earth science

Remotely triggered earthquakes

Remotely triggered earthquakes is a earth science topic covered in the lgStudy science library. This page brings together a partial reference excerpt, illustrations, worked examples, real-world applications and a short study plan, so you can understand Remotely triggered earthquakes rather than just read about it. In short: Remotely triggered earthquakes are a result of the effects of large earthquakes at considerable distance, outside of the immediate aftershock zone. The further one gets from the initiating earthquake in both space and time, the more difficult it is to establish an association.

Key takeaways

Remotely triggered earthquakes belongs to earth science; place it in that map before memorising details.
Learn the definition first, then one example that makes the definition concrete.
Connect Remotely triggered earthquakes to a quantity you can measure, compute or draw — that is where exam questions come from.
Reproduce the core statement of Remotely triggered earthquakes from memory before moving on to harder problems.

Reference excerpt

Remotely triggered earthquakes are a result of the effects of large earthquakes at considerable distance, outside of the immediate aftershock zone. The further one gets from the initiating earthquake in both space and time, the more difficult it is to establish an association. The physics of triggering an earthquake are complex. Most earthquake-generating zones are in a state of being close to failure. If such a zone were to be left completely alone, it would generate significant earthquakes spontaneously. Remote earthquakes, however, are in a position to disturb this critical state, either by shifting the stresses statically, or by dynamic change caused by passing seismic waves. The first type of triggering may be due to static changes in the critical state. For example, after the magnitude 7.3 Landers earthquake struck California in 1992, it is said that "the earthquake map of California lit up like a Christmas tree". This event reinforced the idea of remotely triggered earthquakes, and pushed the hypothesis into the scientific mainstream. Following the 2004 Indian Ocean earthquake, it was established that remote earthquakes had been triggered as far away as Alaska. There is scientific evidence for a "long reach", mainly in the form of discrete element modelling used in the mining industry. If rock is modeled as discrete elements in a critical state, a single disturbance can influence a wide area. A lower-scale example is when a small excavation in a valley triggers a landslide and brings down a whole mountainside.

See also Fault mechanics Tectonic weapon

References

Worked examples

Example 1 — a first encounter with Remotely triggered earthquakes

Start with the simplest possible case. Write down what Remotely triggered earthquakes claims or describes in one sentence, then invent the smallest concrete situation in which that sentence is true. In earth science, the smallest case is usually a single object, a single equation or a single measurement. Check that every symbol or term in your sentence has a meaning in that case.

Example 2 — changing one variable

Take the situation from Example 1 and change exactly one quantity: double it, halve it, or set it to zero. Predict what should happen to Remotely triggered earthquakes before you calculate. Comparing your prediction with the result is the fastest way to find out whether you understand the idea or only the words.

Example 3 — an exam-style question

Typical questions about Remotely triggered earthquakes ask you to (a) state it precisely, (b) apply it to given data, and (c) explain a limitation. Practise writing all three answers in under five minutes; the third part is what separates a full-mark answer from an average one.

Applications of Remotely triggered earthquakes

In research: Remotely triggered earthquakes appears in earth science research whenever the underlying quantities have to be modelled precisely. Papers usually cite it as a starting assumption and then explore where it breaks down.
In technology and industry: Engineering practice reuses Remotely triggered earthquakes in design rules, simulations and safety margins. Knowing the idea lets you read a specification sheet and understand why the numbers look the way they do.
In the classroom: Remotely triggered earthquakes is common in secondary-school and first-year university syllabi. It links to neighbouring topics Types of earthquake, so understanding it makes those chapters shorter.
In everyday life: Look for Remotely triggered earthquakes outside the textbook — in sport, cooking, traffic, electronics or the sky above you. An example you found yourself is remembered far longer than one you were given.

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How to study Remotely triggered earthquakes in 20 minutes

Read the reference excerpt below once, without taking notes.
Close the page and write down what Remotely triggered earthquakes means in your own words.
Compare your version with the excerpt and mark what you missed.
Work through the three examples above with pen and paper.
Explain Remotely triggered earthquakes out loud to somebody else — or to Teacher Smith in the lgStudy chat.

Frequently asked questions

What is Remotely triggered earthquakes in simple terms?

Why does Remotely triggered earthquakes matter?

Because it connects several earth science ideas at once: it gives you a definition you can apply, a quantity you can calculate, and a way to check whether a result is plausible.

How should I study Remotely triggered earthquakes?

Read the excerpt, restate it from memory, then work through the examples and applications listed on this page. The five-step study plan above takes about twenty minutes.

What does this page cover?

It gives you a compact reference excerpt plus original lgStudy explanations, examples, applications and study material on Remotely triggered earthquakes.