•1 min read•from Oceanography News -- ScienceDaily
Scientists confirm a deep earthquake that shouldn't exist
Our take
Scientists have validated a previously mysterious Utah quake that occurred nearly 90 km beneath the surface—an unprecedented depth for a continental event. By reexamining decades of seismic records, researchers identified a rare class of “continental mantle earthquakes” in Earth’s upper mantle, where rocks were expected to flow slowly rather than rupture. This finding challenges long‑held assumptions about tectonic behavior and underscores the importance of continuous, high‑resolution monitoring.
Scientists have confirmed that a mysterious Utah earthquake first detected in 1979 really did occur nearly 90 kilometers underground—far deeper than anyone thought earthquakes could happen beneath a continent. By reanalyzing decades of seismic data, researchers identified a rare class of "continental mantle earthquakes" occurring deep in Earth’s upper mantle, where rock is expected to slowly flow rather than suddenly break.
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#ocean data#data visualization