about 2.6 million years old and another roughly 132,000 years old. They have shifted sideways by approximately 1,000 metres and 75 metres. Article content Article content While this suggests multiple past earthquakes, the exact timing and frequency are not known. Researchers cannot definitively state whether the fault is building pressure or predict when the next earthquake might occur. Article content Article content 'We don't know exactly when these have occurred, so you can't actually then make statements about recurrence periods,' Yukon's Geoscience Research Manager, Jan Dettmer told the Yukon News. Article content He cautioned against making definitive predictions about future seismic events and emphasized the need for additional study to fully understand the fault's earthquake potential. Article content Unlike more active fault lines across the country, the researchers say Tintina was overlooked because faults in the region move very slowly and there are few instruments to detect earthquakes. Article content 'I expect this (research) will trigger many studies in the next few years to much better understand what's going on there,' Dettmer said.
