LARGEST FAULT IN THE WORLD

 

           image: San Andreas fault in California , USA.

           image source: commons.wikimedia.org

Any tectonic movement that causes the sudden slip-off of the rock is known as fault.

As rocks are being elastic can resists a certain stress applied on it.

When the stress exceeds the elastic limit of the rock, it slip-off from its original position.

The sudden slip-off of the rocks is known as fault in geology.

Fault may be normal, reverse, strike-slip and others.

The size of the fault depends upon nature of the material and the amount of stress applied on it.

San Andreas Fault is considered as the largest fault in the world till now.

It extends about 1200 km.

It is a massive strike-slip fault located in California, USA.

It divides the boundary between North American and Pacific plates.

It is the active fault with continuous strike-slip at the rate of more than 20 to 35 mm/yr.

It is one of the prone areas for the tectonic earthquakes.

According to the result of the investigation of scientists in the San Andreas fault, the tectonic earthquakes are likely to be repeated in every 22 years.

Last noticeable earthquake of magnitude 6.0 was recorded in 2004.

 

 references:

"San Andreas fault zone".Caltech.Retrieved 2017-06-20.