- Scientists from Stanford University have recently produced the first global maps of Continental Mantle Earthquakes
- What are Continental Mantle Earthquakes?
- Most earthquakes originate in the Earth’s crust, usually at depths of about 10 to 29 kilometres, where rocks are cold and brittle.
- However, continental mantle earthquakes originate much deeper, in the mantle beneath continents, often more than 80 kilometres below Mohorovičić discontinuity (the boundary between the crust and mantle).
- Because they occur so deep underground:
- They cause very little shaking at the surface
- They usually do not pose direct danger to people
- So, these earthquakes are scientifically important, but not typically destructive.
- These earthquakes are globally distributed but tend to cluster in specific regions (Himalayas in southern Asia and the Bering Strait between Asia and North America).
- The new map offers scientists deeper insights into the processes driving mantle earthquakes and their underlying mechanic.
