{"692234":{"#nid":"692234","#data":{"type":"news","title":"A Quiet Alaska Fault is Missing the Fluids Scientists Expected \u2013 and It\u2019s Changing What We Know About Earthquake\u00a0Zones","body":[{"value":"\u003Cdiv class=\u0022theconversation-article-body\u0022\u003E\u003Cp\u003ENot all earthquake faults behave the same. Some \u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/www.usgs.gov\/programs\/earthquake-hazards\/earthquakes-megaquakes-and-movies\u0022\u003Estick and snap\u003C\/a\u003E, causing earthquakes. Others move slowly over time.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EFor years, the leading explanation for slow-moving faults has been that high-pressure fluids along the fault lubricate it, allowing the slabs to slide steadily rather than building up stress until that stress is eventually released in a large, destructive earthquake.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EBut in a new \u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/doi.org\/10.1038\/s41467-026-71176-7\u0022\u003Estudy of the Shumagin Gap\u003C\/a\u003E, a quiet section of the Alaska-Aleutian subduction zone \u2013 the area where one tectonic plate dives below another \u2013 my colleagues and I found that the fault does not contain enough fluid to explain why it slides slowly. Scientists may need to rethink this assumption about subduction zones around the world.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EPinning down why faults creep matters for how scientists build models of the world\u2019s most powerful earthquake zones to assess long-term earthquake and \u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/www.tsunami.gov\/\u0022\u003Etsunami hazards\u003C\/a\u003E, from Alaska to Japan to the Pacific Northwest. Knowing how earthquakes are likely to behave is essential for helping communities decide where and how to build homes and other infrastructure so they can withstand an earthquake and tsunami.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cfigure class=\u0022align-center zoomable\u0022\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/images.theconversation.com\/files\/732887\/original\/file-20260428-69-aoaxg4.png?ixlib=rb-4.1.1\u0026amp;q=45\u0026amp;auto=format\u0026amp;w=1000\u0026amp;fit=clip\u0022 aria-label=\u0022Zoomable image\u0022\u003E\u003Cimg alt=\u0022A topographic map shows the Shumagin gap between two spots where major earthquakes occurred recently.\u0022 src=\u0022https:\/\/images.theconversation.com\/files\/732887\/original\/file-20260428-69-aoaxg4.png?ixlib=rb-4.1.1\u0026amp;q=45\u0026amp;auto=format\u0026amp;w=754\u0026amp;fit=clip\u0022 srcset=\u0022https:\/\/images.theconversation.com\/files\/732887\/original\/file-20260428-69-aoaxg4.png?ixlib=rb-4.1.1\u0026amp;q=45\u0026amp;auto=format\u0026amp;w=600\u0026amp;h=467\u0026amp;fit=crop\u0026amp;dpr=1 600w, https:\/\/images.theconversation.com\/files\/732887\/original\/file-20260428-69-aoaxg4.png?ixlib=rb-4.1.1\u0026amp;q=30\u0026amp;auto=format\u0026amp;w=600\u0026amp;h=467\u0026amp;fit=crop\u0026amp;dpr=2 1200w, https:\/\/images.theconversation.com\/files\/732887\/original\/file-20260428-69-aoaxg4.png?ixlib=rb-4.1.1\u0026amp;q=15\u0026amp;auto=format\u0026amp;w=600\u0026amp;h=467\u0026amp;fit=crop\u0026amp;dpr=3 1800w, https:\/\/images.theconversation.com\/files\/732887\/original\/file-20260428-69-aoaxg4.png?ixlib=rb-4.1.1\u0026amp;q=45\u0026amp;auto=format\u0026amp;w=754\u0026amp;h=586\u0026amp;fit=crop\u0026amp;dpr=1 754w, https:\/\/images.theconversation.com\/files\/732887\/original\/file-20260428-69-aoaxg4.png?ixlib=rb-4.1.1\u0026amp;q=30\u0026amp;auto=format\u0026amp;w=754\u0026amp;h=586\u0026amp;fit=crop\u0026amp;dpr=2 1508w, https:\/\/images.theconversation.com\/files\/732887\/original\/file-20260428-69-aoaxg4.png?ixlib=rb-4.1.1\u0026amp;q=15\u0026amp;auto=format\u0026amp;w=754\u0026amp;h=586\u0026amp;fit=crop\u0026amp;dpr=3 2262w\u0022 sizes=\u0022(min-width: 1466px) 754px, (max-width: 599px) 100vw, (min-width: 600px) 600px, 237px\u0022\u003E\u003C\/a\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cfigcaption\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022caption\u0022\u003EA topographic map of the Alaska-Aleutian subduction zone highlights the Shumagin Gap. The magnitude 7.8 earthquake in 2020 occurred at its inland edge, and a magnitude 8.2 earthquakes in 2021 struck nearby. Other large earthquakes are shown from 1938, 1946 and 1964.\u003C\/span\u003E \u003Ca class=\u0022source\u0022 href=\u0022https:\/\/doi.org\/10.1038\/s41467-026-71176-7\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022attribution\u0022\u003EYinchu Li, et al., 2026\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/a\u003E\u003C\/figcaption\u003E\u003C\/figure\u003E\u003Ch2\u003EHow Earthquakes Happen Along Faults\u003C\/h2\u003E\u003Cp\u003EAn \u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/www.usgs.gov\/faqs\/what-a-fault-and-what-are-different-types\u0022\u003Eearthquake fault\u003C\/a\u003E is a break in Earth\u2019s outer rock layer where two blocks of rock slide past each other. The way they slide determines what kind of shaking, if any, reaches the surface.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/www.usgs.gov\/media\/images\/lockedfaultgif\u0022\u003ESome faults are \u201clocked\u003C\/a\u003E.\u201d They do not budge until stress builds to a breaking point, then they release it all at once in a sudden rupture. This is what happens during most damaging earthquakes. \u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/www.usgs.gov\/programs\/earthquake-hazards\/creep-evidence-active-faulting\u0022\u003EOther faults \u201ccreep\u003C\/a\u003E.\u201d They glide past each other steadily, releasing stress gradually.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EThe biggest and most destructive earthquakes on Earth happen along \u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/www.usgs.gov\/special-topics\/subduction-zone-science\u0022\u003Esubduction zones\u003C\/a\u003E, where one tectonic plate dives beneath another. The \u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/oceanexplorer.noaa.gov\/expedition-feature\/okeanos-seascape-alaska-ex2304-features-geology\/\u0022\u003EAlaska-Aleutian margin\u003C\/a\u003E, the \u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/doi.org\/10.1126\/science.ady0234\u0022\u003EJapan Trench\u003C\/a\u003E, the \u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/doi.org\/10.1016\/j.epsl.2020.116195\u0022\u003Esubduction zone off Chile\u003C\/a\u003E and the \u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/pnsn.org\/education\/pnw-earthquakes\/sources\/cascadia\u0022\u003EPacific Northwest\u2019s Cascadia zone\u003C\/a\u003E are all examples. When a locked patch of a subduction fault suddenly slips, the seafloor can jolt upward and a tsunami can follow.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Ch2\u003EA Quiet Fault Challenges a Common Assumption\u003C\/h2\u003E\u003Cp\u003EDeep underground, fault behavior is hard to see directly, especially offshore where faults often sit beneath kilometers of seawater and sediment.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EScientists rely on measurements from GPS stations, \u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/www.bgs.ac.uk\/discovering-geology\/earth-hazards\/earthquakes\/how-are-earthquakes-detected\/\u0022\u003Eseismometers\u003C\/a\u003E and seafloor sensors, and then build computer models of what must be happening below. For decades, the leading explanation for creeping faults has been that high-pressure fluids along the fault reduce friction, the way a film of water causes tires to hydroplane.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cfigure class=\u0022align-center zoomable\u0022\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/images.theconversation.com\/files\/732890\/original\/file-20260428-71-poavyn.png?ixlib=rb-4.1.1\u0026amp;q=45\u0026amp;auto=format\u0026amp;w=1000\u0026amp;fit=clip\u0022 aria-label=\u0022Zoomable image\u0022\u003E\u003Cimg alt=\u0022A cross section of a subducting slab and an explanation of how fluid might be involved.\u0022 src=\u0022https:\/\/images.theconversation.com\/files\/732890\/original\/file-20260428-71-poavyn.png?ixlib=rb-4.1.1\u0026amp;q=45\u0026amp;auto=format\u0026amp;w=754\u0026amp;fit=clip\u0022 srcset=\u0022https:\/\/images.theconversation.com\/files\/732890\/original\/file-20260428-71-poavyn.png?ixlib=rb-4.1.1\u0026amp;q=45\u0026amp;auto=format\u0026amp;w=600\u0026amp;h=311\u0026amp;fit=crop\u0026amp;dpr=1 600w, https:\/\/images.theconversation.com\/files\/732890\/original\/file-20260428-71-poavyn.png?ixlib=rb-4.1.1\u0026amp;q=30\u0026amp;auto=format\u0026amp;w=600\u0026amp;h=311\u0026amp;fit=crop\u0026amp;dpr=2 1200w, https:\/\/images.theconversation.com\/files\/732890\/original\/file-20260428-71-poavyn.png?ixlib=rb-4.1.1\u0026amp;q=15\u0026amp;auto=format\u0026amp;w=600\u0026amp;h=311\u0026amp;fit=crop\u0026amp;dpr=3 1800w, https:\/\/images.theconversation.com\/files\/732890\/original\/file-20260428-71-poavyn.png?ixlib=rb-4.1.1\u0026amp;q=45\u0026amp;auto=format\u0026amp;w=754\u0026amp;h=391\u0026amp;fit=crop\u0026amp;dpr=1 754w, https:\/\/images.theconversation.com\/files\/732890\/original\/file-20260428-71-poavyn.png?ixlib=rb-4.1.1\u0026amp;q=30\u0026amp;auto=format\u0026amp;w=754\u0026amp;h=391\u0026amp;fit=crop\u0026amp;dpr=2 1508w, https:\/\/images.theconversation.com\/files\/732890\/original\/file-20260428-71-poavyn.png?ixlib=rb-4.1.1\u0026amp;q=15\u0026amp;auto=format\u0026amp;w=754\u0026amp;h=391\u0026amp;fit=crop\u0026amp;dpr=3 2262w\u0022 sizes=\u0022(min-width: 1466px) 754px, (max-width: 599px) 100vw, (min-width: 600px) 600px, 237px\u0022\u003E\u003C\/a\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cfigcaption\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022caption\u0022\u003EScientists often describe subduction faults as either locked or creeping. Locked patches, top right, stick as stress builds, then rupture suddenly in earthquakes. Creeping patches slide more gradually. One common explanation has been that high-pressure fluids help keep them weak and slippery, lower right. But new research questions that fluid-based explanation. At the Shumagin Gap, we found too little fluid pressure for fluid alone to explain the slow, consistent slide.\u003C\/span\u003E \u003Ca class=\u0022source\u0022 href=\u0022https:\/\/doi.org\/10.1038\/s41467-026-71176-7\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022attribution\u0022\u003EYinchu Li, et al., 2026\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/a\u003E\u003C\/figcaption\u003E\u003C\/figure\u003E\u003Cp\u003ETesting that idea requires seeing the fluids, and that\u2019s where our team came in.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EWe use \u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/marineemlab.ucsd.edu\/resources\/concepts\/CSEM_MT.html\u0022\u003Emarine electromagnetic imaging\u003C\/a\u003E, a method that maps how easily underground materials conduct electricity. A ship tows an instrument close to the seafloor, sending electromagnetic signals into the rocks below, while other instruments on the seabed record the response. Different materials beneath the seafloor conduct electricity differently, and that shows up in the measurements. Because salty water conducts electricity very well, the method is especially good at mapping where fluids are and where they aren\u2019t.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cfigure class=\u0022align-center zoomable\u0022\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/images.theconversation.com\/files\/732292\/original\/file-20260426-57-b5kyhu.jpg?ixlib=rb-4.1.1\u0026amp;q=45\u0026amp;auto=format\u0026amp;w=1000\u0026amp;fit=clip\u0022 aria-label=\u0022Zoomable image\u0022\u003E\u003Cimg alt=\u0022People aboard a ship lower a large instrument into the water.\u0022 src=\u0022https:\/\/images.theconversation.com\/files\/732292\/original\/file-20260426-57-b5kyhu.jpg?ixlib=rb-4.1.1\u0026amp;q=45\u0026amp;auto=format\u0026amp;w=754\u0026amp;fit=clip\u0022 srcset=\u0022https:\/\/images.theconversation.com\/files\/732292\/original\/file-20260426-57-b5kyhu.jpg?ixlib=rb-4.1.1\u0026amp;q=45\u0026amp;auto=format\u0026amp;w=600\u0026amp;h=338\u0026amp;fit=crop\u0026amp;dpr=1 600w, https:\/\/images.theconversation.com\/files\/732292\/original\/file-20260426-57-b5kyhu.jpg?ixlib=rb-4.1.1\u0026amp;q=30\u0026amp;auto=format\u0026amp;w=600\u0026amp;h=338\u0026amp;fit=crop\u0026amp;dpr=2 1200w, https:\/\/images.theconversation.com\/files\/732292\/original\/file-20260426-57-b5kyhu.jpg?ixlib=rb-4.1.1\u0026amp;q=15\u0026amp;auto=format\u0026amp;w=600\u0026amp;h=338\u0026amp;fit=crop\u0026amp;dpr=3 1800w, https:\/\/images.theconversation.com\/files\/732292\/original\/file-20260426-57-b5kyhu.jpg?ixlib=rb-4.1.1\u0026amp;q=45\u0026amp;auto=format\u0026amp;w=754\u0026amp;h=424\u0026amp;fit=crop\u0026amp;dpr=1 754w, https:\/\/images.theconversation.com\/files\/732292\/original\/file-20260426-57-b5kyhu.jpg?ixlib=rb-4.1.1\u0026amp;q=30\u0026amp;auto=format\u0026amp;w=754\u0026amp;h=424\u0026amp;fit=crop\u0026amp;dpr=2 1508w, https:\/\/images.theconversation.com\/files\/732292\/original\/file-20260426-57-b5kyhu.jpg?ixlib=rb-4.1.1\u0026amp;q=15\u0026amp;auto=format\u0026amp;w=754\u0026amp;h=424\u0026amp;fit=crop\u0026amp;dpr=3 2262w\u0022 sizes=\u0022(min-width: 1466px) 754px, (max-width: 599px) 100vw, (min-width: 600px) 600px, 237px\u0022\u003E\u003C\/a\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cfigcaption\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022caption\u0022\u003EResearchers deploy marine electromagnetic instruments off Alaska to image fluids and rock structure beneath the seafloor.\u003C\/span\u003E \u003Ca class=\u0022source\u0022 href=\u0022https:\/\/egl.eas.gatech.edu\/projects\/emage\/\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022attribution\u0022\u003EEMAGE team\/Kerry Key\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/a\u003E\u003C\/figcaption\u003E\u003C\/figure\u003E\u003Cp\u003EWe \u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/egl.eas.gatech.edu\/projects\/emage\/\u0022\u003Esurveyed a 75-mile (120-kilometer) stretch of seafloor\u003C\/a\u003E across the Shumagin Gap, a section of the Alaska-Aleutian subduction zone that has been creeping for more than a century. The Shumagin Gap had long been considered a \u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/earthquake.alaska.edu\/new-perspective-seismic-hazards-shumagin-gap\u0022\u003Equiet part of the margin\u003C\/a\u003E, even though neighboring segments have produced magnitude 8 and larger earthquakes.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003ETo our surprise, the fault at the Shumagin Gap was not as fluid-rich as the leading explanation would predict.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EOur images show that the shallow part of the fault, closest to the ocean, has \u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/doi.org\/10.1038\/s41467-026-71176-7\u0022\u003Elittle open space in the rock for fluid\u003C\/a\u003E to occupy. And the fluid that is there is under roughly normal pressure, not the high pressure that the \u201cslippery fluid\u201d model predicts.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EThe fault surface is bumpy and rugged. The upper plate appears to be a patchwork of stronger and weaker material, and we found possible pathways where fluids may drain into the rock above the fault.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EIn other words, this quiet fault isn\u2019t quiet because it\u2019s well lubricated. Something else is keeping it stable, most likely a combination of rough fault surface, varying rock strength and, in some places, fluid.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cfigure class=\u0022align-center zoomable\u0022\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/images.theconversation.com\/files\/732888\/original\/file-20260428-57-fj7l9j.png?ixlib=rb-4.1.1\u0026amp;q=45\u0026amp;auto=format\u0026amp;w=1000\u0026amp;fit=clip\u0022 aria-label=\u0022Zoomable image\u0022\u003E\u003Cimg alt=\u0022A cross section of the Shumagin Gap\u0022 src=\u0022https:\/\/images.theconversation.com\/files\/732888\/original\/file-20260428-57-fj7l9j.png?ixlib=rb-4.1.1\u0026amp;q=45\u0026amp;auto=format\u0026amp;w=754\u0026amp;fit=clip\u0022 srcset=\u0022https:\/\/images.theconversation.com\/files\/732888\/original\/file-20260428-57-fj7l9j.png?ixlib=rb-4.1.1\u0026amp;q=45\u0026amp;auto=format\u0026amp;w=600\u0026amp;h=375\u0026amp;fit=crop\u0026amp;dpr=1 600w, https:\/\/images.theconversation.com\/files\/732888\/original\/file-20260428-57-fj7l9j.png?ixlib=rb-4.1.1\u0026amp;q=30\u0026amp;auto=format\u0026amp;w=600\u0026amp;h=375\u0026amp;fit=crop\u0026amp;dpr=2 1200w, https:\/\/images.theconversation.com\/files\/732888\/original\/file-20260428-57-fj7l9j.png?ixlib=rb-4.1.1\u0026amp;q=15\u0026amp;auto=format\u0026amp;w=600\u0026amp;h=375\u0026amp;fit=crop\u0026amp;dpr=3 1800w, https:\/\/images.theconversation.com\/files\/732888\/original\/file-20260428-57-fj7l9j.png?ixlib=rb-4.1.1\u0026amp;q=45\u0026amp;auto=format\u0026amp;w=754\u0026amp;h=471\u0026amp;fit=crop\u0026amp;dpr=1 754w, https:\/\/images.theconversation.com\/files\/732888\/original\/file-20260428-57-fj7l9j.png?ixlib=rb-4.1.1\u0026amp;q=30\u0026amp;auto=format\u0026amp;w=754\u0026amp;h=471\u0026amp;fit=crop\u0026amp;dpr=2 1508w, https:\/\/images.theconversation.com\/files\/732888\/original\/file-20260428-57-fj7l9j.png?ixlib=rb-4.1.1\u0026amp;q=15\u0026amp;auto=format\u0026amp;w=754\u0026amp;h=471\u0026amp;fit=crop\u0026amp;dpr=3 2262w\u0022 sizes=\u0022(min-width: 1466px) 754px, (max-width: 599px) 100vw, (min-width: 600px) 600px, 237px\u0022\u003E\u003C\/a\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cfigcaption\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022caption\u0022\u003EA cross-sectional illustration of the Shumagin Gap shows a rough plate interface and limited fluid.\u003C\/span\u003E \u003Ca class=\u0022source\u0022 href=\u0022https:\/\/doi.org\/10.1038\/s41467-026-71176-7\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022attribution\u0022\u003EYinchu Li, et al., 2026\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/a\u003E\u003C\/figcaption\u003E\u003C\/figure\u003E\u003Ch2\u003EWhat This Means for Assessing Earthquake Risks\u003C\/h2\u003E\u003Cp\u003EOur findings about this fault have consequences for assessing earthquake and tsunami hazards more broadly.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EMany models lean on the idea that fluid pressure helps determine whether a subduction fault slips suddenly or creeps. If fluid isn\u2019t the main control keeping the Shumagin Gap quiet, other quiet faults might similarly lack fluid, raising questions about how stable those faults really are.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EUnderstanding these mechanisms matters for assessing coastal communities\u2019 earthquake and tsunami risks. A shallow slip near a trench is what drives the most destructive tsunamis. Tsunamis from Alaska\u2013Aleutian earthquakes have reached distant coasts before. Large earthquakes in \u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/sos.noaa.gov\/catalog\/datasets\/tsunami-historical-series-aleutian-islands-1946\/\u0022\u003E1946\u003C\/a\u003E, \u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/www.usgs.gov\/centers\/pcmsc\/news\/revisiting-1957-aleutian-earthquake-new-insights-tsunami-hazards-hawaii\u0022\u003E1957\u003C\/a\u003E and \u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/www.usgs.gov\/centers\/alaska-science-center\/science\/1964-great-alaska-earthquake-and-tsunami\u0022\u003E1964\u003C\/a\u003E generated tsunamis that damaged the coasts of Hawaii and California.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EAs our results show, there isn\u2019t a single, simple story explaining slow-sliding faults. More and better offshore data will help scientists more accurately assess earthquake and tsunami hazards around the world and help communities well beyond Alaska prepare.\u003C!-- Below is The Conversation\u0027s page counter tag. Please DO NOT REMOVE. --\u003E\u003Cimg style=\u0022border-color:!important;border-style:none;box-shadow:none !important;margin:0 !important;max-height:1px !important;max-width:1px !important;min-height:1px !important;min-width:1px !important;opacity:0 !important;outline:none !important;padding:0 !important;\u0022 src=\u0022https:\/\/counter.theconversation.com\/content\/281510\/count.gif?distributor=republish-lightbox-basic\u0022 alt=\u0022The Conversation\u0022 width=\u00221\u0022 height=\u00221\u0022 referrerpolicy=\u0022no-referrer-when-downgrade\u0022\u003E\u003C!-- End of code. If you don\u0027t see any code above, please get new code from the Advanced tab after you click the republish button. The page counter does not collect any personal data. More info: https:\/\/theconversation.com\/republishing-guidelines --\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u003Cem\u003EThis article is republished from \u003C\/em\u003E\u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/theconversation.com\u0022\u003E\u003Cem\u003EThe Conversation\u003C\/em\u003E\u003C\/a\u003E\u003Cem\u003E under a Creative Commons license. Read the \u003C\/em\u003E\u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/theconversation.com\/a-quiet-alaska-fault-is-missing-the-fluids-scientists-expected-and-its-changing-what-we-know-about-earthquake-zones-281510\u0022\u003E\u003Cem\u003Eoriginal article\u003C\/em\u003E\u003C\/a\u003E\u003Cem\u003E.\u003C\/em\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E","summary":"","format":"full_html"}],"field_subtitle":"","field_summary":[{"value":"\u003Cp\u003EScientists may need to rethink the assumption about subduction zones around the world.\u003C\/p\u003E","format":"limited_html"}],"field_summary_sentence":[{"value":"Scientists may need to rethink the assumption about subduction zones around the world."}],"uid":"27469","created_gmt":"2026-09-02 18:28:24","changed_gmt":"2026-09-03 12:32:24","author":"Kristen Bailey","boilerplate_text":"","field_publication":"","field_article_url":"","location":"Atlanta, GA","dateline":{"date":"2026-05-04T00:00:00-04:00","iso_date":"2026-05-04T00:00:00-04:00","tz":"America\/New_York"},"extras":[],"hg_media":{"681051":{"id":"681051","type":"image","title":"Large earthquakes have been common along the Alaska-Aleutian subduction zone, except at the Shumagin Gap. Yinchu Li","body":"\u003Cp\u003ELarge earthquakes have been common along the Alaska-Aleutian subduction zone, except at the Shumagin Gap. Yinchu Li\u003C\/p\u003E","created":"1788438546","gmt_created":"2026-09-03 12:29:06","changed":"1788438546","gmt_changed":"2026-09-03 12:29:06","alt":"Large earthquakes have been common along the Alaska-Aleutian subduction zone, except at the Shumagin Gap. Yinchu Li","file":{"fid":"265402","name":"file-20260427-57-3d2sek.png","image_path":"\/sites\/default\/files\/2026\/09\/03\/file-20260427-57-3d2sek.png","image_full_path":"http:\/\/hg.gatech.edu\/\/sites\/default\/files\/2026\/09\/03\/file-20260427-57-3d2sek.png","mime":"image\/png","size":1299278,"path_740":"http:\/\/hg.gatech.edu\/sites\/default\/files\/styles\/740xx_scale\/public\/2026\/09\/03\/file-20260427-57-3d2sek.png?itok=rKV2VmnS"}}},"media_ids":["681051"],"related_links":[{"url":"https:\/\/theconversation.com\/a-quiet-alaska-fault-is-missing-the-fluids-scientists-expected-and-its-changing-what-we-know-about-earthquake-zones-281510","title":"Read This Article on The Conversation"}],"groups":[{"id":"1278","name":"College of Sciences"},{"id":"1214","name":"News Room"},{"id":"364801","name":"School of Earth and Atmospheric Sciences (EAS)"}],"categories":[],"keywords":[{"id":"194974","name":"go-theconversation"}],"core_research_areas":[],"news_room_topics":[{"id":"71911","name":"Earth and Environment"}],"event_categories":[],"invited_audience":[],"affiliations":[],"classification":[],"areas_of_expertise":[],"news_and_recent_appearances":[],"phone":[],"contact":[{"value":"\u003Ch5\u003EAuthor:\u003C\/h5\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/theconversation.com\/profiles\/yinchu-li-2666349\u0022\u003EYinchu Li\u003C\/a\u003E, Ph.D. Candidate in Marine Geology, \u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/theconversation.com\/institutions\/georgia-institute-of-technology-1310\u0022\u003E\u003Cem\u003EGeorgia Institute of Technology\u003C\/em\u003E\u003C\/a\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Ch5\u003EMedia Contact:\u003C\/h5\u003E\u003Cp\u003EShelley Wunder-Smith\u003Cbr\u003E\u003Ca href=\u0022mailto:shelley.wunder-smith@research.gatech.edu\u0022\u003Eshelley.wunder-smith@research.gatech.edu\u003C\/a\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E","format":"limited_html"}],"email":[],"slides":[],"orientation":[],"userdata":""}}}