Predicting when and where earthquakes will occur is becoming more feasible, say scientists from Monash University who are trialling a new approach to plate tectonics. It is the first model to go beyond illustrating how plates move, to explaining why.
Researchers developed a three-dimensional, physical model, using physics to predict the behaviour of tectonic plates. They then applied data tracing the Andes back 60 million years, which it matched.
Understanding the forces driving tectonic plates will allow researchers to predict shifts and their consequences, including the formation of mountain ranges, opening and closing of oceans, and earthquakes.
Read more at Monash University