Quote (low-ki @ Aug 23 2011 09:28am)

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Rio%5FGrande%5Frift

heres what's going on where the earthquake happened

Quote (Torm1 @ Aug 23 2011 04:45pm)

Interesting find, thanks.

I guess part of the Asthenosphere is actually pushing the crust apart causing these quakes?

http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/en/thumb/3/35/Riogranderift_deepXsection.png/800px-Riogranderift_deepXsection.png

So in that sense, I'm guessing there is no possibility for a really massive quake like the ones that can occur on a strike-slip fault or subduction zone?

Quote (Psycho- @ Aug 23 2011 01:35am)

random guess but i would assume the river sources shown on the map contribute a lot to he instability compared to the surrounding areas.

Quote (Torm1 @ Aug 23 2011 09:45am)

Interesting find, thanks.

I guess part of the Asthenosphere is actually pushing the crust apart causing these quakes?

http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/en/thumb/3/35/Riogranderift_deepXsection.png/800px-Riogranderift_deepXsection.png

So in that sense, I'm guessing there is no possibility for a really massive quake like the ones that can occur on a strike-slip fault or subduction zone?

Quote (Queso @ Aug 23 2011 12:37pm)

Interesting guess, but rivers have virtually no effect on crustal stress



Another interesting guess, but no
The crustal extension is caused both by shearing associated with the San Andreas fault as well as isostatic uplift caused by high heat flow in the region, both of which are ultimately the result of the complete subduction of the Farallon plate

Quote (Psycho- @ Aug 24 2011 04:55am)

from what i remember aquifers amplify earthquakes which is why i was thinking the land itself in that area(having multiple water sources in the area) gets more activity on the charts than the areas around it.