|
The two moving plates that meet in California where the Northridge Earthquake occured are the North American Plate and the Pacific Plate. The Pacific Plate moves northwestward relative to the East moving North American Plate causing tension along what is known as the San Andreas fault line. The San Andreas is a Master fault that runs throught the entire California costal region. This fault runs upwards of 800 miles up and down the coast and runs as deep as 10 miles below the earths surface, while at other points it is actually visible above the surface. Being from southern California I know where a few of these places are, it is very interesting. Because the plates move horizontally across each other, they create a transform fault that cuases earthquakes throught slippage movement of the plates. |
|
